relationships (Daniel 8:1-27) Being an Example

(Daniel 8:1-27)

In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously. 2 I looked in the vision, and while I was looking, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last. 4 I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand against him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and made himself great.

5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a prominent horn between his eyes. 6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 And I saw him come up beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and smashed his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the male goat made himself exceedingly great. But once he became powerful, the large horn was broken; and in its place four prominent horns came up toward the four winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. 10 It grew up to the heavenly lights, and some of the lights, that is, some of the stars it threw down to the earth, and it trampled them. 11 It even exalted itself to be equal with the Commander of the army; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And because of an offense the army will be given to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will hurl truth to the ground and do as it pleases and be successful. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the offense causes horror, so as to allow both the sanctuary and the army to be trampled?” 14 And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be properly restored.”

15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; and he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”

18 Now while he was talking with me, I was dazed with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand at my place. 19 And he said, “Behold, I am going to inform you of what will occur at the final period of the indignation, because it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

20 The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

21 The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 The broken horn and the four horns that came up in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

23 And in the latter period of their dominion,
     When the wrongdoers have run their course,
     A king will arise,
     Insolent and skilled in intrigue.
24 And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power,
     And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree 
     And be successful and do as he pleases;
     He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.
25 And through his shrewdness 
     He will make deceit a success by his influence;
     And he will make himself great in his own mind,
     And he will destroy many while they are at ease.
     He will even oppose the Prince of princes,
     But he will be broken without human agency.
26 And the vision of the evenings and mornings 
     Which has been told is true;
     But as for you, keep the vision secret,
     Because it pertains to many days in the future.”

27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was no one to explain it.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

These prophecies are important, as we can see through historical records and archeological findings that these events did take place exactly as it is laid out here, to the day.  And this should give us confidence to trust the Lord and His will, knowing that He is sovereign (all-knowing, all-powerful and omnipresent).  

For Daniel, this particular prophecy was more imminent, and being in the position that he was, he felt the weight of it all.  The Israelites were in captivity, after all, because of their sins.  And in chapter 9, we will see how he prayed for his nation, confessing the nation's sins, and requesting the Lord's intercession and help.

In our personal lives, in a personal relationship with the Lord, if we say that we love and trust in Him, but we sin (unintentionally or intentionally) and do not confess that, we should feel the weight of it.  And if we experience consequences as a result of our sin/s, should we be surprised, or angry at God?  Of course not!  Understand that because He loves us, and He disciplines us: to get our attention; to open our eyes to the discomfort and destruction that we create; to encourage us to come back, to confess and continue on striving in God's will, in His love, strength and wisdom.

Notice that Daniel, who was a righteous man, already striving in God's will, was also in captivity and experiencing the consequences of other people's sins.  Yet, he didn't live in anger or despair, he wasn't surprised at the situation, and he certainly didn't blame God.  While he did go through struggles, he continued on striving, and really was an amazing example to us as to how to be a steadfast servant of the Lord!  Daniel didn't trust in his own wisdom or strength, but knowing that God cares and that God is able, he continued looking to God, and giving Him all of the glory!

relationships (Daniel 6:1-28) Respect and Trust and Love

(Daniel 6:1-28)

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, to be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them, three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), so that these satraps would be accountable to them, and that the king would not suffer loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king intended to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel regarding government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him regarding the law of his God.”

6 Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it will not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 9 Thereupon, King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel offering a prayer and imploring favor before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction: “Did you not sign an injunction that any person who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they responded and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps offering his prayer three times a day.”

14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed, and set his mind on rescuing Daniel; and until sunset he kept exerting himself to save him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “Your God whom you continually serve will Himself rescue you.” 17 And a stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed regarding Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king got up at dawn, at the break of day, and went in a hurry to the lions’ den. 20 And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king began speaking and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, since I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they threw them, their children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages who were living in all the land: “May your peace be great! 26 I issue a decree that in all the realm of my kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel;

     For He is the living God and enduring forever,
     And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
     And His dominion will be forever.
27 He rescues, saves, and performs signs and miracles 
     In heaven and on earth,
     He who has also rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

We are called to respect and submit to our government’s laws “as unto the Lord.”  But when those laws conflict with God’s commands, we must obey God above all.  Like Daniel, who quietly continued to pray despite the threat of death, we should follow God’s will without fear.  If it is His will, He will protect.  If it is His will, He will take us home where there will be no more sorrow or pain.

God is sovereign and places rulers in power—though not all are good or just.  Still, we can trust that He works all things together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).  Even if radical movements arise (whether they are politically on the left or on the right), we are not to live in hatred or fear.  Whether under just or unjust leadership, we are to submit as unto the Lord and pray for our leaders, trusting God to change hearts, as He did with King Darius.

