Titus 3:4-7 - Heirs to Eternity

Titus 3:4-7 "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (NASB)

Sometimes I step back from the hectic pace of life to reflect on things. Most of the time, lately, I've been reflecting on things I think the Lord has placed on my mind.

And if I spend some time on this introspection, I invariably am struck with the significance of having the Lord in my life........what it means to me...............what responsibilities I have to my Lord...........what responsibilities I have to other members of His Family.

It isn't long before I feel profoundly humbled that He would choose me........with all my faults.....weaknesses......for membership in His Family. I could never do enough to earn my way in..........it just isn't possible. I have been given my birthright by my Savior.....through His "mercy".............through His Sacrifice on the Cross.

All of this is imposing enough, but when I think that He took up residence in me through His Holy Spirit........that I'm a temple of the Lord..........that my heart is the Holy of Holies and within that is His Mighty Presence.........I'm literally without the words to express to Him how much this means to me.........how humbled I feel because of it.

Then there are times when I look around at my brothers and sisters in Christ..........with a love that could only come from the Lord.............and with a reverence for the Spirit within them............and I count myself privileged to be one of them and one of His.

Paul's scripture really tugs at my heart with these thoughts tonight. It isn't what I have done, am doing, or can do in life that matters........."And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;" (Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV)).....it is only through His infinite Love for me that I'm one of the "heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Praise be to Jesus that He loves me that much.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on May 1, 2004 in post #539. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added April 14, 2006

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