Was Caught Speeding

The other day I was driving on a two lane highway the speed limit was fifty-five miles per hour. The next thing I knew a police officer flashed his lights at me. I stepped on the breaks and slowed down my vehicle. The officer never pursued me; he had given me a break. I was speeding. I did not realize where I was until he flashed his lights at me. I had entered a small town and the speed limit had dropped from fifty-five to forty miles per hour. I flashed my lights back at the officer and thanked him for the break. I was thinking about this for some time later. This small incident can be an illustration of God’s Grace.

Let’s start with this; I did not realize where I was. How many of us in life do not realize where we are? All of us are or were hopelessly caught up in sin and don’t even realize it. Many of us are on a wide fast moving road. We’re going wherever it leads us and we’re just following the crowd in front of us. We have whatever we want sex, money, alcohol, pornography and whatever other distractions this life can hand you. For a while we’re going down this path and we’re having a great time lots of friends, good times and laughs. All of a sudden, bam, you see the warning lights. This could be in the form of broken relationships, an unwanted pregnancy, you find yourself addicted to alcohol or drugs or you finally feel that the life your living is leaving you empty inside. It really doesn’t matter what’s your warning sign. What matters is what do you do now that you realize where you are? Do you hit the brakes? Or do you keep going even after your warning. I received a break (grace) from the police officer after he warned me because I realized I was speeding (sinning) and slowed down and obeyed the law (repentance).

What would have happened if I ignored the warning? The police officer would have come after me and given me a ticket. What if I would have ignored the police officer coming after me? He would have chased me and even called more police to get me. Now when they catch me I will be arrested. What if I continue to flee even after more police are called to pursuit? There could be road blocks, the police could try and disable my vehicle and if I keep fighting it could end with injury or death. OK I know it sounds far fetched to take a speeding violation this far but I don’t think you realize at any given moment we are only a few stupid decisions away from dying and it doesn’t even have to be our decisions. There is no guarantee of a long life. You do not have plenty of time to get right with God. The next breath at any time could be your last. Now what are you going to do with the warning signs God has given you?

OK this is the moment. You have received your warnings and you realize you need God’s grace but how? You must admit that you are a sinner and cannot be reconciled with God by anything you can do or earn. Jesus who is fully man and fully God lived a perfect sinless life. He freely gave his life and was crucified. He suffered anguish and pain and took the full measure of God’s wrath against us upon himself while on the cross. He died and was buried and three days later he rose again defeating sin and death forever. Everyone who believes receives God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We are no longer sinners in the eyes of God but have been made new through the Blood of Jesus and are clothed in HIS righteousness.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  (Romans 3:23)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 5:12)

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:10)

I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:5)

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  (Acts 17:30)

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)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:8)

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  (Romans 10:9,10)

for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  (John 1:12)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU AND RECEIVE JESUS AS YOU SAVIOR: Send me a message if you need to talk or pray about it.