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, as we remain obedient, God can use His faithful people to accomplish great and mighty things, all to His glory.  Our purpose here on earth is to share the gospel message and God's love.  And God knows what it will take to grow our faith, as well as to reach other people's hearts, so that they too can enter into His salvation and have eternal life.  

In a personal relationship with the Lord, knowing that He loves us and cares for us, our trust should not be in politics, or anything or anyone else but in Him. This world is not our home; heaven is. Even if we find ourselves in “a strange country,” we can rest knowing that God remains in control and will use every situation, all to His glory.

relationships (Psalm 138:1-8) Just How Needy Are We?

(Psalm 138:1-8)

1   I will give You thanks with all my heart;
     I will sing Your praises before the gods.
2   I will bow down toward Your holy temple 
     And give thanks to Your name for Your mercy and Your truth;
     For You have made Your word great according to all Your name.
3   On the day I called, You answered me;
     You made me bold with strength in my soul.

4   All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, Lord,
     When they have heard the words of Your mouth.
5   And they will sing of the ways of the Lord,
     For great is the glory of the Lord.
6   For the Lord is exalted,
     Yet He looks after the lowly,
     But He knows the haughty from afar.

7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
     You will reach out with Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
     And Your right hand will save me.
8   The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
     Your faithfulness, Lord, is everlasting;
     Do not abandon the works of Your hands.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The Lord looks after the lowly - the humble of heart!  This is opposite the haughty - the ones who are too proud to realize their need for God.  Not only do we need to be saved through Jesus, but we need His help every day, all the time.  This is not something we should be ashamed about.  The Lord is sovereign, which means that He is more powerful than all powers combined, and He is wiser than all intellects put together!  And He wants to help us!  Why would we NOT want to tap into that?!

Plus the Lord is truth.  In Him and in His word, there are no lies, which means we can rely on Him and trust in Him.  In His righteousness, He is fair and just.  As well, He is compassionate and caring, therefore, He is faithful and will accomplish all of His plans and His purpose:  for all believers, for Israel, and regarding all things.  

Because He is mercy, He saves those who humbly come to Him to accept His free gift of forgiveness and salvation.  Because of His grace, even though we will still make mistakes, we will never lose our salvation.  When we confess, He revives us.  Whether we are struggling or not, we are to go to Him for His strength and wisdom, so we can boldly live our faith outwardly for others to see.  WHEN we call - WHEN we ask - He answers, and He will take care of our concerns!  He cares, and there is nothing too difficult for Him!!!

relationships (Psalm 77:1-20) The Unchanging Solution

(Psalm 77:1-20)  My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud;

     My voice rises to God, and He will listen to me.
2   In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
     In the night my hand was stretched out and did not grow weary;
     My soul refused to be comforted.
3   When I remember God, then I am restless;
     When I sigh, then my spirit feels weak. Selah 
4   You have held my eyelids open;
     I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5   I have considered the days of old,
     The years of long ago.
6   I will remember my song in the night;
     I will meditate with my heart,
     And my spirit ponders:

7   Will the Lord reject forever?
     And will He never be favorable again?
8   Has His favor ceased forever?
     Has His promise come to an end forever?
9   Has God forgotten to be gracious,
     Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion? Selah 
10 Then I said, “It is my grief,
     That the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

11 I shall remember the deeds of the Lord;
     I will certainly remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all Your work,
     And on Your deeds with thanksgiving.
13 Your way, God, is holy;
     What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
     You have made known Your strength among the peoples.
15 By Your power You have redeemed Your people,
     The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah 

16 The waters saw You, God;
     The waters saw You, they were in anguish;
     The ocean depths also trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
     The skies sounded out;
     Your arrows flashed here and there.
18 The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
     The lightning lit up the world;
     The earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was in the sea 
     And Your paths in the mighty waters,
     And Your footprints were not known.
20 You led Your people like a flock 
     By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

I find verse 10 a type of key thought in this passage.  In our grief, or weakness and sinful behavior, "God will change."  NOT that the Lord actually changes, but the dynamic between us and the Lord will change.  In other words - OUR end of that dynamic and how we see and approach God - is up to us!  Unlike any earthly relationship, God is holy, perfect, faithful, unchanging, loving and so very patient!

Just for example, when we have sin in our lives and we are not dealing with it, we will become restless and troubled!  God has created everyone with a conscience.  As well, for all believers, we can quench the indwelling Holy Spirit, who will then convict our hearts in order to turn us back to the Lord - with humble hearts - to confess our sins!  Because of God's grace, we will never lose our salvation (because He has already forgiven all of our sins: past, present and future).  But because God loves us, He will discipline us and allow consequences to happen.

