Musings on Grace & overwhelming victory

I was feeling burdened about a situation in my life and sat down to write because some of the thoughts felt important enough to be written down so I could think on them later. I sat down to write literally one sentence and this all came flying out of my fingers. It felt like God was speaking to me and after holding it close for quite a few weeks I decided to share it here. 

 I hope it encourages and blesses you. 

 If we’re wanting to raise our children to be good Christian’s, they don’t only need to learn to obey. They also must be shown piles of grace so that they can understand Gods amazing  grace someday. Legalistic, ‘do as I say or else’ parenting does not depict Jesus to your child. 

If your only goal with your child is instant obedience, you have missed the point of raising strong Christians. God doesn’t treat us with a ‘do as I say or else’ manner. He is patient, gentle & kind. Yes he disciplines us and guides. Yes We must be obedient, yes we must learn to hear and know his voice but he’s not going around spanking you for gossiping or ____(insert sin). He’s gently whispering to you first, reminding you. Sometimes He does let things happen that make us sit up straight but He will never abandon us. He will never leave you or forsake you, even when you make mistakes.

 Look around at people you know that are struggling with God, church or addictions. I truly believe that had more children  been shown & taught Gods grace and mercy by the adults in their young lives, we’d have way less middle aged adults wanting to leave ‘religion’, we’d have less addiction to things that they’re trying to fill an empty void with, we’d have less adults questioning ‘doctrines’ they’ve been ‘disciplined’ to adhere to no matter what, with zero explanation or history on why. 

I don’t know that I have answers to this but I do know that this problem in our culture is deeply affecting people I adore; I pray that we can heal the hurting, aching hearts that long to know Jesus’ love FULL & FREE. Romans 8:37 promises us that OVERWHELMING victory is ours, through Christ, who loves us. 

 Go read all of Romans & Galatians.

 If you have given your heart to God & you are born again. You are saved. Full stop. Absolutely nothing you do can separate you from Gods love & grace. It says that, in Romans 8. You already HAVE overwhelming victory through Him. He is sitting beside God fighting for you. Do you even know how amazing this is? Your sins you commit day by day have already, 2000 years ago been covered by the blood. Before you were even born, Christ died and in His death forgave  all the sins you’d commit someday. The Lord’s Prayer speaks of asking God to forgive us, and I think it’s right to acknowledge our mistakes and bring them to Jesus in prayer. But Becoming born again puts you in the family of God, you are a new creature, the old way of living is gone and it is now nearly impossible to remove yourself from His family. You are HIS child. Chose to believe this & live in your new found freedom in Christ. There is no other way to heaven.