Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! Isaiah 43:3 The Message

Sometimes you need an image to realize what God has truly accomplished in your life. Exiles and refugees don’t exactly view themselves as being priceless. They often live in fear of being caught and having nothing to live on. In today’s language this is called cheap labor. You’re hired to do the job done for far less than you are worth. And you’re supposed to be grateful you get something. The Israelites were treated that way long before Christ, the Savior, was born. They were exiled because their “God” was angry with them. The few left behind were homeland refugees fending for themselves. They weren’t a threat to anybody. All they had was a Holy Promise, by a Holy God, and His Word that a Savior was on the way.

What are you worth? More than you could ever imagine. God could have “bought” you for pennies on the dollar, and yet, He emptied His treasury through His Son. His life became the buy-back price. High price? When you think about His life and blood and how it paid for every second of your life, every sin, and every day until you see Him face to face, inexhaustible riches means God can never exhaust His generosity of grace. The Apostle Paul never got over what the riches of Christ did in his life. When you’ve been infected with the grace of God, you won’t either. You’ll change, however slowly, because Jesus paid you up. Were you worth it? God can’t stop smiling over all His purchases. You’re alive today with a story to share. It only takes a moment…

And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Ephesians 3:8-9 The Message

Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! Isaiah 43:3 The Message

Sometimes you need an image to realize what God has truly accomplished in your life. Exiles and refugees don’t exactly view themselves as being priceless. They often live in fear of being caught and having nothing to live on. In today’s language this is called cheap labor. You’re hired to do the job done for far less than you are worth. And you’re supposed to be grateful you get something. The Israelites were treated that way long before Christ, the Savior, was born. They were exiled because their “God” was angry with them. The few left behind were homeland refugees fending for themselves. They weren’t a threat to anybody. All they had was a Holy Promise, by a Holy God, and His Word that a Savior was on the way.

What are you worth? More than you could ever imagine. God could have “bought” you for pennies on the dollar, and yet, He emptied His treasury through His Son. His life became the buy-back price. High price? When you think about His life and blood and how it paid for every second of your life, every sin, and every day until you see Him face to face, inexhaustible riches means God can never exhaust His generosity of grace. The Apostle Paul never got over what the riches of Christ did in his life. When you’ve been infected with the grace of God, you won’t either. You’ll change, however slowly, because Jesus paid you up. Were you worth it? God can’t stop smiling over all His purchases. You’re alive today with a story to share. It only takes a moment…

And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Ephesians 3:8-9 The Message

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Isaiah 43:2 The Message

Why does the Lord remind us constantly who He is? He was always reminding His covenant-breaking family when they turned to empty gods and even emptier promises. God knows exactly what we are feeling and thinking when we wander off the path. When the covenant-drifters ran into a dead-end, they would ask and beg for God’s forgiveness and promise not to stray again. But they would. He knows without Him, without faith in Him, without trusting Him, we will run aground, just like they did over and over. God should have walked away, let em go, and maybe call the whole thing a bust. How many times did He remind them, and even clear the way back for their lives? How many times will He remind you? 

Jesus described how much we are to forgive when someone asks as 70 x 70. It is an unimaginable number. Without Him, without faith in Him, without trusting Him, others will reach the end of your rope, and you’ll let them go. You’ll think you’ve done your part, exhausted your patience, and just say no more. A long time ago, the Lord promised men and women just like you, He would not let go. He would be with them when life, sin, and chaos would overwhelm them. He knew the condition of their hearts and how messed up life becomes away from Him. He found them, rescued them, redeemed them, and restored them. He hasn’t changed the formula. They wondered what their Redeemer looked like, you don’t have to. Jesus is at the end of your rope. It only takes a moment … 

You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. Matthew 5:3 The Message

But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. Isaiah 43:1 The Message

God never gives up. He doesn’t let go. Even…when you’ve turned your back on Him. It’s hard to believe really. It’s easy to take God for granted. It’s easy to stray just a little and think ‘Well, The Lord has forgiven me, I’ll do better from now on’. They were in exile, sent away because they chased idols, compromised their faith-lives, and treated God’s Promise as something they could improve on their own. The Lord, being who He is, always looked at them through His promise, not their defection. He looks at you the same way, only through His Son, not your sin. They (redeemed slaves) lived in a Promise to come. We (blood bought) live in the Promise of return. In between is a Cross that connects stubborn, sinful, wandering men and women then, with stubborn, sinful, wandering men and women today. 

