Grace and Truth

First, a bit of a Warning! Then on to the Point! (gotta love Point's school colors)

Some will say, "You just think that you are better!"
This is a comeback to conviction in the likeness of, "Whatever!"
It means, "Yeah, I've had that conviction," or "I'm feeling convicted of that right now, but I am choosing to live in my sin. So don't you think you are all high and mighty!"
This is just a way to try to make themselves feel better about living in their sin.

Ok....on to Truth and Grace!

We must not jump on the Bandwagon of Grace! We cannot Camp out there!

Yes, Jesus did come to us in the Flesh, but He is God!
We should be on our faces in His presence.
Grace is all that can bring us into a close intimate relationship with God.

Jesus =
1. I want to know you Intimately, like a brother!
Intimacy----Grace

2. Terrifying, Righteous, The Holy One of God
Awe---------Truth

Our lives must look differently

What do we watch/listen to? Will it be in Heaven?
You know, people in Heaven, they don't care about what is really going on in Nick and Jessica's life!
Heaven is all about Jesus, it is all about intimacy and Awe!
John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen the glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Jesus doesn't change! He is God, Holy, Righteous and True!

But,
We must not become legalistic on Truth!
We cannot Camp out on Grace and we must not Camp out on Truth alone either!
It is the Balance of both! Jesus was the embodiment of Both!

Have you ever seen the, "Jesus is my Homeboy" T-shirt?
That is Grace, Jesus is our Homeboy!
But let us not forget that our Homeboy is Holy, Justice, Truth, Righteous, Purity, Sinless, and Godly Always!

We must look like the People of God --- Holy, but not forget about the Homeboy!
1 Peter 1:13-16
"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
But here comes the Grace!
1 Peter 1:17-21
"And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."

Grace is a Continual process in us!
Revelation 1:10-17
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, 'Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.' Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead..."
Talk about TRUTH!
Revelation 1:17-19
"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.'"

Truth and Grace!
John was the Disciple that Jesus Loved!!!!
When John came face to face with Jesus, he didn't say, "Hey Homeboy!" or "I'll sing some worships songs for you." or "Hey, could you answer some of these questions that I have had?"
John fell as his feet as though dead!
But, Grace came and Jesus said, 'Fear not.'

"When Jesus Gets in View, Things Change!" Louie Giglio

I want to be in the World (to reflect Jesus), but not of the World!
1 John 5:1-5
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
1 Corinthians 9:22
"To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some."

I want to be in the World, but not blurred by the World, not a part of the World!

Here are some questions for thought:
1. Do I reflect the Holy one of God?
2. Do I reflect myself who is being made Holy?
3. Do I reflect myself, not Jesus or the work that He is doing in me?

To those who would say, "You just think you're better than me."

I'm not better than you, I'm just walking with Jesus Christ, the Holy one of God. I am reflecting His light, and it is not of this World!"

Jesus was both Grace and Truth....He had the Happy Medium!
We need to live in that place also!

In Christ,

David