Praise God!

I was reading this morning in my devotions, where Paul was telling the Romans about what it was like before he was saved.  One of the pictures of his life before he surrendered to the Lordship of Christ shows that he was powerless to live righteously.  He says (speaking from the perspective of that time), "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." (NASB, emphasis mine)   That is how every person is who is not Christ's own.  (Remember Peter and the other disciples, to whom Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.") We have no strength in ourselves to do right or to not do wrong.  

We would be helpless sinners were it not for GOD!!   But God has made every provision necessary for our full salvation!  In Philippians 2:12-13 Paul wrote, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (NKJV)  
I am so glad that we serve an all-powerful Savior and Lord!  I am so glad that He will impart the DESIRE and POWER to live His righteousness to ALL His own.  I am so thankful He makes it possible for us to each have salvation ("work out your own salvation"), deliverance from the power of sin!  

Ephesians 2:4-10 (NKJV)
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.Christ gives us power to be all He created us to be!
"Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian!  Lift up your voice and sing eternal 'Hallelujahs' to Jesus Christ the King!" - Alfred Ackley

(Thank you to BibleGateway.com for these verses being already typed up!)