The message of grace is still relevant to us today. It is so easy to move from living by grace and faith to live under the law and condemnation. Many a times we rely a lot on our natural abilities to try to please God. Do you know what happens? We praise ourselves and condemn others who fail if it looks like we are succeeding or we simply default to condemnation mode if we fail. I realized that many people might be struggling to obey God in daily issues of life and some might be saying I tried this that and the other but it does not look like it is working.
Don’t despair as the Bible has answers for you. I am going to say something that can come as a shock to some of us. You don’t have to leave your sins in order for you to come to God. No, you come to Him just as you are, for it is Him who cleanses us from all sins.
God’s work in us is God’s grace in us. As I was reading the scriptures the Lord revealed to me that there is grace for everything.
Acts 4:33 And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.
Act 6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing and favor) and power (strength and ability) worked great wonders and signs (miracles) among the people.
Act 11:23 When he arrived and saw what grace (favor) God was bestowing upon them, he was full of joy; and he continuously exhorted (warned, urged, and encouraged) them all to cleave unto and remain faithful to and devoted to the Lord with [resolute and steady] purpose of heart.
Rom 1:5 It is through Him that we have received grace (God’s unmerited favor) and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name’s sake among all the nations,
1Co 15:10 But by the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not [found to be] for nothing (fruitless and without effect). In fact, I worked harder than all of them [the apostles], though it was not really I, but the grace (the unmerited favor and blessing) of God which was with me.
Do you know that there is grace for finances too? Read this
2Co 8:9 For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).
2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].
It also teaches us to say No to sin.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. Tit 2:12 It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world.
Godfrey