Jesus gave up his life for you. He was punished in our place.

Leviticus 17:11 - for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.

Matthew 26:28 - for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.

Hebrews 9:22 - In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

It is finished!

This was my thought today: “I’m always on God’s mind! Don’t worry though, because so are you!”

2 Corinthians 12:9 - Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

God’s grace is undeserved favor. We don’t buy it, earn it or work for it. He gives it.

Ephesians 1:7 - He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

I’m so glad that it says , “He is so rich in kindness and grace” and not “you’re so rich in good deeds and behavior.”. God gave his son because of his love, not because of our good!

The more you know about the Gospel of God’s amazing grace, the more this will be your natural response:

Ephesians 1:6 - So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

Proverbs 8:35 - For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

The disciples of Jesus one day asked Him, “who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”. 

Matthew 18:1 - About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

It said the “disciples” asked him, which means there was more than one there at the time. I can picture Jesus sitting down and all the disciples crowding around him while they asked, “Lord, who is the greatest?”.

While they were standing there the Bible says,

Matthew 18:2-4 - Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The Kingdom of God is not about the “gold medals” of men. Jesus called to him a little child, a child who wasn’t even involved in the original conversation and said, “anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”. Where it says “humble” in this translation the Amplified Bible adds, “trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving”.

I believe that the year of 2013 is the “Year of Trusting God”. This year we should put more of our trust in God than ever before. More trust in “The Good Shepherd”. 

John 10:11 - I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

The sheep do not take care of the shepherd, the shepherd cares for the sheep. The shepherd wants the sheep to be sheep and enjoy their “sheepliness”. He doesn’t want them to grow or “mature” to a level where they no longer need him to care for them. His very job is to guide, feed, protect and take care of them. They follow him to where the good water and food is. It is the shepherds job to find that for them and lead them to it. Even when one wanders off the Shepherd will go after them and find them.

So to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven, we must become like little children. Little children are fully reliant upon their parents. When babies are hungry, they don’t say, “Oh why did I not prepare better for lunch!?”. No, they just cry and expect to be fed. Even when the children are older and don’t cry when they are hungry, they ask the parents to be fed and expect the parents to provide and feed them because of their love for the child. We should be the same with our heavenly father. This year, let’s become like little children and rely on our Father for everything, knowing that His love for us compels him to provide.

Luke 15:32 - So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

It makes him happy for us to ask so that he can provide. :)

Titus 1:1 - This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.

Knowing the truth about the Gospel of God’s amazing grace shows you how to live a godly life!

Titus 1:2 - This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.

We have confidence that we have eternal life because of the truth of the Gospel (which is the message that bears fruit! Colossians 1:6), not because of the “just because you’re saved now doesn’t mean you’ll be saved tomorrow” mentality. God doesn’t lie, so trust in Him to keep you!