The Saving Grace

INTRODUCTION:

Jesus CHRIST is the MOST AWAITED “Messiah”, the SAVIOR of HUMANITY, the promised DELIVERER. His SACRIFICIAL DEATH on the CROSS had SAVED HUMANITY from the KINGDOM of DARKNESS. Yet many people DESPISED and REJECTED Him. We were once one of them! We were once a “DEAD FOOL”, why? It is just because we were DECEIVED by the“father of lies” w/c is Satan.

We were “brain-washed” by Satan that caused us to DISOBEY God.SIN is the result of DISOBEDIENCE to God. Satan taught us to REBEL so that we might join him as an ENEMY of God. As a result, our FREEDOM was gone and became a subject under the CAPTIVITY or DOMINION of Satan w/c the Apostle Paul often times stated as "SLAVE of SIN". The demons TORMENTED US DAY and NIGHT. Their was WEEPING and GNASHING of TEETH. Our life was CHAOTIC and MISERABLE, full of SORROW/PAIN/ANGER/FEAR/WORRY/ DISEASES, etc… Our life was USELESS, WASTED, BUSTED and DISGUSTED.The DECISION to live a FREE and VICTORIOUS life is up to you. This decision is to RECEIVE God’s SAVING GRACE through CHRIST Jesus.

The Apostle Paul wrote about this in his letter to the Believers in Rome. In Romans 5:6,8,10, using NLT, “When we WERE utterly HELPLESS, Christ came just the RIGHT TIME and DIED for us SINNERS… God showed His GREAT LOVE for us by sending Christ to DIE for us while we WERE still SINNERS…For since we WERE restored to FRIENDSHIP w/ God by the DEATH of His Son while we WERE His ENEMIES, we will certainly DELIVERED…”

During the CRUCIFIXION of Jesus, He CRIED, “Father, FORGIVE them for they don’t know what they’re doing.” The CRY of the RIGHTEOUS is PLEASING and FAVORABLE to God.

God is not MAD at you! He LOVES you, no matter who you are. You are His TREASURED POSSESSION. God CREATED you in the LIKENESS of His own IMAGE. You are PRECIOUS, SPECIAL and VALUABLE to God. God had CHOSEN you to be HOLY and RIGHTEOUS even BEFORE the FOUNDATIONS of the WORLD. God wants you to EXPERIENCE a QUALITY life, you've never even dreamed of.

THE MESSAGE:

“The ‘C.R.Y.’ of the Righteous!”

Scripture: Romans 10:9-10 (Using NLT, 1st Ed.)

“For if you CONFESS w/ your MOUTH that JESUS is LORD and BELIEVE in your HEART that God raised Him from the dead, you will be SAVED. For it is by BELIEVING in your HEART that you are made RIGHT w/ God and it is by CONFESSING w/ your MOUTH that you are SAVED.”

C – CONFESSION

R – REPENTANCE = RIGHTEOUSNESS and HOLINESS

Y – YIELD

I remember the story of Abel and Cain in the Book of Genesis chapter 4. Because of PRIDE and JEALOUSY, Cain became a SLAVE of SIN and refused to RESPOND to the WORD of GOD. Abel’s OFFERING made him RIGHTEOUS in the EYES of God. Cain, being a farmer, offered to God some fruit from the product of his farm. Instead of obtaining the product from his brother’s flock for the SACRIFICIAL OFFERING for SIN, w/c is also called ATONEMENT, Cain wanted to keep everything WITHIN HIS CONTROL. He did things that he thought was right in his OWN EYES but it wasn't RIGHT in the EYES of God. He knew God, but the problem was he never took the time to cultivate his relationship w/ our heavenly Father. He never diligently desired to look after GOD’S OWN HEART & never tried to find out what GOD WANTS HIM TO DO. We can all fall into this TRAP of Satan if we do not SPEND TIME to get to know the WILL OF GOD. Every time we fail to listen to the VOICE of God and obey GOD’S WILL, we are opening the door to SIN. If we fail to rule over sin, sin will rule over us.

In effect, Evil has taken root in his HEART and he RESENTED his brother, thinking Abel was the cause to all his problems & frustrations. Cain was easily offended & HATED his younger brother, Abel. Cain forgot to EXAMINE HIMSELF; it was his FAULT after all. God tried to correct Cain, but instead of responding to the WORD OF GOD, Cain was offended. Sometimes, as in Cain’s case, people get angry when they are being REBUKED. Instead of turning back, they keep on going because they are OFFENDED by the CORRECTIVE WORDS. People, like Cain, BLAME others when they are being REBUKED or CORRECTED.

When God asked, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”, He was waiting for Cain to REPENT and CONFESS his SIN He didn't REPENT, he was REBELLIOUS! He was under the CONTROL of Satan. He was RULED by SIN.

Cain ran away from his CALLING. Even then, God still PRESERVED Cain’s life and PROTECTED him, in the hope that the PROPHETIC message of the blood of Abel would ONE DAY AWAKEN HIM. It was a sad story, but there is still HOPE. I call this story as “The Cain Syndrome”.Beware of this syndrome!