I know I have been in limbo the past few days, what with two finals this week and a field trip and what not, but if Paul was able to write epistles to Timothy in prison, and joyful and hopeful ones at that, my excuses ain't nuttin but limp noodles.

"Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness." (Romans 4:4-5).

How great would it be to have absolutely nothing to your name, and have someone come up and offer you their mansion, lamborghini, sportsbike, etc., for nothing at all? Even that alone would not compare to the offer we have in Christ, a blank check signed by blood made out to us. One of the biggest dangers in being an active part of the church is the potential for prayer meetings, bible studies, etc. to become routine. If your heart is not perpetually fully submitted to God, in no time at all you can find yourself living a life of religion, rather than a life of love and grace. I say that not to discourage anyone, but rather to encourage. Like Mark said on Friday, if you want to grow in your faith, you really need a pure heart. Don't let going to church, prayer meetings, etc. ever become burdensome. The moment it does, the enemy can trap you into thinking you must labor for God's love, and that is a sheer and utter lie. No father loves His children any more or less if they do wrong, or else his love is not truly genuine. How much more so for our Father in Heaven!