A Heart That Is Established With Grace

We often give thanks on many things in life such as our families, our health, our jobs and our material possessions. However, when these things change, are we still thankful? It is God’s will for all His children to give thanks “in every thing” (1 Thes 5:18), regardless of the circumstances. And He gave the promise to never leave us nor forsake us (v. 5)! We should ”not fear what man shall do unto us” (v. 6). Because the Lord is our Helper (Ps 54:4). Our verse mentions about our hearts being “established with grace.” We can always thank God that His gift of salvation comes without cost (Eph 2:8). It is purely by God’s amazing grace (Rom 11:6)!

Before we came to know Him, we “were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1). Our Lord Jesus died for us to redeem us from the penalty of sin (Rom 6:23); He rose from the dead (1 Cor 15:4), so that whosoever liveth and believeth in Him by faith “shall never die” (Jn 11:26). Then He keeps us safe and secured in His loving hand (Jn 10:28). His agony and cruel death on the cross were unimaginable (Isa 53:5). But it was the only necessary payment that satisfied the Father for our salvation (1 Jn 2:2).

Because Jesus is “alive for evermore” (Rev 1:18), we can thank Him every day. He knows our potential of still loving “the things that are in the world” (1 Jn 2:15). But He still went to the cross and died for our sins! He did it that “He might sanctify the people” (v. 12), to “purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). We are thankful that we were lost sinners but now we have been set free (Jn 8:32), and washed “from our sins in His own blood” (Rev 1:5), so He can use us for His glory! God bless you!

- Pastor Melito Barrera