The times they are a changing

Bob Dylan wrote those lyric to the title song many years ago. Well I’m wondering if the times are, in fact, always changing.

Certainly the overall economic condition of the country has its affect on everyone. But it seems most people I know are struggling not only financially but emotionally and spiritually. ”Why, God” seems to be the question many of us are asking: Why aren’t our prayers being answered? I pray and pray and nothing seems to change. Prayer doesn’t seem to work. What’s wrong? Where is God?

I don’t have any nifty Christian cliche answers.  Anyone care to chime in?

Grace

Some short definitions of the word “grace” and derivatives

Grace:                     The bestowal of blessing and favor apart from performance or merit.

Gratitude:                The only proper response to receiving grace

Gratuity:                  Giving grace (unmerited money that isn’t due) to a waitress or waiter

Disgrace:                 Someone who lacks grace, graciousness, or gratitude

Ingrate:                   A person unthankful for grace received

Grateful:                  Grate-full:  Full of grace and/or gratitude.  The only proper response to receiving grace.  

Gratified:                 Satisfied with grace.

Congratulations:      Con-grace-ulations: Approval, praise, and joy given (freely out of grace) for one’s performance or personhood, or state.

Gratis:                     Freely given without charge

Grace Period:          The time between birth and death.

Panhandlers and beggars

The difference between a panhandler and a beggar:

 A panhandler hopes you are a fool;

 A beggar hopes you are an angel.

 

Only beggars get into heaven

Coming to Christ

Before any person can receive forgiveness, grace, and mercy, that person, of course, must be convinced that he or she is in desperate need of it.

If I am convinced of one thing, it is this: Only beggars get into heaven. If a person is too proud to beg, they will never get into the Kingdom of God, they will never find grace and mercy, and they will never be saved.  Everyone who came to Jesus (or perhaps anyone who got anywhere with, or anything from, Jesus) came to Him on their knees; they came as beggars. Are you such a person?

There is no other place to come to Jesus for salvation than at the foot of His crucifixion (or His throne), and that is done upon one’s knees. The doorway to salvation is a very, very narrow, small doorway. One can only enter through it on hands and knees.

More about grace soon.

Mike