"Struck with Amazement"

 "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering unto his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (Hebrews 4:1 KJV)

  "And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy - just as the entire branch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham's tree - some of the people of Israel - have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God's special olive tree. But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not a root. "Well," you may say, "those branches were broken off to make room for me." Yes, but remember - those branches were broken off because they didn't believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don't think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. For if God did not spare the original branches, he won't spare you either." (Romans 11:16-21 NLT)

 I can remember what it was like to sing the song, "Father Abraham," as we gathered in a circle of men, marching in step, swinging our arms, and bobbing our heads. A circle of inmates, celebrating being sons of Abraham, grafted into the promise, the same promise given to Abraham! Just because of faith; as it was spoken of Abraham, we too were made righteous because of our faith! 

 This might seem hard for some to believe, but it is hard to do something that God cannot forgive you for, even if it was murder! Not that it is something that you won't be punished for, because you will still be required to deal with the consequences here on this earth. But God's grace is sufficient to remove all sins, no matter what; making your statis perfect as you enter into His Kingdom! 

 Hopefully that is what you believe; because God has made it something that He is proud of, as He says in Isaiah 55...

""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised David. See how I used him to display my power among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious." (Isaiah 55:3-5 NLT)