Corona Devo 1296

I'm not one to take much stock in the fortunes written on the tiny papers found within fortune cookies, but I have kept one fortune from a Chinese take-out meal over twenty years ago.  The short phrase pierced my (spiritual) heart then and has encouraged me many times since.


You never know where you'll find a word of encouragement from the Lord, and it just might be tucked into a fortune cookie.  What I love about this fortune then, and now, and every time I've read it in between--is the beautiful paradox it holds.  

None of us are good enough to get to God (so He sent His Son)..but the crux of life is will we try again today to serve Him? 

We're all sinners in contrast to His sinlessness.  

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  ~Romans 3:23-24

~~~

We are all unholy in comparison with His holiness.  

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, (4) what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?  ~Psalm 8:3-4

~~~

Our deeds (no matter how kind/selfless/benevolent) will not ever gain-us-any-ground toward being "good" enough to earn God's forgiveness.  

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.  ~Isaiah 64:6

~~~

But the God of the universe (Colossian 1:16), the Lord of Heaven's Armies (Isaiah 8:13), the Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14), and the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8) loved you enough and loved me enough, and loved everyone that doesn't know Him yet enough (loved EVERYONE EVERYWHERE enough)...to send His only Son to die on the cross as payment for our unholiness and as down-payment and payment-in-full for our forgiveness and forever with Him in Heaven.  

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  ~John 3:16

So...we are sinners, but we are also forgiven in Christ (saints).  So--keep living for the Lord today.  Keep on trying.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.  ~Psalm 28:7      Keep on trying for the Lord today.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.  ~Romans 15:13        Keep on trying for the Lord today.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (10) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  ~Galatians 6:9-10        Keep on trying for the Lord today.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  ~Isaiah 40:31   Keep on trying for the Lord today.

~~~

May God's Word pierce our (spiritual) hearts and encourage us today.  And--you never know---perhaps a dish of fried rice or Moo Goo Gai Pan (with a fortune cookie) will too!  

Be encouraged in serving Christ--Keep on trying for the Lord today.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

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