Can You Stand To Be Knocked Down?

Romans 3:21-30

Brothers and sisters:
Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
though testified to by the law and the prophets,
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ
for all who believe.
For there is no distinction;
all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.
They are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth as an expiation,
through faith, by his Blood, to prove his righteousness
because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed,
through the forbearance of God–
to prove his righteousness in the present time,
that he might be righteous
and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out.
On what principle, that of works?
No, rather on the principle of faith.
For we consider that a person is justified by faith
apart from works of the law.
Does God belong to Jews alone?
Does he not belong to Gentiles, too?
Yes, also to Gentiles, for God is one
and will justify the circumcised on the basis of faith
and the uncircumcised through faith.

I gotta say that there are days that lines such as these knock me on my rear-end. Why?

"...all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God... What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out."

For a man that can have a wad of pride on his shoulder these are lines that can really take me back. Fact is the only reason I have life is because of God. I have not earned my life and I have not earned the rich life I have been born into. I have taken this life and then sinned. I have broken my relationship with God time and again. What does God do? He waits and gives me another chance when I ask for it. That is a love that is truly amazing. If I choose to believe him and follow God's ways and have faith in him. God will let me back in his good graces. Do I love like that? Do you? I'll admit I try to, but all to often I fall on my face, and that's okay. God is patient and forgiving in his love for us all.

Luke 11:47-54

The Lord said:
"Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets 
whom your fathers killed.
Consequently, you bear witness and give consent
to the deeds of your ancestors,
for they killed them and you do the building.
Therefore, the wisdom of God said,
'I will send to them prophets and Apostles;
some of them they will kill and persecute'
in order that this generation might be charged
with the blood of all the prophets
shed since the foundation of the world,
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah
who died between the altar and the temple building.
Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!
Woe to you, scholars of the law!
You have taken away the key of knowledge.
You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter."
When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees
began to act with hostility toward him
and to interrogate him about many things,
for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

"I will send to them prophets and Apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute' in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets..."

Sounds stiff to me how bout you? But here's the thing, we all have a voice. When we sit and refuse to say nothing in the midst of injustice towards God's chosen we are just as complicit. Have you ever sat in a room with your peers while the made fun of someone for sharing their faith? Have you kept silent when those professing their faith in the media are mocked and denounced? Have you done anything for our brothers and sisters around the globe who are being persecuted, tortured and jail and worse for their faith in Jesus Christ?

I know what you are thinking... "Hey though, what can I do?" 

You're not alone. I'll admit it I have done little to nothing in my past. There are times now that I could often do more. I like verses like these though because they challenge us. Oh sure, we could let them insult us or we could try and make excuses, but I think that God here wants us to be challenged. He wants us to rise up. He wants us to be the champions (Saints) he made us to be. Sitting comfortable in their home, relaxing doing little has NEVER made anyone a champion.

Jesus, 

Your love blows me away. I mean really, I want to love like you do, but my ego makes it hard. Please be patient with me. Holy Spirit please come down and bestow on me the gift I need to get off my tail and share the word of God proudly. God please put the things I need in my path to become great for your will not mine, and if that means you need to knock me down hard from time to time. PLEASE DO IT BOLDLY AND LOUDLY. I want to serve you only because your love is the only that eternally satisfies,

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,
Amen