We were delighted to engage our vibrant congregation with the intriguing question, “How did you get saved?” The stories ran the gamut of human experiences. One person went to a camp meeting to follow the prospects of “hooking up” with some cute girls and finding God in the process. It was an amazing spin on Wednesday bible study, as we were focusing on sharing our Faith with others. In an effort to prepare our minds to share the Gospel authentically, we needed to explore and embrace thd stories of own conversion. I encourage this refreshing study to any ministry looking to make a step towards better personal evangelism and genuine outreach.

Ask yourself this question: How many times would I watch a person betray me, talk about me, stab me in the back, and ask me to forgive & forget before I say, “No more?”  When was the last time you took your income tax money, put your plans on hold just to free someone else from the stress and slavery of their debt?  Oh, and by the way, what you ask in return?  Nothing.

Pretty stupid, huh?  Pathetic? According to our “Give-to-get” society it is.  To God, this is one of the Greatest Gifts He has given to us.

GRACE – God’s unmerited favor (Salvation-Grace)

It is characterized by God looking at our helplessness and ridding us of a debt we could never pay in the first place.  The one place where this is most evident is at the point where we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.  The Apostle Paul reminded us that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8-9) through faith.  Let us take some time to examine this.  We are not saved through any skill, talent, value, or merit of our own.  This is because in God’s eyes, they are not enough to fulfill His standards of righteousness.  The reason why this is important is the Sonship & Adoption cannot override His inherent Attribute of being Holy (Ps.99:9, Ps.145:17).  This means, that if we are to be a “Son” we would have to find some way to pay the “Fee” if you will (the atonement for our sins) .  While we want to be close to God, our “pockets” are no where deep enough to pay that price.  No need to fear.

Jesus comes along and pays that debt for us so we can walk through that gate or partition which separated us from God.  The “faith” in Eph. 2:8-9 is necessary because we have to base our access and reconciliation with God upon another (Jesus Christ) and we have to believe:

• That He really did exist
• That He was more than just a man
• That He bore our sins upon His shoulders
• That He is authorized to set us free
• That all this is possible without having to see God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit

The scripture reminds us that grace is the, “Gift of God.”  This point, to me, is the catalyst for True Worship.  When we can inflect to our own human flaws, accept the fact that we are prone to failure.  This does not give us an alibi for foolishness and luke-warm living.  Our sins still have consequences.  I have found though,  the extent to we accept our own inability to “justify ourselves” or “be our own saviors”  would determine our depth of Worship to God for His gift of Grace towards us.

I finally brought myself to the computer to view the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti on Tuesday. The pictures, videos, and stories all did their part to tear away sense of bliss I had previous to my viewing.  Pictures, much like this one, reminded me how vulnerable we are to sudden tragedy.

It felt like I was there, walking helplessly among those who lost their house, family, and trusted faced that looked for in their neighborhoods. I watched as hundreds of bodies and bloody faces were piled into the makeshift morgues & hospitals.

The thought hit me, “What can I do to help?” At first, I figured there was nothing I could do but pray both for my feinting heart, and for a people in dire need.

This morning, the Lord answered my innocent question.  We cannot just sit back and accept that we cannot do anything.  We have to find a difference.  “To Do nothing is to Feel Nothing.” We cannot allow distance and geography to coerce our humanity into a dormant state of indifference.  You can help. No matter how insignificant it might seem.  You just haven’t found the way to as yet.  Keep looking, as I am, and God will reveal the way He wants to use you to show His love and Salvation.