GRACE INFLUENCES;
Grace speaks of God’s unmerited favor, kindness and empowering. He imparts it to the undeserving who can neither earn it, or inherit it. It is His Sovereign choice, which He freely gives at His discretion. It is unmerited! It is the Generosity of God giving to us what we do not deserve in the way of blessings from Him!
1.THE GIFT OF GRACE; “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,”– {1 Cor 1:4}.”-{Ephesians 2;8-9}
God’s Grace to us, should banish all boasting in self, ” But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”-{1 Cor 15:10} What do we have that we have not received? It is all by the kindness of God towards undeserving people, and it comes at the expense of the death of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ!
2.THE PROVISION OF GRACE; We are all RECEIVERS of His Grace, who are “In Christ,” – “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”-{John 1:16-17}. “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant “-{Rom 5:20}. Where sin abounded Grace SUPER-ABOUNDED! A young man believed he had sinned so much that there was no grace for him to be saved, as he felt he had sinned too much to be forgiven, “But God…” trumps sin every time with super abounding grace! His grace is greater than the combination of all sin for all time by all people! “But the GIFT is not like the transgression. For if by the
transgression of the one the many died, MUCH MORE did the GRACE OF GOD and the gift by the Grace of the One Man, Jesus Christ ABOUND to many.”-{Rom 5:15}; “… MUCH MORE those who receive the ABUNDANCE of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” -{Rom 5:17}
3.THE POWER OF GRACE. The apostles experienced the POWER of Grace to serve and share, “And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.”-{Acts 4:33}. Stephen also, “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.”-{Acts 6:8}. GRACE is MANIFESTED IN lives being changes as witnessed by Barnabas of new believers, “Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;”-{Acts 11:20-23}.
We read again of the transforming POWER OF GRACE,… “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.“-{Titus 2:11-14}. His grace teaches, instructs trains, empowers and changes us!
The Grace of God that saves us also changes us, otherwise it is not God’s grace, but a poor deceptive damnable imitation that has been embraced!
4.THE PROMISE OF SUFFICIENT GRACE; Paul was given this PROMISE OF GRACE in 2 Cor 12:9, “My Grace Is Sufficient for you…” when God had said “No” to his plea to have his “thorn” removed from him. In his pain, for the word “thorn” was used of a tent peg used to impale, torture someone with! In his pain the Lord gave him Himself, and a promise, and in this Paul gloried, boasted of His provision for him! “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.“-{2 Cor 12:10}. The word”Sufficient,” means “Enough” with the implication it “Satisfies!”
Paul in the midst of great pain, as the “thorn” spoken here referred to a wooden stake that was used to torture and impale people! And yet he could know the sufficient grace of God that would be “ENOUGH” for HIM TO MEET HIM AND SATISFY HIM IN SUCH HORRENDOUS DIFFICULTIES!
PRAISE THE GOD OF ALL GRACE
REJOICE AND REST IN HIS GRACE
SHARE OF HIS GRACE with your life and labor of love in your words, deeds in kindness, favor, blessings.{Read Titus 3:14}.
As you have received Grace extend grace to others and reflect the God of all Grace, by the Power of the Holy SPIRIT to you and through you to others…
“But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.“-{2 Cor 8:7 }
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and…His grace toward me did not prove vain;…”-{1 Cor 15:10}GRACE? THE ETERNAL GENEROSITY OF GOD!You are a Recipient Of The Eternal Generosity of God! The smile of God is upon you…for eternity!