SN- 2022 April 16: The Fruit & Joys of Salvation. Amazing Love, Amazing Mercy, Amazing Grace!!

SN – 16 April 2022

Precious Gift of Salvation

Easter time is a good time to reflect, among many things, on salvation….

… That God so loved the world that He gave His dear beloved Son, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish, but may have eternal life… John 3:16

– Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior & Redeemer

– He saved us, not by works in righteousness that we did, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,…Titus 3:5

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– In Him we have…

• redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins

• …. according to the riches of His grace…Ephesians 1:7

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Salvation being , the free gift received by grace through faith and not by works, so that none may boast.. Ephesians 2:9-10

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What Amazing Love, Amazing Mercy, Amazing Grace!!

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Indeed I am a precious blood bought gift…

When I receive salvation

…but my appreciation of a gift is shown by how much I value it

…which among other things can be shown in how I receive, keep (guard) or utilize it.

.. for I can receive a gift with a bad attitude, keep it carelessly or not even bother using it appropriately!

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For the precious blood bought gift of salvation , we are urged to …

… continuously work it out with fear and trembling (with the seriousness & honor it deserves)…Philippians 2:12 

…or basically

… I receive salvation which is Christ Jesus, and I have to work Him out (of the inside of me to the outside) with the diligence and honor He deserves, so that as He increases and I decrease, as I am being transformed into His image and likeness from glory to glory… as I produce the fruit of salvation … so that others can indeed taste and see that the Lord is good, in me and around me, for His kingdom and His glory.

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Salvation therefore, like a seed, needs nurturing so that it can take root, grow and bear fruit

Philippians 1:11 (NLT)

May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation —the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God…

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Like with all gifts, 

We need to take our gift of salvation back to the Lord ( in thanksgiving)

… So that like an Isaac or the 5 loaves and 2 fish, or the grateful leper ( out of 10)

.. the Lord may prosper it

… giving it life and life in abundance ( to its fullness) 

… so we can experience things like – the joy of salvation …Psalm 51:12

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But it requires pleasing faith, trust and commitment on my part..

… Where I do believe in God and in His rewards (e.g. of salvation), when I diligently seek Him (first before the reward)…Hebrews 11:6

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Proverbs 3:5-6(NKJV)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

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Proverbs 16:3(NIV)

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

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For God likes to take care of all that is His, particularly His precious gifts…

…such as when we are urged in Philippians 2:13 to continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling…

…verse 14 goes on to say that …

… For God is working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

… That indeed as I delight myself in the Lord, He gives (puts in me) the appropriate desires and petitions of my heart that are aligned to what is pleasing to Him….so much so that I now get to love what God loves as I am transformed into the image and likeness of Christ, as per our predestination.

• Delight yourself in the LORD, And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart…Psalm 37:4
• And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit….2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP
• For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers…. Romans 8:29

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Therefore, I should …

Psalms 55:22

– Cast my burden on the LORD [release it] and He will sustain and uphold me; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).

… the ‘burden’, an example being, any gift from God, because I shall be held accountable for it!!

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Romans 11:29

– For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance …KJV

– For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call]….AMP

And..

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Romans 14:12 (BLB)

So then, each of us will give account concerning himself (the gift of life…??) to God.

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>> Basically, every person is born with a gift and calling (purpose) from God,

… Which is not changed – is irrevocable or without repentance

… and is the basis for judgment ( standard for the marking scheme of my life – how well I did in relation to what I was given…. >> Parable of the Talents & Minas)

… I.e. Each life comes with a book written and a path ordained for us by the Lord

… and how well we do against what is ordained for us will be judged

… and it is for us to follow our God ordained path (to success) if we so desire

>> Choices, but with consequences  – life or death, blessing or curse, choose life that you and your descendants may live (have life and life in its abundance or fullness …)

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But ultimately, we all have to give an account for our lives >> Judgments

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Prayer…

Salvation is a precious gift, but that has eternal consequences…

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May the heavens and the earth witness again today…

..that I have chosen life

… I have chosen blessing

… that me and my descendants may live…

… with our names permanently written in the Book of Life.

Indeed, 

… I come to You Lord Jesus, with thanksgiving in my heart

… Acknowledging You as my Lord and my Savior

…I receive and accept the free gift of salvation by grace through faith…

…with the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit in my life

… accepting the forgiveness of my sins through redemption by the precious Blood of Christ

… and may I value it fully, working it out with fear and trembling

… so that I may not lose it ( Psalm 69:28, Revelation 3:5, Exodus 32:32-33)

… but that the joys of salvation may be fully manifest in my life

… together with the fruits of salvation – the righteous character produced in my life by Jesus Christ

… so much so that others may indeed taste and see that the Lord is good

… in me and through me, 

… for His Kingdom and His Glory

Thank You Lord for Your Amazing Love…

Thank You Lord for Your Amazing Mercy…

Thank You Lord for Your Amazing Grace…

That You lovingly, mercifully and graciously bestow upon my life…

AMEN!!

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& Blessed Easter Season…

Where we not only receive or renew our salvation ( commitment to…) our lives and families, but also get to produce the fruits and experience the joys of salvation into eternity.