"Knowing Our Father"

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." (Psalms 103:8)
As much as it is to know who we are in Christ, I think it still requires that we totally understand how much our Heavenly Father loves us. The Bible shows us a God that wants to save and protect us, not to destroy and abandon us. He wants us to see Him as He is, merciful and gracious! That said, He will do whatever it takes to get our attention, and to make us know that He loves us. I heard a few messages yesterday that I really believe I needed to hear. I know that I seem so positive and sure of myself, but I struggle like anyone else with the security of my salvation. I know that I am saved, so don't get me wrong, but sometimes the mere fact that I still sin causes me to doubt the security that I have in Christ. The first message I heard was brief but powerful. I am not even quite sure who I was listening to, but he spoke with boldness and assurance. His message was about how we are given eternal life the moment we believe, and that eternal life we are given is forever, secured away in heaven, way out of reach from anyone, including ourselves. That is something that our Heavenly Father has arranged, and He has done so because He already knows that it is the only way we can keep it, if it is out of our hands! We give ourselves more credit than we deserve for messing up our lives; much like they want to try and blame mankind for destroying the planet; one volcano can do more damage than a thousand years of what man can do. Besides that, what happens to our bodies and in this flesh is temporary and does not destroy something as powerful and everlasting as the salvation we have been given in Christ; no way, no how can we even plot such a thing! Do you realize how long and hard our Heavenly Father has planned for you? Something that happened thousands of years ago, He made happen so that you would be born; and after that, He planned something else, way before you were even thought of, so that you would be born again into His Kingdom. How in the world do you think that you have any control over that! The second message that encouraged me, was from Pastor Matt. He was sharing about how God's mercies are new every morning; and then he added a comment about how he needed God's mercy every morning, over and over, each and every day. It's a good thing that He has plenty of mercy...
"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and a new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God's law was given so that people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(Romans 6:17-21)NLT