Good morning!
I know I talk about grace a lot. It’s just that we desperately need it, and thankfully, because of a loving, generous Lord, we receive it!
You know what though? We don’t just need to receive grace, we need to learn to give it too.
There is a lot going on out there these days. Everywhere we look, there is anger, distrust, sarcasm and pure evil. It’s hard not to judge but we certainly need to be discerning. I may not be able to do anything about the evil and other really bad stuff physically, but I can fervently pray.
There is also a lot of misinformation, confusion, pain and ignorance of all things Godly. So where do we start? Above all, pray. Ask for guidance from our heavenly Father who sees and knows all.
You know the saying, “What would Jesus do?” Well, what would He do? Many times, in scripture, He will ask what they want. You know He already knows, but He still asks. And then He extends a grace like no other. Can we do the same?
What we do may not compare to the acts of Jesus but it just might be the act that brings someone closer to Him. If we can extend grace in the midst of adversity and confusion, we take the focus from us and put it on them. Maybe they feel like someone cares about them and what they feel.
Be ready to answer questions and back your answers up. Carry a small New Testament with you, you never know when it might come in handy for those questions.
Be ready to listen. Sometimes, a good ear and closed mouth are priceless.
Be ready to extend grace, as you have received it. Your actions may be what keeps another from the clutches of the evil. And as always,
Pray Unceasingly!!
Lois
Grace
by Hannah Gies – Alliance Women
I struggle with legalism.
I struggle with pride.
I struggle with wanting everything to look good, whether or not it is on the inside.
But God is constantly pulling me into grace.
Merriam-Webster defines grace as unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification. It’s getting something—Someone—I don’t deserve. Grace is what picked me up from a broken, dirty state of selfishness and restored me.
I was made new in the eyes of God, even when I couldn’t quite see it myself. Grace is not given just once; it’s received daily.
Grace is the divine assistance I’m given to accomplish anything I face in this life. Grace allows me to let go of my selfishness, and to pursue His Holiness.
“Through [Jesus] we received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations” (Rom. 1:5, ESV).
“For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16, ESV).
No matter how much I strive, I didn’t earn grace and I can’t sustain it.
My mistakes aren’t surprises or forks in the road to Jesus.
Ultimately, my mistakes are reminders of how important and costly His grace really is. I am reminded of this in Galatians 3:1–6:
“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So, again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So, also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Grace is the divine power, the finished work, the substance of what we believe by faith. I need grace daily, and my God is so faithful to give it when I ask.
The longer I walk with Jesus, the more I realize how costly and miraculous His grace is.
When I’m asked to show grace to others—real, sacrificial grace—I often don’t want to. Everything in me tenses up, and I want to point to all the reasons why it doesn’t make sense.
Then I remember: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matt. 10:8b).
Jesus, you’re still making me new. What amazing grace!