All the gracious offers of the gospel, and the joyful tidings it contains, come from the rich grace of God; it is the great means by which the Spriit works grace in the should of men. The mystery, is that secret, hidden purpose of salvation through Christ.
Grace...God's grace is freely given to all who will receive it. It is only through His grace that one can receive salvation. No one deserves grace but God still lavishly pours it down upon all who will accept it. The Holy Spirit empowers those who accept His grace to do what God so desires of them. Paul wrote these encouraging words in Hebrews 13:21, "May He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen" (NLT). These words encourage me to keep on keepin' on even when I feel like I am physically or emotionally drained. I do not have to do anything on my own strength but instead need to remember that His strength is perfect. I also do not have to think about my past and question why He would love me because He has reassured me the past is just that. I like that saying that talks about people in the Bible and what they did yet were called by God...
When you think of what Paul did in killing Christians before his conversion, you realize God can wipe away your past and use you to further His Kingdom. There is a secret though to the process. You have to repent of your sins and accept His salvation. After salvation is accepted then you must live by faith and trust Him. When one completing trusts Him, there may be questions asked before walking in obedience but the final outcome is doing what He desires. When you think of the story of creation, God made everything from nothing. All things created were new. The same is said for a person who repents and accepts salvation. They are made new through the grace of God. Newness in our spirits is what God desires. As we repent daily and ask Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit, we our made new. We have a fresh start every time we go through this process. Having a fresh start each day is a gift from God given to us through the vehicle of His grace. This morning I am praying for three groups of people:
- those who need to accept the gift of salvation for the first time
- those who have strayed out of relationship with God and need to repent and return into His arms of grace
- those who who have accepted salvation but need to trust Him more and live on the path of obedience
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for Paul's writing that encourages me so much. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. Mold me and make me into what You so desire. As I live in Your vehicle of grace I pray You will use me to further Your Kingdom. Empower me to love with Your love. Empower me to speak Your words. May You be my attitude, actions, and words in a new way today. Thank You Jesus for being My Grace. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment