The Biggest "But" Ever
The Biggest “But” Ever
I hope you read carefully. I did not say the “biggest butt” so please, do not send me emails but I said the “biggest but”. I am the biggest “but” ever.
I was born and lived in my city called “Dead in trespasses and sins (DTS)”. In this city, my people’s primary way of living is that we “conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind”. Anything and everything immoral was the norm and “if it feels good you do it” is the slogan for our city. The ruler of our city is “the prince of the power of the air”. The ruler is a spirit and he works to encourage “disobedience” to the ultimate Ruler and Maker - God the Almighty. Everyone that has ever lived from the beginning of creation lived in our city DTS. Everyone who now lives, also live in our city of DTS. Abraham, David, Virgin Mary, Judas Iscariot, Hitler, Mother Teresa, Gaddafi, every “good” and “bad” person lived or lives in my city of DTS.
In my city of DTS, all that are born are described as “children of wrath”, that is the “wrath” of God. As a result, all of us DTS citizens deserve by our nature the “wrath of God”. Adam and Eve, our first parents passed on this DNA nature to all of us. Our DNA is sin not just sinning. That is who we – sinful.
Now, things have changed. I am now the “but” of our city. In fact I am the “biggest but” ever in our city of DTS. How come? Apostle Paul tells it better than me. Here is how I became the biggest but and now live in Graceland.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2: 1-10.
In a suburb of my city DTS, (on April 25, 2014 in Connecticut), a 16 year old high school student stabbed and killed a fellow 16 year old student who refused to go with him to the school prom. If he cannot have her lustfully, the same lust has driven him to kill her. This is just one example of what happens in my city. We are driven by lust and selfishness. The story has been the same from the beginning of time. Cain was angry and killed his brother Able for the same reason.
“But God” rich in mercy has saved us from the impending “wrath” reserved for all citizens of DTS – “the children of wrath”. Now you see why I am the biggest “but” ever. God has called us out of this sin city to live in his marvelous light in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! We have come from the dead to the land of the living by believing and trusting in Jesus as our Savior.
How dare I judge with harshness the others who still live in the city of DTS? There is nothing else a sinner knows to do than to sin. The only one that does not sin and is saved from God’s wrath is the person who has been changed and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The same power that raised Christ from the dead gives the sinner a new nature – a spiritual nature and life.
Knowing where we came from and where we lived helps us understand God’s grace on us that saved us. Our salvation is a gift from God. You receive a gift from the giver; if not, it is of no use until received. Have you received God’s gift of salvation? There is always a choice to get out of the DTS city. Receive the gift of salvation by trusting and believing in Jesus as the only Savior.
God wants us to treat others the same way He has treated us with grace and mercy. Knowing that we came from the city of DTS softens our hearts toward those who are living there. It also softens our hearts toward one another that have trusted in Jesus and occasionally exhibit the sins of the DTS. Thank God we no longer live there and that God by His grace is still transforming us to the image of His Son Jesus who was sinless. Until we all reach the fullness and maturity in Christ, may God’s grace abound in our lives and May we extend grace to others.
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”. 2 Corinthians 4:6. This is all we are living for to know this God who has so loved us to save us from the wrath reserved for all children of disobedience of which we used to be one of them. Eternal life is to know God forever.
We have also been saved to do God’s good works. It is not the reason why He saved us but a by- product of our salvation. 10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”. The best measure of the good work is our love for Jesus which will cause us to tell others about the One who has loved us and to treat others the same way He has treated us by grace – giving us what we do not deserve.
Are you a fellow “biggest but”? Then say Amen. The next time someone ticks you off especially at home, remember, “But God”; then extend grace to him or her. You and I also tick others off too. Grace is the only way to live and be happy otherwise you will be cranky, miserable, un-appealing and repelling. Grace attracts people to you. Let’s be the best “biggest but” ever by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I hope you read carefully. I did not say the “biggest butt” so please, do not send me emails but I said the “biggest but”. I am the biggest “but” ever.
I was born and lived in my city called “Dead in trespasses and sins (DTS)”. In this city, my people’s primary way of living is that we “conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind”. Anything and everything immoral was the norm and “if it feels good you do it” is the slogan for our city. The ruler of our city is “the prince of the power of the air”. The ruler is a spirit and he works to encourage “disobedience” to the ultimate Ruler and Maker - God the Almighty. Everyone that has ever lived from the beginning of creation lived in our city DTS. Everyone who now lives, also live in our city of DTS. Abraham, David, Virgin Mary, Judas Iscariot, Hitler, Mother Teresa, Gaddafi, every “good” and “bad” person lived or lives in my city of DTS.
In my city of DTS, all that are born are described as “children of wrath”, that is the “wrath” of God. As a result, all of us DTS citizens deserve by our nature the “wrath of God”. Adam and Eve, our first parents passed on this DNA nature to all of us. Our DNA is sin not just sinning. That is who we – sinful.
Now, things have changed. I am now the “but” of our city. In fact I am the “biggest but” ever in our city of DTS. How come? Apostle Paul tells it better than me. Here is how I became the biggest but and now live in Graceland.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2: 1-10.
In a suburb of my city DTS, (on April 25, 2014 in Connecticut), a 16 year old high school student stabbed and killed a fellow 16 year old student who refused to go with him to the school prom. If he cannot have her lustfully, the same lust has driven him to kill her. This is just one example of what happens in my city. We are driven by lust and selfishness. The story has been the same from the beginning of time. Cain was angry and killed his brother Able for the same reason.
“But God” rich in mercy has saved us from the impending “wrath” reserved for all citizens of DTS – “the children of wrath”. Now you see why I am the biggest “but” ever. God has called us out of this sin city to live in his marvelous light in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! We have come from the dead to the land of the living by believing and trusting in Jesus as our Savior.
How dare I judge with harshness the others who still live in the city of DTS? There is nothing else a sinner knows to do than to sin. The only one that does not sin and is saved from God’s wrath is the person who has been changed and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The same power that raised Christ from the dead gives the sinner a new nature – a spiritual nature and life.
Knowing where we came from and where we lived helps us understand God’s grace on us that saved us. Our salvation is a gift from God. You receive a gift from the giver; if not, it is of no use until received. Have you received God’s gift of salvation? There is always a choice to get out of the DTS city. Receive the gift of salvation by trusting and believing in Jesus as the only Savior.
God wants us to treat others the same way He has treated us with grace and mercy. Knowing that we came from the city of DTS softens our hearts toward those who are living there. It also softens our hearts toward one another that have trusted in Jesus and occasionally exhibit the sins of the DTS. Thank God we no longer live there and that God by His grace is still transforming us to the image of His Son Jesus who was sinless. Until we all reach the fullness and maturity in Christ, may God’s grace abound in our lives and May we extend grace to others.
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”. 2 Corinthians 4:6. This is all we are living for to know this God who has so loved us to save us from the wrath reserved for all children of disobedience of which we used to be one of them. Eternal life is to know God forever.
We have also been saved to do God’s good works. It is not the reason why He saved us but a by- product of our salvation. 10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”. The best measure of the good work is our love for Jesus which will cause us to tell others about the One who has loved us and to treat others the same way He has treated us by grace – giving us what we do not deserve.
Are you a fellow “biggest but”? Then say Amen. The next time someone ticks you off especially at home, remember, “But God”; then extend grace to him or her. You and I also tick others off too. Grace is the only way to live and be happy otherwise you will be cranky, miserable, un-appealing and repelling. Grace attracts people to you. Let’s be the best “biggest but” ever by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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