Grace Growth

Sunday’s Monday

God has especially delighted me this week in several ways, first through Meals on Wheels allowing me to visit with some senior adults accompanied by my two almost teenage granddaughters. “What a joy!” Secondly in giving me the desire, the health and the means to attend our Brother Night Leadership meeting (always a good thing). I do enjoy seeing my brothers in Christ. Thirdly, for divine appointments and opportunities of the week, in meeting new people and experiencing new situations.

I’m amaze at myself in times of God’s reviewing of my life, which is not usually a good thing, as it reveals my lack of and in Him. This week I was rudely awaken to how much I take God’s grace for granted. My heart knows that I have received all the grace that I will ever need once I believed and surrendered my life to Jesus. However, my mind hasn’t received the total revelation of what grace “actually” is. I heard grace described this week by Pastor Michael Todd as; unmerited, unearned, undeserved, kindness and favor of God! To me this takes away, without question, the thought that I have anything to do with God’s grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT), 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. I receive because He Loves me! God being the God that He is, knew from the beginning what He was creating and how each of us would be. Therefore He (God) built in a reset to help as we grow in getting to know more of Him. 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT), By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. My problem, which gets pointed out by the Holy Spirit more than I would like is, I have everything that I need to live a Godly life and yet lack the understanding of how to use it “properly.” Understanding grace and what it is, is just the beginning and brings me to the first level or the ground floor of God’s grace. Should I stop and remain on this first level, I will never find the fulness of God or the power of grace. To further explain what this means to us, I’ll direct you to, Titus 2:12 (NLT), And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. Growing in the knowing of God! In my case, I am growing in my knowing of Him and I pray my growing in Him continues through eternity as God is faithfully granting me grace, in my times of lack. As a matter of fact, God is so faithful, that there are times which I’ve come to expect it rather than respect it and that is just wrong! Once the Holy Spirit corrects, chastises and or shames me for my arrogance, I immediately recite and stand on John 3:16-17 (NLT), 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. I am not in charge, I don’t wish to be in charge and I will never forget the mess that I was in while trying to be in charge. My life and everything in it was up side down as well I became the most miserable person on this earth over time. Where as for today I’m living out of John 1:16 (NLT), From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. I am clearly able to see God’s grace at work in my life as He is has granted me the greatest opportunity ever! Ephesians 2:5 (NLT), that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) One cannot be or have deeds which are to bad for God’s grace to be void. God loves every person that He creates and desires them to be joy filled, prosperous and in love with Him. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT), Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

COMMENTS WELCOME…pal249@hotmail.com…07/01/2018