WarCry - Easter 2021
Spiritual Formation: Restorative Grace
Captain Emmanuel Masango 2021-03-24 08:24:51
RESTORATIVE GRACE (PART 4 OF 6)
I love watching house renovation shows on HGTV. It is amazing how an old, run-down house can be restored to its original glory. In life, we sometimes see severed relationships, broken marriages or churches split by division. In each of these cases, we long for restoration. In Genesis 3, we read about the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve. But God, in His grace, went looking for them and covered over their nakedness. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, all of humanity is estranged from God. Easter reminds us that God sent His Son Jesus down to earth to repair the broken relationship with humanity. This is what Paul is saying to the Colossians. And this was a costly restoration—Jesus had to die to make this restoration possible. For those who believe and accept the sacrifice of Jesus, we can be reconciled with God.
SCRIPTURES FOR FURTHER REFLECTION
Take a few moments to read more about God’s restoration. In what areas of your life are you living in rebellion to God’s standard? Pray to let Him know you want to be restored. Think about three relationships that are strained and pray for God to help you be reconciled.
LUKE 15:11-32
2 CORINTHIANS 5:16-21
ROMANS 5:9-11
NEHEMIAH 1:8-10
ISAIAH 44:21-23
Steps to Salvation:
The Bible states that God loves you and cares for you as a person (John 3:16). Humankind has been separated from God by sin (Romans 3:23). God sent His Son as a provision for our salvation through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead (Romans 5:8). Doing good deeds is not enough (Ephesians 2:8-9), but receiving the free gift of salvation is (John 1:12).
“God specializes in giving people a fresh start.” —RICK WARREN
“Within each of us exists the image of God, however disfigured and corrupted by sin it may presently be. God is able to recover this image through grace as we are conformed to Christ.” —ALISTER MCGRATH
“This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” —COLOSSIANS 1:21-22
A PRAYER for RESTORATIVE GRACE
Dear Lord, I feel separated from You because of my wrongdoing. However, I thank You that Jesus died to pay the price for my wrongdoing. Because of that, please forgive me of my wrongs and reconcile me with Yourself. I want to live a new life in and with You from this day forward.
You can invite Jesus Christ into your life right now by praying something like the following: Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I need Your forgiveness and grace. I believe that Christ paid the penalty for my sin, and He died in my place, and He rose from the dead. I invite Jesus Christ to come into my life as Savior. Thank You for saving me from my sin and making me Your child. Help me to grow and learn how to serve You. Amen.
1.A BOY was born in Bethlehem With tiny hands and downy head; The shepherds came to worship Him Asleep within a manger bed.
2.A Boy grew up in Nazareth, A sturdy lad and full of grace; He laughed and ran and studied too, And God smiled through His glowing face.
3.A young Man walked by Galilee, He talked about a Kingdom fair Where love alone can reign and rule, And God was speaking through Him there.
4.On Calvary a young Man died, In sorrow bowed beneath the skies He grieved for every child of man While love beamed through His suffering eyes.
5.On Easter morning Jesus came To hail the friends who mourned Him dead; And lo, with bright, unclouded eyes, They looked upon their living head.
#98, A Boy Was Born In Bethlehem The Song Book of The Salvation Army
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