Reconciled Accounts!

I have known people who kept extra money in their bank account or who would round up their totals just to make sure there was money to COVER THEIR ERRORS of subtraction when writing checks.

A husband once observed his wife putting forth some real effort to RECONCILE her checkbook balance with their bank statement. She compared her canceled checks with her stubs. Then, after spending a whole morning working to BALANCE the figures, she had four sheets of neat columns representing all the items and figures with a perfect BALANCE reflected at the end. As her husband looked over the list, everything was clearly noted, item for item, except for one line which read “E.S.P. -- $23.64”. Asking his wife what the E.S.P. meant he received the response, “Error Some Place.”

How does our life BALANCE out? When all is said and done, how is it RECONCILED? When we look at the totals we also should clearly see it does not add up to what it should. There is an “Error(s) Some Place.” However, in our relationship to Christ, God has provided a means by which the ACCOUNT can be RECONCILED!

Paul stated our situation and its remedy in these words:
“(23) for ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT of the glory of God, (24) and ARE JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” ( Romans 3:23-24 ESV)

In our life there is a “short fall”. Nevertheless, because of Jesus, God JUSTIFIES the “columns” and by His grace marks the ACCOUNT BALANCED.

John encouraged…
“I am writing to you, little children, because YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE.” ( 1 John 2:12 ESV)

Or “… FORGIVEN ON ACCOUNT OF HIS NAME.” (NIV)

Our obedience to God is important. We must continually seek to please Him in all ways. However, whatever good works we would place into the ACCOUNT as far as salvation is concerned, our “statement” would be stamped “N.F.S.” (Non-Sufficient Funds) for covering our debt of sin. Praise God for His promise in Christ to ultimately RECONCILE the ACCOUNT in our favor.

Have a great day BANKING ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS!
Carl

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[This focus was originally sent 09/21/2001 (Edited some with passages changed to ESV)]

See other teEn-MAIL on Reconciliation