Jesus is Lord

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. – (Romans 10:9-10, NIV)

If you openly say, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from death, you will be saved. Yes, we believe in Jesus deep in our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we openly say that we believe in Him, so we are saved. – (Romans 10:9-10, ERV)

So if you believe deep in your heart that God raised Jesus from the pit of death and if you voice your allegiance by confessing the truth that “Jesus is Lord,” then you will be saved! Belief begins in the heart and leads to a life that’s right with God; confession departs from our lips and brings eternal salvation. – (Romans 10:9-10, VOICE)

Salvation is a gift from God for all who believe and profess that Jesus is Lord. This transpires when the head and the heart are aligned with Him. It is not merely believing that God exists, for even the devil believes. It is a trust in the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done, and then using our mouth to speak the truth that we know. The sacrifice that Jesus made provides the covering we need to be forgiven, and His forgiveness is granted freely as we ask. As we walk in His forgiveness and pursue a life with Him, we are promised both His presence in the here and now, and space with Him for all of eternity. May we ever invest our lives in leaning into Jesus so that we grow deep roots in Him and reflect more clearly the very heart of God in all that we say and do.

O Lord, You are good,

In all of Your ways;

Our help and our hope,

Throughout all our days.

Salvation belongs,

To all who seek You;

And trust in Your Name,

And all that You do.

May our mouths speak truth,

And our lives display;

The goodness in You,

Throughout each new day.

Show us, Lord Jesus,

How to live lives true;

So our words and deeds,

Point others to You.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so good. Thank You that You sent Your Son to live, die, conquer death, and rise to be seated at Your righteous right hand. Thank You that it is through believing that Jesus is Lord and through confessing our need for You that we are saved and granted hope for both now and all of eternity. Forgive us for the times that our words and deeds have not reflected the truth we know in You. Teach us to walk out each day in awe and reverence of You, so that we may more clearly reflect Your heart to those around us. Show us how to love one another in ways that make Your heart known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we embrace the grace that You give, believe that Your word is true, and profess our faith through our words and actions as we go about each new day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father. – Philippians 2:9-11

Kind, Loving and Forgiving

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – (Ephesians 4:32, NIV)

Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you through Christ. – (Ephesians 4:32, ERV)

But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love. – (Ephesians 4:32, TPT)

 

Typically, I am quite even tempered, as I seldom get overly upset or worked up about things; usually, I choose to take a deep breath, and keep pressing forward. However, like anyone, I do have my breaking point. When I reach a space where no matter how hard I work, and how much I try, I still feel grossly inadequate, it is then that I begin to withdraw, and the sarcasm spews out as an ugly coping mechanism. Thankfully, my Viking is kind and compassionate to me. He sees me wherever I am, and grants grace and extends love, with some humor, in a way that helps pull me out of my place of frustration and back into a space of depending on God’s abundant grace. Somehow, I am blessed with tremendous friends that do the same as well. In this season of adjusting and adapting to staying at home and working remotely, we all need to be kind, compassionate and forgiving. It is easy to extend these things to others, but much more difficult to offer the same to ourselves. God, in His outrageous grace, sent His Son for us, so that we might truly know and understand the depth of His forgiveness and love. My hope is that as we set our sights toward Easter, we might look to the cross and recognize that the forgiveness and redemption extended to all is a gift that we are meant to embrace, and then extend to those around us. May we each look for ways to be loving and kind to one another; graciously forgiving each other in love, just as we have been loved and forgiven by God.

 

Kindness, compassion,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

Extended in grace;

The Lord’s forgiveness,

New, every day.

We all are chosen,

To love the same way;

Give love and forgive,

God’s grace on display.

As we extend love,

God’s love and light’s shown;

Forgiveness and grace,

In kindness, made known.

So, keep reaching out,

Choose love and forgive;

In kindness grant grace,

Where hope truly lives.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are kind and compassionate toward us, forgiving us in love. Thank You that You call us and empower us to do the same. Thank You for the people whom You have placed in our lives who show us these things in tangible ways. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked compassion, kindness or forgiveness toward those around us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would extend the very things that You have so lavishly granted to us, to those around us. Show us how to best love those around us with kindness and compassion. Point out the places where we need to walk in forgiveness with one another. Grant us Your grace and strength to love like You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to be kind and compassionate, and forgive one another as You have forgiven us. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10