GIVE US THAT "CHEAP" SALVATION!

 

Titus 3:4-7
But when God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

Isn't it weird?
God does all the work....
He paid the price for our freedom through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
He gave us His Holy Spirit as a comforter and guide to help us through life here on this side of heaven.
He speaks on a continual basis through His book, here again freely given to us.
And all we have to do is follow.
And we can't even do that.
There those who think salvation and sobriety should be handed to them without any effort on their part, because their life has been hard.
They are not willing to embrace the cross that Jesus has called them to (See Luke 9:23) and follow the path He is walking.

We want the perks of being saved without anything being required of us.
We fall back on old familiar excuses to keep from taking possession of this new life and sobriety we have been afforded.
"I can't do this!!" 
Well, of course you can't, buttercup.
That's why there is a Higher Power who can. Once again, all we have to do is follow.
"But you don't understand!!"
Oh yes I do. You are not unique in your addiction.
You are not special in your addiction.
You are one of the millions who gave themselves willingly to serve this sin driven master.
Now let's get real honest at this point.
Either you can't quit (which kind of puts you in the place where God can work through you.....)
Or you don't want to quit and your afraid to admit it to those around you.
I clearly understand both sides.....

You are not unique in your addiction.
Look at verse 3 of Titus 3:
Once we also were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy and we hated each other.
Sound familiar?
If you are a slave to someone or something, then it has power over you. You can't break free from the influence or demands this power dictates to you.
The only way you can escape is if another power greater than one you are serving comes along and overthrows it.
This is exactly what Jesus does....
He breaks the power that sin has over you.
He pays the penalty that sin demanded of you.
And He leads you away from and out of the presence of sin.
But this new place (and new life) He gives you demands some discipline and action on your part.

The Twelve Steps provide the discipline to change.
God empowers us to move through these steps.
Scary? You bet. The future and the unknown are always scary.
But God doesn't empower someone and then cast them aside to fin for themselves. He leads, we follow. And here's the kicker.
This new adventure is only 24 hours long.
We deal with what we face today. Sure there are problems out there waiting on us, but I have to take care of today, if I'm going to have a tomorrow. This is the heart of recovery. That is why you hear the phrase "One day at a time" over and over when you go to a meeting. Because today is all we have been given.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change; 
courage to change the things I can; 
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; 
enjoying one moment at a time; 
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it; 
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will; 
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next. 
Amen.

God on you.....

mbb