paychecks

362. waking up early to spend time with God, today that looks different-instead of reading God's word I am speaking on God's word....

On Sunay at church pastor Tyler (pretty cool dude by the way) taught on Gospel obedience. We discussed the point pastor matt made on Easter about how religion says I obey therefore am accepted, but Gospel says I am accepted therefore I obey! I love that! He also discussed paychecks in a way that made complete sense to me and I want to share so others may understand as well...

we get frustrated sometimes because we don't think we get what we deserve, we work hard, we do right, we get nothing, no glory, no recognition (I'm sure mom's and wives can relate), sometimes in fact people who don't work as hard or do as much as us get the reward we feel we have earned. I will admit I never thought of myself this way, but pastor tyler hit the nail on the head in some ways with this. It also explains some of my lack of joy. I am looking at life as though I work hard and earn what I get. When we get paid our normal weekly or bi-weekly paycheck do we get excited and find joy in it? no usually I mean maybe a little-but its not real joy-its more like oh good now i can get_________ and pick up some groceries as well..... in fact sometimes we probably get frustrated with how little we preceive we are getting with our paycheck.

Ready to have your mind blown? We have worked hard and definitely earned something---death and hell-----yep hell that is what we have earned and deserve, but God send His son Jesus to use His paycheck to pay the debt we couldn't pay so that we don't get what we earned. Jesus died for our sins and atoned for them and because of Him we can choose to accept a free gift-the gift of salvation-eternity in heaven with our good and kind heavenly Father. Most Christians get excited about this right? Now picture this-Jesus paid our debt so we owe nothing and we don't get what we deserve (this is grace to the maximum) so whatabout those paychecks we don't find joy in? what about the lack of recognition for the hard work we do? what about all that stuff we feel robbed of? what about that person who gets more than we do even though they work half as hard?....

If you remember and beleive the gospel fully than you realize that we have earne nothing but hell and yet Jesus gave us a gift and all else other than HELL and DEATH are GIFTS--all else are GIFTS! Not just the stuff we think we find joy in or in fact do find joy in, but all of it--yes that includes trials, suffering, the tough stuff-what is worse than hell? nothing! I'm getting real with ya'll right now because I want to celebrate together in heaven as well as right here right now. Our paycheck shouldhave been hell, but instead it's life, its a love that we can't fully comprehend, its a savior who cares so much He would suffer in our stead to save His children. He was fully God but because fully man as well and walke this earth livinga completely perfect life and suffered greatly for just being HIm, then He was brutally beaten and tortured, hung on a Cross and died. He expereienced death fully and 3 days later He rose victoriously from the grave-that is good news for all who accept and believe that there is a love that great that sets us free and if we believe it, He will dwell in our hearts and help us to remember the gospel. We will see that what we get is a gift because we have no debt to pay. God is blessing us with gifts all the time and we can choose to see them that way and worship Him for it and find joy, or we can forgot the Cross and think we don't get enough of what we deserve. I don't want religion, I don't want a set of rules I try to follow and fail continually. I want my life and joy to reflect my rememberance of the gospel and count all things as joy since I do not get what I have earned (to go to hell) because my amazing Jesus, my savior died for me! Thank you Jesus for reminding me of what You did for me and how much I am blessed in spite of my sinful heart! Thank you for being good when there is nothing good in me, for being joy, for paying my debt and giving me so many many gifts-the greatest gift I have ever received is You, thank you!
363. the Cross
364. sermons that remind me of what I have been saved from
365. being reminded that when I don't get the credit I feel I have deserved that it doesn't matter-my credit come from Jesus and any credit I do get is mercy, a gift from God!
366. my aunt lora and her family! for inspiring me and edifying me
367. my computer, table, chair, internet, home, AC, lovely morning breeze, my body, my health, my family, friends, fingers....everything, every single thing about my life and the lives of those I love is a gift I don't deserve.........