Grace

There's been a lot of talk about heaven lately.  From TV stars to politicians, everyone seems to have their own view on how to enter the Pearly Gates.

I've heard so many people say that if we are "good enough" we'll go to heaven when we die. 

President Trump even weighed in with his philosophy regarding the afterlife, stating that people want to be good because "you wanna prove to God you're good so you go to that next step."  

Trump first suggested his efforts to broker peace might help him get into heaven. He said, "I want to try and get to heaven, if possible... If I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons."  He later expressed doubts about his prospects, saying, "I don't think there's anything that's going to get me into heaven. I think I'm not maybe heaven-bound."

A lot of people think it's a balancing act. They think if we do more good things than bad we will get into heaven.

The truth is no one is "good enough" to get to heaven on their own merits.  So how do you get to heaven?  It is only by God's grace.  Here's a brief outline on Grace vs. Works:

1. What Is Grace?

• Grace is God’s undeserved favor — His free gift of salvation.

• We are saved because of who God is, not because of what we do.

• Romans 3:23–24 – “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace.”

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2. Salvation Is a Gift, Not a Reward

• Ephesians 2:8–9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith... it is the gift of God—not by works.”

• Salvation cannot be earned by good deeds, moral behavior or religious rituals.

• Grace and works are opposites — if we could earn salvation, it wouldn’t be grace. (Romans 11:6)

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3. Why Works Cannot Save

• No one can meet God’s perfect standard on their own.

• Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”

• Christ’s sacrifice on the cross fully paid for our sins — nothing can be added to His finished work.

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4. The Right Place for Good Works

• Good works are the result of salvation, not the requirement for it.

• James 2:17 – “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied
  

Summary

• Saved by Grace Alone: We receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

• Not by Works: Human effort cannot earn eternal life.

• For a Purpose: We are saved to live for God and reflect His love to others.

Trump's Triumphs

President Trump scored another huge victory with his heroic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire deal and the release of hostages this week.  That got me to thinking about all the other accomplishments he's had since taking office again.  I asked my trusty A.I. assistant ChatGPT to create a list of Trump's biggest accomplishments in his presidency so far. A few seconds later, this is what came up:

hChatGPT  

Key Accomplishments & Actions (2025)

1. Ceasefire / Peace Agreements

• Brokered a ceasefire and a deal in Egypt aimed at ending the Gaza war, which included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Financial Times
• Engaged diplomatically in multiple global conflicts: e.g. between Armenia–Azerbaijan, Cambodia–Thailand, Rwanda–DRC; pressing for ceasefires and peace accords. 

1. • Reuters

2. Drug Prices / Health Policy

   • Announced a deal with AstraZeneca to give Medicaid discounted drug prices; the company will list its drugs on a government website (TrumpRx.gov). The Washington Post

3. Border / Immigration

   • Illegal border crossings dropped markedly to their lowest levels in decades (since 1970) according to recent data. New York Post

   • Increased deportations and stricter enforcement of immigration policies. The White House+1

4. Executive Actions / Orders

   • A large number of executive orders signed in the second term — some reversing prior policies, others creating new ones (e.g. declaring national emergencies at the border, changes to environmental regulation, etc.). The White House+3The Guardian+3The White House+3

   • Created a “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to try to reduce government waste and streamline bureaucracy. Wikipedia+2The White House+2

5. Economic Indicators / Inflation, Jobs, Energy, Trade

   • Since January 2025, net job growth: 671,000 jobs added. The White House

   • Core inflation tracked around 2.1%, allegedly lower than many expectations. The White House

   • “New oil and gas drilling permits” increased by 44% over what they were under the prior administration. The White House/

   • Wholesale prices for eggs, gas prices, etc., have (according to White House claims) dropped significantly. The White House

   • “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by Congress: claimed to be the largest tax cut in U.S. history, increasing take-home pay, etc. The White House+1

6. Rescissions / Budget Cuts

   • Passed a rescissions package intended to cut approximately $9 billion in what are described as “wasteful” foreign aid and other spending. The White House

7. Pardons / Clemency

   • Issued pardons for about 1,500 individuals convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Wikipedia+3Reuters+3The White House+3

   • More broadly, by mid-2025, granted executive clemency to over 1,600 individuals on federal charges. Wikipedia

8. Tariffs, Trade Policy, “Liberation Day”

   • Instituted a “reciprocal tariff” policy (called the liberation day tariffs) with baseline tariffs on imports and higher tariffs for countries with large U.S. trade deficits. Wikipedia

   • Negotiated trade deals with other countries (UK, China, Indonesia) are claimed. The White House

9. Government & Regulatory Restructuring

   • Cut back many of the Biden-era federal regulations, especially around energy, climate, and environmental standards. The White House+1

   • Ended certain programs associated with DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), rescinded rules perceived as “job-killing” in energy policy, etc. he White House+1n

• FINAL NOTE
• Whether you love Trump or you hate him, you've got to give him credit for one thing: He is by far the hardest-working president of all time!  He deserves a big 'thank you' for making America — and the world — great again!