THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
Pete always went to work early in the morning. He arrived at the stop sign which separted the neighborhood from the main street of town at 6am. He slowed, looked both ways, and nothing was coming. So Pete went on.
Just then, the blue lights of a police car came on, and the officer stopped Pete.
Pete said, "What's the matter officer?"
Officer, "You ran through the stop sign."
Pete, "But it's 6am in the morning, there was no traffic."
Officer, "The sign doesn't say slow down, it says STOP!"
Pete got out of the car angry, and said, "Look, officer. Slow down/stop -- what's the difference when no traffic is coming?"
The officer grabbed Pete by the right arm, and hit him over the head repeatedly with his billy club. Then the officer asked, "Which do you want me to do SLOW DOWN or STOP?"
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________SCRIPTURE____________________________________________________________________
Isaiah 61
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
KJV
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_______THOUGHT______________________________________________________________________
When God "clothes" us in the robes of Christ's perfect righteousness, it is reason to REJOICE!!! PRAISE GOD!!! What a wonderful gift for a dirty sinner to receive: the beautiful and holy garment of Christ's righteousness!!
The BEST that a man can muster, he wears to his wedding. Christ's righteousness FAR EXCEEDS the BEST that man can do. One can never cleans himself enough to be accepted by the Lord. One can only come humbly and plead forgiveness through Christ. THEN we receive the BEST of God - the robes of Christ's righteousness!
How Does God do that?
How does God make a seed die in the ground and then produce a plant? How does a dry seed produce a plant which will even bear fruit?
I don't know! No one knows the secret of germination. It is a mystery! And no one knows the secret of how God will make us as righteous as our Lord, Jesus!
But He WILL!!
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1Corinthians 13:12)
Today, I am a sinner saved by grace.
But today, I live in the "ashes" of "mourning" because I'm still a sinner; and, because I see sinners refusing Christ and choosing eternal hell.
BUT:
Today, I am freed from the PENALTY of sin! Our Lord, Jesus has already pronounced those who have surrendered to Him as NOT GUILTY!! And one day, one day my friend, I will be granted the perfect righteousness of Christ, by His grace, and for His glory! Then I will be freed from the very presence of sin!
And all I can say is "PRAISE GOD!!" And I will praise Him FOREVER!
There is no stop sign in praising God, my Christian friends!
Don't slow down, and don't stop praising Him!
For you are ALREADY clothed with the garments of salvation, and
you are ALREADY covered with the robes of righteousness of Christ!
Love ya,
Bruce