M
ATTHEW
11:28–30
THE MESSAGE
… “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
M
ARK
1:15
Today’s Scripture
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
1 C
ORINTHIANS
1:30–31
I
n Luke 18, a rich, young ruler walked up to Jesus and asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life. If this young man had asked the same thing in most churches today, he would have been told, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” But that was not what Jesus said to him. Instead, Jesus gave him the law of Moses, saying, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother’” (Luke 18:18–23).
Jesus gave him the Ten Commandments. Why? Because the young ruler came with pride, believing that he could
do
something to earn and deserve eternal life. Whenever you come boasting in your efforts, Jesus will give you the law of Moses.
Listen to what the young man said in response to Jesus: “All these things I have kept from my youth” (Luke 18:21). Amazing! This man actually claimed that he had kept the Ten Commandments from his youth! Like this rich young ruler and the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, some people really think that they are able to keep all the laws of Moses, not realizing that they have lowered the perfect standard of God’s law. Jesus came to bring the law back to its pristine standard—not only must there be an outward adherence to the law, there must also be an inward adherence. The young man was probably expecting Jesus to compliment him on his law keeping and feeling really confident of himself. But notice what Jesus said to him. Instead of complimenting him, He said, “You still lack one thing.”
You see, every time you boast in your law keeping, Jesus will uncover something that you lack. In this case, He told the young man to sell all that he had, give the money to the poor, and follow Him. The young man had boasted that he had kept all the commandments, yet when Jesus gave him the very first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me [not even money]” (Ex. 20:3), look at what happened. The young ruler walked away, sorrowful. Think about the amazing opportunity Jesus gave the man to follow Him, but the man could not because he could not bear to part with his wealth. In all his boasting, he could not even keep the first commandment.
Today, if you come to the Lord full of self-righteousness, boasting in your ability to keep the law to show Him why He needs to bless you, He will show you that, according to the law, “you still lack one thing.” But if you realize that you are no longer under the covenant of law but under the new covenant of grace, and depend on what Jesus has already done for you to receive His unmerited, undeserved favor, you will see the fullness of His salvation, grace, and blessings readily available for you. It will bring you to a place where you cannot help but see and give God the glory for His grace upon your life (see today’s Scripture).
The key to walking in the fullness of your salvation and in God’s blessings today is to realize that because of the cross, your relationship with God is no longer about your obedience, performance, or love for Him. It’s about Jesus’ love for you and
His
obedience to the Father that has purchased your righteousness and redemption. And the more you see, depend on, and enjoy His grace, the more His grace works in your heart, giving you the right desires and causing old defeatist ones to fall away.
Whatever your need today, come to the Person of grace. Depend on His grace and His love for you, not your love or your efforts to please Him. Know today that Jesus is your acceptance, righteousness, holiness, provision, and wisdom. In Him is the forgiveness, healing, and restoration you need. Believe in His love for you and allow Him to lead you to freedom.
Today’s Thought
Whatever it is that I need in my life, I will find it in Jesus
.
Today’s Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You that I don’t have to qualify for or earn Your love and blessings in my life. Thank You for giving me the abundance of Your grace and gift of righteousness that are completely unmerited and undeserved. I humbly receive Your forgiveness, healing, and restoration. I believe that in You I am accepted, righteous, holy, and beloved, and I thank You that I can always depend on Your love. Amen
.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it
.
E
PHESIANS
2:8–9
NLT
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
R
OMANS
8:32
Today’s Scripture
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
R
OMANS
2:4
NLT
Y
ou’ve got to love the story of short, little Zacchaeus, who had climbed a sycamore tree hoping to catch a glimpse of Jesus as He walked by (Luke 19:1–10). Zacchaeus was a corrupt tax collector, a rich sinner. But when Jesus spoke to him, instead of giving him the Ten Commandments, Jesus showed him grace (undeserved favor) and invited Himself to Zacchaeus’ house. Of course, the religious people in the crowd were displeased and gossiped among themselves saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner” (Luke 19:7).
Now, observe what happened in Zacchaeus’ house. Before the dinner was over, Zacchaeus was giving his wealth away to the poor and making restitution to those whom he had wronged, and Jesus was proclaiming salvation over Zacchaeus’ house.
I believe that it was the Holy Spirit who put this story side by side with that of the rich young ruler whom we considered yesterday. I don’t believe that the two stories in the Gospel of Luke happened chronologically. But I believe that the Holy Spirit placed them in this divine order to show us the contrasting effects of being under the covenant of law and being under the covenant of grace.
When the rich young ruler came boasting in his law keeping, Jesus
answered with the law
, and the young man walked away sorrowful (Matt. 19:22). But when Jesus
gave no law and showed His grace
, it not only opened Zacchaeus’ heart, but also the wallet of a once corrupt tax collector. That’s truly the power of grace! It leads one to true repentance. You see, when you experience God’s grace, you can’t help but be generous.
