1 Cor 15-16 Satan's a jerk, God's grace is not in vain

December 3rd, 1 Corinthians 15-16

       A fundamental belief we have about ourselves can be difficult to overcome. We see here in this text that being true for Paul. A sense of being an outsider because of a huge crime. As one who formerly went out of his way to put Christians to death, it's difficult to believe that you are now one with them. Guilt and shame have a way of worming their way into our hearts. As much as you try to tell yourself some truths and use word pictures like adoption and redemption, there are still days when you know your family but feel more like the black sheep than an inside member.
       One of Satan's titles is an "accuser." He would love nothing more than to trip you up by reminding you of your past, revisiting sin that God has washed away, and being a general nuisance in the transformation of your mind spoken of in Romans 12. If you think your alone in this trouble, your in great company.
       Romans 15:9-10 "For I am least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain."
       By God's grace and our attention focused on Christ( I take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ,  an act of my choosing to reject Satan's accusation and live in God's proclamation of my redemption and adoption) We participate in this journey of God's transforming power alive in us. To be able to repeat the statement "God's grace towards me was not in vain." "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it."

Believe that!!