Topic: Regenerated Not Reformed [Saturday May 28, 2016]
Text: Ephesians 2:1-9
Key Verse: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).
A man dies and finds himself at the pearly gates. An angel meets him and asks what he was doing at the gate. "I want to go in,” he says. "Can I?" The angel replies, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I will give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart.” "That's wonderful," says the angel, "that's worth three points!" "Three points?" the man exclaimed while wondering in his mind how he can meet up with the 100 points. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithes and offerings.” "Terrific!" says the angel. "That's certainly worth a point.” "One point!?", he shouted. "I started a soup kitchen for the homeless in my city and worked in an orphanage for motherless babies.” "Fantastic, that's good for two more points, " he says. "Two points!?" Exasperated, the man cries, "Well, at this rate it'll just be by the grace of God that I ever get into heaven.” "Bingo, 100 points!" the angel said, "Come on in!" Like Paul the apostle rightly notes, in his epistle to the Ephesians, it is only by grace that you can be saved and finally make it to heaven.
But while you are alive here on earth, grace takes hell right out of you and makes you sit together with Christ Jesus in the heavenly places. In fact, grace changes your position from that of a dead man to a living soul. "He hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together.” "We cannot live where we used to live,” Charles Spurgeon notes. "We cannot wear what we used to wear. If you had been raised from the dead, and had come out of your tomb, you would not go about with your shroud on." How is it that some who claim to be God's children are still fond of wearing their grave clothes?
Thought for the day: You're a member of God's House of Representatives, therefore live an honourable life.
Bible Reading in one Year: 1 Samuel 17-18
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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