Does God love us more when we deny ourselves chocolate? Or raspberry ice cream? Or long, delicious afternoons in the backyard hammock?
Ask some people of faith, and they’ll say “Yes”—and quote Jesus as the proof: “If any want to become My followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.”
But this is the same Jesus who went to weddings and banquets, laughed easily and often, spent afternoons playing with children, and frequently withdrew from the hectic pace of serving others to be renewed by peace and prayer and greenery.
What needs denying—every day, in every way—isn’t the rightful enjoyment of life in the body for which we were created. It’s the ultimately ungodly idea that we can save ourselves, redeem ourselves, or work our way back into God’s favor by things we do—or don’t. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).
Grace is all about deeper, joyful living. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:9). That fuller life awaits you. Claim it now.
And stay in grace. -Bill Knott
GRACE AT THE GATES (November 25, 2022)
REDEEMING THE TIME (November 18, 2022)
GRATITUDE AND GRACE (November 11, 2022)
THREE CRUCIAL WORDS (November 04, 2022)
GRACE BEYOND FEAR (October 28, 2022)
THE GATE OF GRACE (October 21, 2022)
IN THE GRIP OF GRACE (October 14, 2022)
FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH (October 07, 2022)
GRACE WITHOUT DESPERATION (September 30, 2022)
A DAY TO REMEMBER (september 23,2022)
THE LIFE THAT COULD BE YOURS (September 16, 2022)
GROWING IN GRACIOUSNESS (September 09, 2022)
WHEN OPPOSITES ATTRACT (September 02, 2022)
THE CHANGES YOU CAN’T SEE (August 26, 2022)
UNLIMITED (August 19, 2022)
JOURNEY TO JOY (August 12, 2022)
THE HIDDENNESS OF GRACE (August 05, 2022)
SLEEP LIKE A CHILD (July 29, 2022)
SPEAK QUIETLY TO ME (July 22, 2022)
AFTER THE FALL (July 15, 2022)
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