PULLED FROM THE DARKNESS           

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. —Titus 3:3-8

             Brothers and sisters, fellow followers/disciples of Jesus, we “who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”  Oh, that we would do so.  Look what God has done for us!  He saved us, “not because of righteous things we had done,” but because of His kindness, His love and His mercy.  He is the One who caused us to be born-again and gave us His Holy Spirit through His Son, “Jesus Christ our Savior.  The wonderful truth is that “having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”  These things are to be stressed.  We are to know them and cling to these truths.

             Look where we came from— “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.”  This is repeated in Ephesians 2:1-3—

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”

Brothers and sisters, that is who we were.  But all that has changed because of calling on Jesus! —

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” —Ephesians 2:4-10

             Now, out of eternal gratitude, may you and I be faithful to the work He has called us to, not that that work saves us, but because that work shows we have been saved.  Yes, Dear Father, may we be faithful to Your call on lives.  And, may this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus and all for Your honor and glory.  So may it be!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNEbvc8sXds&list=RDzNEbvc8sXds&start_radio=1