Jesus prayed that we would be protected from the Evil One. This world doesn’t define you. It’s in Christ you find out who you are and what you are living for. (Eph 1:11) We live in a world irrevocably broken, where darkness is called light, and evil is called good. God is still a Redeemer, who still calls and finds lost and wandering lives. He didn’t redeem from a distance. Jesus was the Promise to come and with nail-scarred hands and feet is the Promise of return. Everything about Him is personal. He’s called you by name. Your mine. Old to New, New to Forever is the God who calls, redeems, and claims. He claimed you so the world can see a difference. How will you step into this day? It only takes a moment…

I’m consecrating myself for their sakes so they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission. John 17:19 The Message

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?” “No one, Master.” “Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” John 8:6-22 The Message

The accused was caught, but it wasn’t her moment. The accusers were trapped and couldn't see it. They were hell-bent to catch Jesus. What if they bent the Law a few degrees? He had to be stopped. She had to be stoned. Jesus knew the real stones were her accuser’s hearts. What would he do? What would he say. They were so blind, trapped, and weighted down. What was he writing anyway? The woman lay there, head down, villagers looking on. Her life was over, why fight it? That’s one of sin’s best lines: don’t fight it. They wanted a verdict. So he gave them one: let the sin-free throw the first stone. The oldest saw their hearts opened up, their consciences replaying old sins, and they stepped away. Finally, the youngest departed leaving a dust-dragged-adulteress lying on the ground.

Sin demands payment, secrecy, or promises to try better next time. Jesus looked at her, just as he does with you and asks: Woman, Where are they? Does no one condemn you? Guilty and ashamed she says: No one Master. Neither do I , said Jesus. Forgiveness is not mentioned. He calls her to amend her life, reset it, inside and out. Her moment happened at his feet, in front of friends and strangers, nowhere to hide, no escape. Jesus gave her mercy and called her to a righteous life. One day she would see the nails that covered her sin. The same grace is offered you, freely and fully. Grace is always personal: from the dirt, behind a desk, or out of darkness. He replaced stoning with a cross. That was the only way to reach your stony heart. It only takes a moment…

One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!” But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43 The Message

There wasn’t anytime to offer sacrifices. It was ending breath by breath in front of everybody. Some showed up just for the show. He had lived all his life and now at the last gasp, he grasped hold of Jesus from a few feet away on his cross. He may have been called a prince of crime. Jesus already cornered the title: King of the Jews. His cellmate tried sarcastically to humiliate Christ even further. He would not realize until his moment appeared, that he had wasted the eternal moment before him. It would be too late, just as it is for anyone who doesn’t turn to Jesus at any moment.

So, this criminal prince, he bowed his head, confessed his sins, and accepted Jesus into his life? His lasting witness is one of faith’s greatest conversions. All he said was Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom. If possible, his life was lower than the prodigal son waking up in pig slop.(editor’s note: No one wins a prize for earning the lowest of the lows before a Holy God. He only sees and receives lives exchanged with His Son’s life.) He was guilty and knew it. He didn’t have any life currency to bargain. He only had a sin resume that was almost expired. All that changed in his moment. He simply, honestly, and with all he was, asked Jesus to remember him in His kingdom, not a bad way to start the rest of your life. He wouldn’t have to wait. Jesus scheduled his arrival: Today you will join me in paradise. It’s amazing isn’t it? God doesn’t remember your sins, and Jesus doesn’t forget your name, not a bad way to start Today. It only takes a moment.

Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: Romans 8:35 The Message

If anyone should have worried about whether God would abandon him or not, it was the Apostle Paul. Before Christ, he was furiously trying to arrest and persecute men and women who were believers and followers of Jesus. His zealous-law-keeping-righteousness allowed him to oversee the execution of a man whose final words were Lord, do not hold this sin against them. After Christ, he realized the futility of resisting sin’s temptations and finding himself trapped time after time. His only response would be never-ending gratitude to God for the gift of Jesus Christ. He later defined his life as being crucified with Christ. The depth and reach of Christ’s love transcends any possible scenario that threatens to separate us from the love of God.

Jesus is never going to let go of your life. When you give your life to Jesus, trusting, believing, and receiving Him, He’s going to make His home in you, abiding and dwelling. He going to change the way you love. It’s no longer a love based on your feelings or desire, but based on His love for you when you cared nothing about Him. He’s not going to quit, give up, or let you go. The Holy Spirit will remind you over and over of this absolute truth in your life. He’s not walking out. His love is never-ending and never-failing. God means it when He says nothing mean nothing can separate you from His love in Christ. How are you walking into this day? It only takes a moment…

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 New American Standard

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun. Romans 8:29-30 The Message

We look everywhere to find out who we are and what we’re living for. It can become and endless journey where you hope the real you is just around the corner. That easily turns into miles and years. God knows how confused we really are on the inside. He took all of that into consideration. He’s not waiting for you to exert enough effort or achieve a certain life to be rewarded with His grace and truth. Your life, the real you is found in Christ. God’s design is perfect, no flaws, no faults, or fractures. Everything regarding your life is in this Son. When you look at Him, you become aware just how messed up you are inside and out. All those starts and restarts? Jesus has covered all those areas and more.

It’s incredible, unimaginable really, that your life and others with all those differences, sins included, have to share a “strong family likeness to Jesus” (OC). When the love of Christ reaches into all those places inside of you, you can’t believe that God wants you so much. You may even think there are so many more deserving than you. And you would be correct if God’s measure was based on your moral skeleton. Why you? You’ll have to ask God. What is certain is the Lord finishing what He’s started in you. The Holy Spirit’s work comes with His nail-scarred guarantee. What’s going to make a difference in your life today? It only takes a moment… 

It’s in Christ that we find our who we are and what we are living for. Ephesians 1:11 The Message