Just because we live in a fallen broken world, we will face issues and struggles.  God will allow trials and tribulations in our lives to test us.  To help our faith and trust grow in His strength and guidance.  No matter what the reason is for our suffering and troubled souls, the answer and solution is always the same - continue to grow closer to the Lord in our personal relationship with Him.  When we feel that things are hopeless, think about - remember - and mediate on this - God is great!  

Our fallible and limited human strength cannot compare to God's sovereign power, but we can consider and remember the great things He has done.  And in our weakness, when we look to Him and ask, He is our strength.  Also, our fallible and limited minds cannot comprehend God, but we can see and understand that God is all-knowing and faithful, and He will look after us.  And in our shortsightedness, when we ask and trust in Him, He is our hope and our confidence.

relationships (Psalm 75:1-10) Getting Perspective

(Psalm 75:1-10)  We give thanks to You, God, we give thanks,

     For Your name is near;
     People declare Your wondrous works.
2   “When I select an appointed time,
     It is I who judge fairly.
3   The earth and all who inhabit it are unsteady;
     It is I who have firmly set its pillars. Selah 
4   I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
     And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn;
5   Do not lift up your horn on high,
     Do not speak with insolent pride.’”

6   For not from the east, nor from the west,
     Nor from the desert comes exaltation;
7   But God is the Judge;
     He puts down one and exalts another.
8   For a cup is in the hand of the Lord, and the wine foams;
     It is well mixed, and He pours out of this;
     Certainly all the wicked of the earth must drain and drink its dregs.

9   But as for me, I will declare it forever;
     I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 And He will cut off all the horns of the wicked,
     But the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

"Do not toot your own horn!"  That's been said to me a few times in my life.  It's such a simple idiom, but it really does carry a lot of weight.  Obviously, those who choose to NOT believe in the Lord, will tend to claim all victories and possessions as a result of their own fortune, strategies and work.  They will also tend to blame others when things don't go their way.  

When these things happen, it should not come as a shock to us.  But there are other things for us to keep in mind.  We can only control the things we do and say.  Meanwhile, the Lord God is sovereign and ultimately in control of all things, even while allowing all of us to exercise our free will.  

Because of this, we cannot make it our goal to control others.  This will only lead to frustration, disappointment, fear and anger.  We can express our desires to others about what we might expect of them, while asking God to work within all circumstances, and making it our goal to do better in God's strength and guidance.

As Christians, this means humbly realizing that we always need the Lord!  In this, it then means humble asking and "allowing" God to work out all things for us, while we continue striving to live in His will.  In trusting the Lord in all things, we should know that He is always faithful and caring, and all good gifts are from Him!  Therefore, He always deserves all the credit and the glory.  

So, how does THIS help us in our other relationships?  With both believers and unbelievers, we can focus on demonstrating God's love.  Typically, if and when we are more focused on ourselves and our own accomplishments, we tend to use that as our inspiration and motivation to continue building out our own empires.  As well, we definitely can fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with others, which will lead to other unhealthy behaviors, like judging others.

God is judge, and one day everyone will face Him.  God is also just, so we can be confident that He knows the exact right time for everything.  Everyone who is to become a believer will have made that decision.  And everyone who rejects Jesus will have been given fair opportunity.

It all comes down to the condition of our hearts.  Is it boastful in thinking that you don't need Jesus and you want nothing to do with Him?  Or have you humbled your heart, knowing that we are all sinners who need Jesus and His salvation, as well as His continuous strength and His guidance?  It's that "simple".  It is all about putting the Lord Jesus Christ first in our lives, before all other relationships.

relationships (Psalm 74:1-23) Know That He Knows and Cares!

(Psalm 74:1-23)  God, why have You rejected us forever?

     Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
2   Remember Your congregation, which You purchased of old,
     Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance;
     And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.
3   Step toward the irreparable ruins;
     The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
4   Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;
     They have set up their own signs as signs.
5   It seems like one bringing up 
     His axe into a forest of trees.
6   And now they break down all its carved work 
     With axe and hammers.
7   They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;
     They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.
8   They said in their heart, “Let’s completely subdue them.”
     They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9   We do not see our signs;
     There is no longer any prophet,
     Nor is there anyone among us who knows how long.
10 How long, God, will the enemy taunt You?
     Shall the enemy treat Your name disrespectfully forever?
11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
     Extend it from Your chest and destroy them!

12 Yet God is my King from long ago,
     Who performs acts of salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by Your strength;
     You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
     You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You broke open springs and torrents;
     You dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, Yours also is the night;
     You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have established all the boundaries of the earth;
     You have created summer and winter.

