“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.”
Jude 1:24
When I was a young child, it was a different time and a different era in our culture. Paddling was allowed and accepted in school. I vividly recall a time when I was about seven years old. I took some candy from a local store without paying for it. When I arrived back home on my bicycle, my mom asked me how I payed for the candy. I made up a story which she knew wasn’t the truth. So my mom loaded me up in the car and drove me back to the store to give the candy back to the grocery clerk. I was not only ashamed, but reminded at a young age that sin, disobedience, and rebellion always lead to consequences.That afternoon when my father returned home from work my mom informed him of the incident, and my unwillingness to confess and tell the truth. It was then that I had to endure the consequences of my choices. So my father took me to the back room and lovingly explained to me why he was having to administer a few swats with the belt on my rear end. However, what happened next has never been forgotten. My father handed me the belt and leaned over the stationary chair. He calmly said “Son, I am going to take your punishment with the belt.” Needless to say I couldn’t do it. I dropped the belt and began to cry. That alone was punishment enough for what I had done—and my father graciously knew it. In that moment, he was willing to take my punishment for my rebellion and disobedience. It was an amazing picture of mercy and grace that I would never forget.Friend, in a similar way, I offer you hope today—Jesus took all of your past, present, and future sins upon Himself when He was nailed to a brutal cross. You see, He paid a debt He did not owe, because you owed a debt you could not pay. And if you’ve personally received God’s offer of salvation by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone—then in that very moment while Jesus hung on the cross, He declared you, "not guilty." You, my friend, were on His mind. One day, you will stand before Him—knowing with full assurance that He has “kept you” and will “bring you” into His glorious presence “without a single fault.” Because your sin debt was “Paid in Full” 2000 years ago through blood of Jesus Christ.Read it again closely and take it in:“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault.” Jude 1:24I gently remind you today—“He paid a debt He did not owe—you owed a debt you could not pay.”Be Worth Being,KevinSUBSCRIBE TO "OVER THE HUMP" DEVOTIONALKevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 40 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.
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