Who’s Keeping Score
Have you ever known someone that always seems to be keeping score? Whatever you do that they don’t approve of, they mark it down. They keep a record of every wrong and are always ready and willing to bring up what they view as your mistakes and misfortunes, when what you could really use is an encouraging word.
Do you ever view God that way? Do think of Father God as a critic; just watching and waiting for you to make another mistake? Is God keeping score?
- Psalm 130:1-4 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD; 2 Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. 3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
Thankfully, He is not. If God’s love depended on checks and balances, we would all be in serious trouble – who among us is without sin? But praise God for His compassionate mercy and grace. He loves us perfectly, forgives us willingly and understands our weaknesses.
- Psalm 103:11-14 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
- Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
But, make no mistake – God is holy and He will judge all sin. The truth of the matter is, everyone is guilty.
- Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
- Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Yet God, in His infinite love has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him. God came to earth as the man Jesus Christ and died on a Roman cross to pay our sin debt. When we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, God forgives all our sin – past, present and future. This reconciled relationship is what God desires with all people.
- Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
- 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Don’t be fooled; many will tell you Jesus is not the only way to a right relationship with Father God. Jesus made this very clear, He is the only way. This may be a hard truth, but it is the truth.
- John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
- John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The only way to heaven is to be righteous before God. The only way to be righteous before God is to have the righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to you. The only way to have Jesus’ righteousness credited to you is to confess your sins, surrender your life to Christ as Lord and Savior and accept His free gift of salvation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
Once you have been reconciled to God, keep yourself in a right relationship with Him by humbly confessing your sins to Him.
- 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If you already know this truth and have accepted Christ as your Savior:
Praise God and share this gloriously good news with someone who needs to hear it
- Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
If you haven’t given your life to Christ, pray for God to:
Hear your plea for forgiveness
- Luke 18: 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
Wash away your sins with the sinless blood of Jesus
- Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Fill you with His Holy Spirit
- Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Send you a Christian mentor to guide you in Bible study and prayer so you can start maturing in your faith
- Acts 18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
God is not keeping score.
He is waiting for you to come to Him.
He longs for reconciliation with You.
Humbly respond to His love.
Respectfully worship and obey Him.
Prayer
Gracious Father, please open the hearts of many to the truth of the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ. Only Your Word has the power to save. Use Your saints to share this truth and to encourage and guide new believers in their walk with You. I praise You Father for Your love! I pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer!