18 Remember this, Lord, that the enemy has taunted You,
     And a foolish people has treated Your name disrespectfully.
19 Do not give the soul of Your turtledove to the wild animal;
     Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.
20 Consider the covenant;
     For the dark places of the land are full of the places of violence.
21 May the oppressed person not return dishonored;
     May the afflicted and the needy praise Your name.

22 Arise, God, and plead Your own cause;
     Remember how the foolish person taunts You all day long.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your adversaries,
     The uproar of those who rise against You, which ascends continually.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Those who are ignorant and/or hate God will abuse His name.  Those who love God should desire to respect and praise His name.  God hears and sees everything.  God knows everything.  And God remembers everything.  As well, He is faithful.  So He will be faithful in fulfilling the covenants He made with the Israelites.

The Israelites were chosen - to be the "missionaries" to the rest of the world - but they (as a nation) walked away from God.  They (as a nation) rejected Jesus the first time He came in flesh.  Their suffering will only end when they, as a nation, accept Jesus as their Messiah and King.  And that will only happen when they see their signs which Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24... which are the judgments that will take place in the Tribulation.  THEN they will believe, and be righteous in God's grace, and obedient in His strength.  THEN Jesus will return again to earth n flesh.

After the victory at the battle at Armageddon, Jesus will bring the Israelites and all those who became believers during the Tribulation into the Millennium.  This is when He will fulfill all promises made to the Israelites.  He has not forgotten.  This will all happen in God's perfect timing!

Meanwhile, no matter how bad things seem to get, the Lord God is still sovereign, and His salvation is available to anyone who believes in Him!  With that, not only will we be saved from eternal death, but we will be saved from the wrath to come, which is the Tribulation.  Therefore, He is faithful to even those who have not yet become believers.  

The Lord knows exactly who will turn and believe in Him.  He also knows exactly when.  And because He is also fair and just, He will not gather up all believers to heaven and bring judgment onto the earth until that perfect time.  Because of this, and so much more, we can be thankful and praise His name, in confidence and complete trust!  Afterall, the Lord has done, and is doing, and will do all of these things - just so that He can have a personal relationship with anyone who wants Him in their life!!!

relationships (Psalm 65:1-13) Fully Trustworthy

(Psalm 65:1-13)  There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, God,

     And the vow will be fulfilled for You.
2   You who hear prayer,
     To You all mankind comes.
3   Wrongdoings prevail against me;
     As for our offenses, You forgive them.
4   Blessed is the one You choose and allow to approach You;
     He will dwell in Your courtyards.
     We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
     Your holy temple.

5   By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, God of our salvation,
     You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and the farthest sea;
6   Who establishes the mountains by His strength,
     Who is encircled with might;
7   Who stills the roaring of the seas,
    The roaring of their waves,
     And the turmoil of the nations.
8   They who dwell at the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;
     You make the sunrise and the sunset shout for joy.

9   You visit the earth and cause it to overflow;
     You greatly enrich it;
     The stream of God is full of water;
     You prepare their grain, for so You prepare the earth.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
     You settle its ridges,
     You soften it with showers,
     You bless its growth.
11 You have crowned the year with Your goodness,
     And Your paths drip with fatness.
12 The pastures of the wilderness drip,
     And the hills encircle themselves with rejoicing.
13 The meadows are clothed with flocks 
     And the valleys are covered with grain;
     They shout for joy, yes, they sing.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The all-powerful God who is able to still the raging seas, is also able to calm the turmoil within the nations, as well as any turmoil within a person's soul.  Nothing happens without His permission... even salvation.  Understand that the Lord is omniscient, so He knew before He ever created us, who would become a believer or not.  Yet, He still gives everyone a fair opportunity to see His nurturing goodness, so that we can all make an "educated" decision as to whether or not we embrace everything God is and everything God has done for us.  In this way, God chooses those who will come to Him to become His children.

How we come to the Lord is not up to us, as verse 4 also explains.  God is holy and cannot have a relationship with sin.  Since God desires that all come to know Him, He came in flesh to pay the price for all sin, and offers the free gift of salvation, which is the forgiveness of all our sins.  This is the only way to heaven, because the wages of sin is death!  It is impossible for any of us to pay that price, but God loves us so much, He sent His Son to pay that price for us.

God also loves us so much that He doesn't hold this "favor" over our heads when we do accept His salvation.  He THEN extends to us His grace, because He knows that we will mess up, stumble and stray.  Therefore He seals us with His indwelling Holy Spirit, so we have eternal security.  Just in this we should be extremely thankful.  And more than that, God extends to us His strength, wisdom and guidance in His righteousness, because He wants us to be content, and have joy!  Knowing all of this, we can fully trust in the Lord and go to Him with everything!