After Jesus lavished His unconditional love and grace on Zacchaeus, his heart overflowed with the undeserved, unmerited, and unearned favor of God. Zacchaeus knew deep in his heart that as a sinner and corrupt tax collector, he did not deserve to have Jesus come to his house. But God’s goodness far exceeded his expectations. And just as Peter was brought to his knees when he saw Jesus’ goodness, Zacchaeus was led to repentance when he experienced Jesus’ goodness.
Unlike the young ruler, Zacchaeus knew that he was undeserving and that is why Jesus was able to shower grace on him. You see, the role of the law is to bring you to a place where you know in no uncertain terms that you cannot do anything to deserve God’s salvation and blessings, and how you can only rely on His grace. His grace will give you all the blessings you need and transform your life. My friend, our heavenly Father is waiting for us to give up on our own efforts. The moment you begin to repent from all the dead works that you have been doing to try to qualify for and deserve God’s acceptance and blessings, God will lavish on you His abundant grace—His undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favor.
Today, turn your eyes away from yourself and see yourself enjoying the undeserved favor of God under the new covenant of grace. See yourself forgiven and righteous with Jesus’ righteousness. Be occupied with Him and His grace, and like Zacchaeus, you will be transformed from the inside out.
Today’s Thought
The moment I give up on my efforts to qualify for God’s acceptance and blessings, God will lavish on me His abundant grace—His undeserved, unearned, and unmerited favor
.
Today’s Prayer
Father, thank You for Your amazing grace—Your free, undeserved favor and love for me. Thank You that it’s not about my trying, my doing, or my performing to overcome the failures and sins in my life. Help me to be established in Your love and grace so that guilt and condemnation will have no more hold over me. Help me to freely receive Your grace for every area of need. I believe that because of Jesus and Jesus alone—His work, His performance, and His love in my life—I have the power to break out of all that holds me back from reigning abundantly in life. In Jesus’ name, Amen
.
Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house…”
L
UKE
19:8–9
“… Give as freely as you have received!”
M
ATTHEW
10:8
NLT
Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives
.
P
SALM
90:14
NLT
Today’s Scripture
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace
.
R
OMANS
6:14
I
received a wonderful praise report from Yvette in the United Kingdom, who found the gospel of grace so liberating in one of my books that she read the same book four times in a row. She said, “My life is changed. I have been crying, laughing, sighing, praying, praising God, and speaking to myself while reading—the message of grace is new and different from what I have ever heard.”
Yvette went on to tell me how for the longest time she “did not know how to
rest
,” so she was always filled with worry, uncertain if God was pleased with her, and if He would answer her prayers. But after she discovered she could rest from her works because of Jesus’ perfect work that accomplished everything for her, she said, “I am so fulfilled and even now as I write this letter, I am in tears. Finally, I am resting and not worrying. I am enjoying His love. I am the happiest Christian on the face of the planet!”
Believers such as Yvette have been taught to put more confidence in their flesh to keep the law than in the power of the cross, and thus the self-effort through works never ends. They don’t realize that the more they try to keep the law and
not
sin, the worse it becomes, because “the strength of sin is the law” (1 Cor. 15:56).
Here’s an example of how this truth works out in daily life. Imagine a believer who struggles with lust. He tells the Lord, “Lord, I know that lust is wrong. I do not want to lust, so help me not to lust today. I will obey the law. I will not lust. I will obey the law. I will not lust…” But what do you think his first thought is when he sees an attractive woman? A lustful one! The more he tries not to lust, the more his mind is occupied with lust. And the more he feels condemned for his failures and focuses on his weakness, the worse it becomes.
Now, see what could happen when this Christian, who has a problem with lust, believes in grace. When he wakes up, he tells the Lord, “Lord, I am not even going to try today. I know that I cannot overcome this on my own. Lord, I rest in You. You live the victorious life for me. I cannot overcome lust by my own strength. My eyes are on You. Even though I cannot, I know that You can. Thank You for Your grace. I will just be cool.”
Then, he leaves his home and goes to work. As he is driving to work, he sees a huge billboard showing a woman in a bikini. And when he feels tempted to lust, he says, “Thank You, Father, I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I know that You are here with me. I have not lost Your presence. Even when I fail, You are with me. Thank You for Your grace.” The temptation comes and the temptation goes. He is at rest. He does not pull over to the side of the road and lament, “Oh God, why is this happening again? Please forgive me, Lord!” because he knows that the more he focuses on his weakness, the stronger it seems to become.
By the way, do you know what people who believe in confessing their sins in order to be forgiven usually do after they have sinned? Many a time, they say to themselves, “Since I’ve already sinned, I’ll continue in this sin and save my confessions for later.” For instance, the man who lusted will say, “Since I’m already guilty of lust, I might as well watch this raunchy movie and indulge in this men’s magazine. Then, I will confess them all at the end of the day.” You see, people who are living under the law and guilt and condemnation are doomed to repeat their sins. They think that since fellowship with God has already been broken, they might as well go all the way and indulge their weaknesses before they reconcile themselves to God.