HEAVENSREEF

OUR COST…….it is high.  Few find it.  It is a narrow road.

Walking in the world, but not getting pulled into all of it’s craziness is so hard, isn’t it?  So are we living the way we want, and still have the confidence that we will get into heaven?

Salvation by HIS grace through faith, doesn’t require a long list of works, no our faith should…..

REFLECT THE ONE WHO DIED ON THE CROSS FOR US.

Oh to be a reflection of JESUS!  Does your heart desire this more than anything else?  More than anything in the world?  More than your family?  Friends?  Do you want daily to be more like HIM? Has your desire become even more of a passion to anchor yourself to the ONE who died for you?

All these questions we should ask ourselves, daily, to take stock of where we are in our walks and to never, ever take HIS grace for granted.

HIS AMAZING GRACE SAVED US FROM OUR SIN CONDITION.

HIS grace is for us!  None of our works, not our seeking, no……JESUS who came for us made us right with HIM by standing in our place for our sins.  Imagine standing at the foot of the CROSS and see.  Stand there and see HIS blood poured out for you, yes for you and for me.

HIS death and HIS resurrection was and is for us and as the picture above says: It is finished!

1 PETER 2: 24 “HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SIN AND LIVE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS.  BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED.”

Our sanctification involves action on our part…….draw close to JESUS…….abide in HIM.  Let your faith live in you as submission to JESUS as your LORD and SAVIOR.  Our submission to HIM daily is an action of humility.  Not pride because we can take no credit……JESUS gets the glory here.

If we reflect JESUS, then there is spiritual fruit to be seen.   There is transformation of character and also a willingness to follow and spread HIS gospel.

HE CHOSE THE NAILS FOR YOU AND FOR ME.

Are our minds, hearts and souls all given for HIM?  Is JESUS our highest desire?  Let’s have real eyes in all of this…….do we only see HIM on the throne of our lives?

There is a cost and there is conviction and there is a narrow way of living this life.  If you follow JESUS, you follow HIS principles.  If your life doesn’t appear any different than the unbelievers out there…….then whom are you following?

THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS IS WORTH IT!

GALATIANS 6: 14 “BUT FAR BE IT FROM ME TO BOAST EXCEPT IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BY WHICH THE WORLD HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED TO ME AND I TO THE WORLD.”

Let’s show ourselves as ones who live vertical…….always looking up with the hope that we have in our SAVIOR.

May we have a conscious awareness of the CROSS…….it is daily, hourly and minute by minute.  It is hard to do, to not focus too much on your present circumstances and focus on JESUS instead.  It is an upside down way of thinking……..vertical and not horizontal. 

We are instructed to give thanks in everything…….in JESUS.  Do this today……HE is waiting on your thanks.  Your thanks will humble you and put JESUS in HIS rightful place on your life.

1 THESSALONIANS 5: 18 “GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU.”

There is a cost in following JESUS, but the cost will satisfy you and save your very soul!  The cost to JESUS was mind-blowing and the cost to us, is in our faith and how we live with vertical thinking and living according to what the gospel tells us.  Faith in CHRIST, faith in GOD and faith in the HOLY SPIRIT should lead us all through this life.

THE COST IS REAL…….BUT THE COST IS WORTH IT.

PROVERBS 4:7 “THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS THIS: GET WISDOM.  THOUGH IT COST ALL YOU HAVE, GET UNDERSTANDING.”