“For the Grace of God has appeared Teaching us to Deny ungodliness, worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and Godly in this present age…” – {Titus 2:12}
Greetings dear brethren,
Hope this finds you well and maturing in the Lord. I have been sick for a couple of months now … and at times have been weak and not able to do a whole lot, each day brings a new challenge. I awoke one morning after another night of little sleep and pain and as I lay in bed I began to think of God’s Grace.
“Consider the Father’s GRACE through the Lord Jesus.
This is a magnificent Greek word used 155 times in the New Testament.
The word in the Greek is “charis” and it basically means a favor bestowed, it means a generous gift given. That is its sort of normal common meaning. But in the sense of the New Testament in its redemptive sense, it means a favor bestowed and a generous given…a generous gift given by God to people who are totally undeserving and unworthy. It is God’s favor, God’s goodness, God’s generosity to provide for those who are unworthy of that provision. It starts at salvation and it goes right on forever because it tells us in Ephesians that through the ages to come God will show the riches of His kindness in His grace toward us… Then grace reaches a completely and wonderful proportion when it saves us and we go from common grace to the uncommon grace of salvation and we are given salvation, forgiveness of all of our sins, all the blessings that are God’s and the heavens are then bestowed upon us and held for our disposal “In Christ.” That goes on through sanctification {being changed} and on through glorification. God is generous to undeserving sinners. He is generous to those who are in Christ from the time of their salvation forever and forever. ” Note, whose Grace it is. It is GOD’S GRACE!
I hope you will be encouraged by these thoughts as I was…LET’S CONSIDER…
GOD’S GRACE
1. His Grace SAVES us –
– Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by Grace are you Saved…”
2. His Grace STRENGTHENS us –
– 2 Timothy 2:1 “Be Strong in the Grace of the Lord…”
3. His Grace SUSTAINS us –
– 2 Cor 12:9 – “MY Grace IS Sufficient…” note “IS”- It is Present tense Grace for a Present tense moment. It is Moment by Moment Grace
4. His Grace SANCTIFIES us – {Changes Us}
– Titus 2:,12- “For the Grace of God has appeared Teaching us to Deny ungodliness, worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and Godly in this present age…”
5. His Grace Equips For SERVICE .– 1 Cor 15:10 ” 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.” -{NASB}…. ” But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out His special favor on me–and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace.”-{NLT}
GOD’S GRACE IS…
1. An ABOUNDING Grace–
A. Rom 5:15 – “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
B. Rom 5:17 – “… MUCH MORE those who receive the ABUNDANCE of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”
C. Rom 5:20 – “…where sin increased, Grace ABOUNDED all the More.”
2. God’s Grace is ACCESSIBLE
Heb 4:16 – “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the THRONE OF GRACE, so that we MAY RECEIVE mercy and FIND help in time of need.”
3. GOD’S GRACE IS AVAILABLE;
James 4:6 – “…He Gives Greater Grace...God is opposed to the proud, but Gives Grace to the HUMBLE.”
GOD’S GRACE is NOT…Some entity or commodity that is divorced from Him. Indeed it is Himself the
Gracious One who is in action, “He is the GOD OF ALL GRACE“- 1 Pet 5:10 and…
“Grace and peace come from the Father and the Lord Jesus.“- {Eph 1:2}. God the Father Through the Son is the Author, Origin and Means of how Grace comes, “…For the Law was given through Moses; GRACE and truth were REALIZED THROUGH through Jesus Christ. “–{John 1;17}
APPLICATION TO YOU AT THIS MOMENT;
So what is it you need? Saving, Strengthening, Sustaining, Sanctifying Grace?
Come to Him and avail yourself before the THRONE of Grace in your time of need and you will find an ABUNDANCE of Grace, mercy and help in your time of need…{Heb 4:15-16}. His Grace is Available to those who HUMBLE themselves before Him and ask…OF GOD- {1 Peter 5:5}.
“He is the GOD OF ALL GRACE”– {1 Pet 5:10}
We appreciate if you would keep us in your prayers during some very testing
times as together we can rejoice in His Amazing Grace