Sunday Words of Encouragement August 2, 2020

We still decided not to go to in church service yet. Hubby just too cautious. We can take best precautions at our office to minimize risk but going out exposes him more, even if it is just me going and returning home. So we are still worshipping online.

Pastor continued the sermon series Resolute Road in the second half of Romans 3.
All of us have received undeserved grace at some point during our lives. We didn’t get a ticket when we should have or we had a near accident miss or our house survived a disaster.
Our God has always been a God of second chances and often more than just two chances!
Man judges in ranges or degrees, like grades A to F or surveys 1 to 10.
God doesn't judge that way. God sees totality. People are lost or saved. No degrees. Sinful or righteous. Romans 3:21.

Our acquittal is based on grace through faith. The law has no power to save. You break it once, then you've broken it. You stand as a sinner no matter how good the rest of your life may be.
If you start a race but fall before the finish line then you don’t finish. But there is someone who will help you over the finish line. We all fall short of God's glorious standard. Our sin separates us from God.

BUT (v23-24) Through Grace, God gives the opportunity for total renewal.
God restores us to right standing as soon as we accept and confirm our belief in Christ; our faith in His sacrifice. We are returned to the position of God's greatest creation, those made in His image.

The Point: God's grace and total atonement is the hope our world needs.

We are closer than ever to the return of Christ. The end is already written.
We may try to share messages on social media but Facebook, Twitter, and others may not share our Christian posts beyond those already identified as Christians. We have to continue our message one on one. We have to continue to share our individual testimony of grace whenever and wherever we can.

We live and love in hope because God is in control!

I like this song of Grace:

Verses for Today:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.