The Wages of Sin according to Grace
By Rev. Troy Heidt
Assembly of God Pastor, Wyoming
You walked into the room
Slammed shut the door
Threw down your coat
In a heap on the floor
You tracked up the carpet
with mud on your feet
and black grease stained the couch
as you sank into a seat
You spit on the table
and yelled like a jerk
saying, "This is my Sabbath,
now ya'll go to work!"
And you're sweet maid Grace
said "You don't understand;
you're just a big baby
who can't comprehend!"
She picked up your mess
and she made your house neat
She vacuumed the rug
and brought you food to eat!
She said, "Now I'm tired
of your unholy mess,
I will not stay much longer
to work in this stress!"
Grace laid down the law
and said, "Now you must learn!"
If you don't straighten up
into Anger I'll turn".
You just ignore Grace
She's kind of a grouch
but she's always been there
to clean off your couch!
Then Grace disappeared
You'd asked for a drink
And she never came back
from the old kitchen sink
You had to realize
and finally confess
when you saw your condition
your life was a mess
Had Grace always picked up
your coat by the door
and wiped off your mud stains
you'd leave on the floor?
Had Grace always made
such wonderful meals
and never once ever
did you know how it feels!
Your friends told you Grace
was a wonderful way
to meet all your needs
and that she'd never stray!
But Grace got tired of your
trampling her work
You trashed all she did
and you barked like a jerk!
She laid down the law
but you didn't care
you said to yourself,
"Grace will always be there!"
Now what was Grace saying
about how to clean floors?
What did Grace tell you
about your new chores?
It's hard to remember
when you didn't care
And now your alone
And in deep despair!
You've thrown your sin
all over that place!
And now you've got troubles
and haven't got Grace!
Then you turn to the law
That Grace told you about
To clean up this mess
and you figure it out
It wasn't for Grace
To do your job for you
When you yourself
knew the right things to do
Grace was meant
to help you do well
When you made a mistake
that could lead you to hell
You washed your stains
with the blood from the cross
and destroyed all the idols
that once were your boss
You declared the Sabbath
And learned from Yahweh
That the commandments aren't decorations
but laws to obey
You studied the scriptures
and learned how to live
And soon all you had
you were willing to give
And then Grace appeared
again at your door
This time she was different
than she'd looked before
No longer a servant
No longer a slave
but true revelation
of a dear gift Yahweh gave
To help us all out
When there's no other way
and we've done all we can
just to TRUST and OBEY!
Thank you, Troy.
Dear Friends:
J-O-Y
comes from the phrase Just Obey
Yahweh!
So, how long will we continue to abuse Yahweh's "grace"? When we know the truth we
obey out of love. It is just as simple as that. Be it refraining from taking Yahweh's Name in vain, or falsifying it, or murdering, adultery, stealing, bearing false witness or profaning His
Set-Apart Sabbaths and Feasts. We will not always have His "Grace" when we continue to be disobedient or push the limits by our lack of understanding or refusal to act upon His truth that He reveals to us through the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) and His Word. What makes us think we have the right to see how close we can get to sinning without actually sinning? Doesn't that reflect the intent of our hearts; that we just want the "ticket" to eternal life but live a life of lawlessness & disobedience because we have "Grace" around while we are here on earth? The "ticket" is all we need right?
Wrong!
This reminds me of a story about a trucking company who had a job opening. They tested their applicants by asking them to drive a big rig next to a cliff to see how good they were at driving without going over the edge. The story goes that the driver who stayed the farthest away from the cliff's edge got the job. See, friends, it's not about how close you can get to the cliff's edge that makes a person a better truck driver than the rest. It's about being conscientious, not reckless because being "conscientious" means putting your Heavenly Father, Yahweh, first (and not yourself) and recognizing that His ways are GOOD.
We are not to be reckless or lawless. If you truly put Him first, then you will put others around you second, and you will put yourself last; a true servant of all. See, the truck driver that got the job wasn't thinking selfishly. He wasn't trying to "win" by being the "closest" to the cliff without going over. He was being conscientious about the job provider's property even if he failed to get the job. He knew he was doing the right thing for it wasn't reckless or lawless. He would rather lose the job than be careless
and risking his very life. Ultimately, without being "the best" according to the world's understanding, he was "the best" for the job. That's the kind of person Yahweh wants you and I to be. Think about it!
In His Service,
Ernie Lee Hoch (Lewi H'Cohen)
