Saved by the Gospel

I’m not much of a golfer. I guess that’s why I was always thankful for a mulligan. A mulligan is “a shot not counted against the score, permitted in unofficial play to a player whose previous shot was poor.” In simple terms, if you hit the ball poorly you can try again and you don’t have to count the first shot!

I’m thankful for a second chance to hit the ball when playing golf; but I’m even more thankful that God has given me a second chance when it comes to my sins. God has promised me that, when I do poorly and fall short of what He desires for me, He will give me a mulligan. He will forgive me and give me an opportunity to start over. John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

Today, I am thankful for God’s willingness to forgive!

Were you properly dressed when you left the house this morning? I’m not talking about modesty or immodesty. I’m not talking about making sure your colors are coordinated or whether you are dressed too casually or too formal.

When you left the house this morning, were you dressed with the full armor of God? The apostle Paul wrote, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand;” (Ephesians 6:11-13).

Today, you are in the midst of a spiritual battle. I hope you didn’t leave the house without being properly dressed!

Have you ever planned to be somewhere but knew you couldn’t be there on time? Perhaps you called and told the rest of your family to go on without you; you would meet them later. Before you hung up the phone you reminded them, “Save me a place!”

Jesus told his disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3 (King James Version)

Although Jesus has “gone on without us,” those who are Christians hope to be with him there later. It’s comforting to know that he is “saving a place for us.”

Today, I can look forward to the place Jesus has prepared for me.

The psalmist wrote, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,” (Psalms 92:1-2).

It is good to give thanks to God because God deserves it. There is not one good thing you will enjoy today that did not come from God (James 1:16-17).

It is good to give thanks because it benefits us. When we consider our blessings, we concentrate on what we have, rather than what we do not have; we concentrate on our fortune in life rather than our misfortune. Giving thanks motivates us to be happy and produces an attitude of contentment.

Today, I will give thanks to God.

Do you know what the best thing about today is? It’s not what you’re going to have for lunch. It’s not anything you’re going to do this afternoon. It’s not some movie you may watch tonight.

The best thing about today is that God will shower you with his love from morning to night. Little children sing about it, the elderly find comfort in it, those who suffer trust in it, skeptics doubt it, and atheists deny it; but God’s love for man continues to shine with the brightness of the noonday sun.

The apostle Paul wrote: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” Ephesians 3:17-19 (King James Version).

Today, I’m thankful for God’s love.

I’m glad cars have rear view mirrors. You can use them when backing up or, before you pass someone, check to see if someone is passing you! While rear view mirrors are great for seeing what is behind you, no sensible driver would remain constantly focused on his rearview mirror.

Life is a lot like that, isn’t it? No sensible Christian will constantly look behind him; remaining focused on the past. Can you imagine the disastrous results? A life of continual guilt, regret over bad decisions and poor judgment, and steady thoughts of “what might have been.”

It’s ok to learn lessons from the past by looking in the rearview mirror from time to time. However, to get to our destination, heaven, we must regular focus on the windshield, giving our thoughts to what lies ahead. The apostle Paul wrote, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Today, rather than concentrating on my rearview mirror and dwelling on the past, I will focus my attention on the windshield and concentrate on what lies ahead.

Influence can be defined as “spiritual or moral capacity by which we have an effect upon a person.” Each of us influences other people in one way or another all throughout life. Our influence on others begins at the time we are born. We continue to influence others when we are old. It is not possible to ever quit having an influence on others.

It is possible for us to have a negative influence on others. But it is also possible for us to have a positive influence on others. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pictured his followers as being the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13.) Later, he spoke of his followers as the light of the world (Matthew 5:16.)

Today, I will be mindful of my influence on others.

What is your greatest need? It’s a simple question. But the answers you get will vary depending upon whom you ask. The unemployed man will tell you his greatest need is a job. The man living in poverty will tell you his greatest need is money. The man dying from a terminal illness will tell you his greatest need is good health.

But none of these things, a job, money, or health, is man’s greatest need. Man’s greatest need is God’s forgiveness! That forgiveness comes when you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:16), repent of your sins (Acts 17:30-31), confess your faith in Jesus Christ as your savior (Romans 10:9-10), and are then baptized to receive your greatest need – God’s forgiveness (Acts 2:38).

Please don’t neglect your greatest need of all!

When I was in school, teachers sent report cards home with the students to be signed by their parents. I suppose this was supposed to serve as evidence that the parents had been sufficiently informed as to how well (or not so well) their child was doing in school. I always enjoyed the beginning of a new grade reporting period. I could forget the mistakes of the past and start fresh with a clean slate.

God’s forgiveness is like that! It enables us to make a fresh start; to forget the mistakes of our past and start anew with a clean slate. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote of God’s willingness to forgive. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

Today I will let go of the past, ask God to forgive me of my sins and look forward to making a fresh start.

God created the world from nothing (Genesis 1:1); parted the Red Sea and allowed His people to pass through on dry ground and unharmed (Exodus 14:19-22); He caused the walls of Jericho to fall down (Joshua 6:20-21); He enabled David to kill Goliath (I Samuel 17:45-49); God took care of Daniel while he was in the lion’s den (Daniel 6:22); He cared for Jeremiah while he was in a dungeon (Jeremiah 38:7-13); God watched over Paul and Silas while they were imprisoned (Acts 16:25-28) and He even raised Lazarus from the dead (John 17:44).

What do you have going on in your life right now that God cannot handle? Nothing, you say! Then let him take care of it!