I was inspired recently by a short message I heard recently. I want to share with you today to bring some encouragement and share how wonderful the grace of God is. The Psalmist King David shares this: Psalm 40:2 (AMP)-2 He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings. We can all say that in life things have never gone perfect for us. There were times when we messed up, we made bad decisions, or when temptation got the best of us. We realize our mess was our fault. We then have to deal with the aftereffects of the guilt. Of course, the devil is there to bring condemnation to us. Then we say,” Well I deserve the mess I’m in after all it was my fault.” I’ve made my bed it’s time to lay there. I’m sure we can all relate.
The story of redemption is miraculous! God can take a sinful man and place him in a position of righteousness as if he never sinned. That is what God did through Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)-21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. When we read the stories in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament we see the hand of God’s grace on un-infaliable men and women who messed up. Men like Mose took things into his hands and murdered an Egyptian yet became a great deliverer. Abraham lied about his wife twice and let men take her away. Yet God still blessed him and He is the father of our faith. David committed adultery and murder but was a great King, a man after God’s own heart. Noah a man of great faith was the first drunk in the Bible. Sarah, Abraham’s wife the most gorgeous woman by popular opinion, let her husband sleep with another woman and then hated her for it. Ishmael was born but later on, Sarah who was not able to bear children because of her age, God blessed them both with the miracle of Isaac.
Have you been living with condemnation, shame, guilt or even regret because of past mistakes? Times when you wished you made better choices. Telling yourself, “I wouldn’t have been in that mess if I had made better decisions.” We say things like, “I wish I could go back and undo things.” I think about the Apostle Peter who denied Jesus three times after telling Jesus he would never do that but he did. Yet after Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus restored him in his faith and he went on to preach the gospel on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand people were saved. That is the grace of God! That is redemption. Turning our messes into miracles.
A young daughter brought all her necklaces to her dad one day. They were all mixed up and tangled. In child-like faith, she brought them to her dad. In her heart saying, “Dad can fix anything!” That is redemption! That is Father God turning our messes into miracles. God is the only one that can do that! What we must remember is that we have to bring it to Him. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)-7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. We watch shows on TV called Fixer-uppers. Turning a dump of a house into a beautiful home. A house that should have been condemned but renovated into something wonderful. Turning a mess of a house into a miracle. God is the best fixer-upper ever. He not only renovates but He regenerates. He gives us a new life in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)-17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! How wonderful is the grace of God? Does God place a stamp of approval on our messes? God doesn’t approve of our mistakes, our sinfulness, our bad decisions. There are consequences. Yet there is God’s mercy! There is forgiveness in our repentance. He can put us back on a solid rock. Helping us clean up after being covered in mud.
The story of the prodigal son is a beautiful picture of redemption, turning messes into miracles. The story is found in Luke 15:11-32. After squandering his inheritance and living and eating among the pigs and mud. He came to his senses and decided to return to his father’s house even if it meant just being a servant and not a son. As he arrived at his home he saw His father run to Him. Expecting a tongue-lashing from his dad which he thought he deserved he got the warmest welcome. There was no condemnation, making him feel ashamed and unwanted. Notice the son said, “I have sinned before you and heaven and I am not worthy to be called your son.” Look at his father’s response. Luke 15:20 (NKJV)-20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. His father blessed him with new shoes, a ring, new clothes and had a banquet in his honor. I can hear the father say, “You will always be my son no matter what” Luke 15:24 (NKJV)-24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. In Genesis, Adam ran from God when he sinned. God went looking for him and provided a redemptive covering, blood was shed and new clothing was out on them. The prodigal father lavished his love and grace upon his lost son now found. Romans 5:8 (NKJV)-8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. In our messes, we need to run to our Father because He is running to us! Let us come in repentance and humility before our gracious heavenly father, even in our messes, and let Him turn them into miracles. We are always His sons and daughters and He clothes us with His righteousness.
The Apostle Paul who was formerly called Saul was a religious fanatic who wreaked havoc on the new followers of Christ. Putting people in prison, present at the stoning of Stephen the first martyr, and spreading lies about these new Christians. Yet we know the story of how Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus and turned his life around. Acts 9:26-27 (NKJV)-26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Here is Apostle Paul’s testimony:1 Timothy 1:12-14 (NKJV)-12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
In closing: Apostle Paul experienced the grace of God and His life was transformed. God took his messes and turned them into a miracle. A man of unwavering faith, filled with revelation who wrote most of the New Testament books. 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NKJV)-10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. What I like about Paul’s new beginnings was his friend Barnabus meaning encouragement. In our messes we need encouragement. We need friends who will speak positively into our lives and not tear us down. So today I want to encourage you not to live with regrets. “Run to the Father and fall into grace” It is the best way to fall forward! Refuse to walk in shame and condemnation. There is healing and forgiveness in our messes. Ephesians 1:7-9 (NKJV)-7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, Also in Ephesians 2:6-7 (NKJV)-6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Rejoice in the goodness and kindness of God today. He can turn a desert into a promised land and water into wine! He is the only one who can raise us out of our messes and perform a miracle!
In Christ Love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
If this has blessed you in some way, please let us know and share it with a friend.