You can never add to the Grace of God! Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2

Made Alive in Christ

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You can never add to the Grace of God and the Sufficiency of Christ blood unto Salvation. Then after the Grace of God has quickened your heart through the Holy Spirit, you still cannot add anything to the Grace of God, except that God's Grace increases and adds to me immeasurably more of the depth of the riches of the wisdom and Knowledge of Christ in my life through the Divine illumination of the Holy Spirit's Word unto the application thereof to my heart and soul

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

When you feel life is out of focus Return to the Basics Psalm 73

As for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.—Psalm 73:2-3...17"till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as

Sometime life throws us a curve and we can get out of focus when we look at the injustice and unfairness around us. In the words of Mr. Miagi in the Karate Kid, "When life gets out of focus, we need to get to the basics to stay focused, and the basics is to Breath, without breathing you cannot live".
And so it goes when our life seems to get out of focus by responding to things we see with our naked eye in God's Created order, that is a reminder to get back to the basics of Breathing in God's Holy Presence. We need to put on the eyes of Faith and look beyond God's physical created order that Conceals us from Seeing Him, we need to get back to the basics of the eyes of Faith and see God beyond the Created order of Life.

In Psalm 73 the Psalter declares that his foot almost slipped, he was out of focus with the injustice he saw, until He entered the Presence of God!
When you are out of Focus Get back in focus and enter into the Presence of God through Jesus Christ!

"So many things in life don’t seem right or fair. That’s why we need to keep our eyes on the Lord.

It was only when the psalmist focused on the Lord and came into God’s presence that he began to understand. He did not find an answer to his questions. But he found peace in knowing that our lives are in the hands of the loving God who has become our Father through Jesus Christ. When life seems unfair, be sure to come into his presence.
Prayer
Lord God, be close to all who struggle with hard questions today. Draw them into your presence. For Jesus’ sake, Amen." Arthur J. Schoonveld
Psalm 73 A psalm of Asaph.
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity their evil imaginations have no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. 15 If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply

17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Heaven and the Kingdom of Heaven, Hell and the Lake of Fire:
Both Holy Places of God's Holiness and Justice made Manifest!

Heaven and the Kingdom of God is a place of Holiness where the joy of God's eternal presence is fully known to His Children who have believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God-Even Jesus Christ, My Savior! My God! And My Eternal King of Glory!

On the other hand, death, hell, hades and the lake of fire is also a holy place; where the full weight of God's Holiness and justice is made manifest in His eternal wrath made fully known to those who have not repented of their sin and turned to, and believed on Jesus for Salvation! This eternal place of the execution of God's Holy wrath unto the eternal torment of those who are the objects of God's wrath is indeed, not an evil place, but a holy place where the evil one and the evil ones are eternally punished for their evil and wickedness!

In light of such holy places, I appeal to you in view of God's Mercy in Jesus, to repent today and believe on Jesus for deliverance from the eternal wrath of God and find redemption and the forgiveness of your sin in the blood of Jesus.

Make every effort to be assured that your name is written in the Lambs book of life from before the foundation of the World, Make every effort in the Grace of God to rest assured that He Has chosen you to believe on His Son for Eternal life. Make every effort and produce deeds in keeping with repentance and a Holy life as your rely on the Grace of the LORD Jesus Christ and His Righteousness to live through you! Maranatha!

Revelation 20:13-15

13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If any one's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Jesus is My Reason for My Happy New Year Greetings!

There is no Happy New Year if you take Jesus out of the equation of your Happy New Year greetings!

A forgiven Heart is a Happy heart, A forgiven life is a Joyful life; When you are forgiven by God and cleansed in Christ shed blood, there is nothing like having a joyful heart; when your heart is joyful you will have a happy Day, A happy week, a Happy month and a Happy New Year in Jesus!

What a wonderful life to have an Eternal Relationship of Peace with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in Holy communion with all three in one! Basking in the Light and joy of the presence of God!
Happiness in the LORD is coming to terms with your own sinfulness and God's Holiness and seeking God's remedy to make you Holy in the Blood of His Eternal Son--Even Jesus Christ, my God and My Savior!

Apart from Jesus there is no forgiveness there is no hope of deliverance and all the shallow greetings of Happy New Year will fall into the pit of darkness!

Not Happy New Year, my friends! But May your heart find Great Happiness and Joy in Jesus Christ every day of 2013 unto Eternity!

But May your Heart have Joy in the LORD Alone! As you find a fresh start in the LORD everyday! May you find everyday to be a fresh new start as you claim the Blood of Jesus to wash your sins away everyday and walk in the Light of His Love!

I John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

My Heart is Happy and Has full Joy knowing that I am forgiven and Cleansed in the blood of the Lamb! Today, everyday and every new year Inauguration unto the inauguration of the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven!

Psalm 33: 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.