Grace, grace, God’s grace.
Do you sometimes have those days when you are hard put to find a reason to get out of bed? Discouragement sets in and you just wonder why. It is times like that when you might feel angry with God, angry with yourself, your spouse and everyone else. I have had those days. I’m not proud of them, but I’ve had them. It can be hard to take a step back and assess the problem.
Addictions are one of the hardest things to deal with. They come in many sizes and shapes. Drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, even food. Some addictions can be conquered and left forever. Others, like food, have to be dealt with on a daily basis. No matter what it is, it is hard, and sometimes impossible, to conquer on your own. So how do you do it? How do you climb a mountain that is far too high? I don’t believe you can do it on your own. You need a power higher than your own.
There is a power that can overcome even the strongest addiction. The hard part is turning it over to Him who has that power. Focus on your blessings, not your problems. Focus on the grace that our holy father has covered us with, no matter where our mind is. It is through this grace that we are saved. It is through this grace that no matter how many times we fail, our father loves us and forgives us. I fail daily, and still He loves me and waits for me. Grace, grace, God’s grace.
Pray Unceasingly
In His light,
Lois
BY RICK WARREN
“God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished.”(Philippians 1:6a NLT)
The Bible tells us that God always finishes what he starts: “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished” (Philippians 1:6a NLT). It doesn’t say, “God might finish it.” It doesn’t say, “God hopes to finish it.” It says God will finish it. What does that mean?
It means if you have really given your life to Jesus Christ, if you’ve opened yourself up to God and said, “Christ, be number one in my life,” you are going to make it to Heaven. There’s no doubt about it. Case closed. Done deal. You are going to make it across the finish line, because it doesn’t depend upon your performance; it depends upon God’s sustaining grace. The only question is how you finish the race. You know as well as I do that some people finish a race poorly, while other people finish a race well.
I don’t want you to just get into Heaven. I don’t want you to just get across the finish line. I want to help you finish the race of life well. I want you to enjoy life, the abundant life, to figure out what God made you for and then do it.
How can you be sure you’re going to finish the race of life? Because of God’s sustaining grace. God doesn’t want to just save you. He wants to sustain you through life. He wants you to make it.
What is sustaining grace?
Sustaining grace is the power to keep on going when you feel like giving up. It’s the power to do the right thing when you don’t feel like doing the right thing.
There are many pitfalls in the marathon race of life. But regardless of what you go through, no matter what you face this year, you can count on God’s sustaining grace.
“My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace” (1 Peter 5:12b).