God’s Gift, Inexpressible

Have you ever been at a loss for words due to experiencing some sort of event in your life? I know that I have and one of those captures my attention every day, the gift of grace from the LORD. I have been blessed to experience the grace of God on a regular basis and there is no real reason for it. I am not a captain of industry or an overtly recognizable public figure. I am a child of God struggling daily to get along in this world and yet, He gives me grace at every turn.

“¹⁵Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” — 2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)

If God’s grace is inexpressible, then how is it that I am to let others know of the grace that I am afforded by God. Well, that is in my actions of bringing glory to Him through generosity and love provided for others. I do not need to make it known to all through my words, I can and should rely on my actions to demonstrate the grace provided of God.

“¹⁰He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. ¹²For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.” — 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 (ESV)

My role in all is to provide for the needs of others. Whether that is monetarily or in actions. Just the other day, Lori and I were out to dinner and as we were headed to the car, we noticed an older couple struggling to get to the car. We had a choice, get our vehicle and head home or lend a hand and demonstrate the grace God provides for us. Of course, we assisted them in getting to the car and what a witness it was. We did not ask for anything in return, and yet we were blessed beyond belief in knowing that we enriched someone thanks to the grace of God and His gift to us.

“¹³By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, ¹⁴while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.” — 2 Corinthians 9:13-14 (ESV)

It is my role to contribute to others with a generous heart that is filled with the grace of God. He gives freely to me and I am tasked with doing the same with those around me. I don’t do it for the recognition and frankly, as Paul notes, the gift of God’s grace is “inexpressible”. Yet I can demonstrate His grace in my life by giving grace to others freely and generously.

What is your thought on the gift of grace from God? Are you working daily to find the way to express your receipt of that grace? What if you recognized that you are unable to sufficiently express that gift and instead, demonstrated the gift of God through your generous actions and giving to others?

Works Now, Grace Before I Began

This morning I am looking at another realization as I study “works”. Grace was granted by God well before I began. Yes, I know, I have looked at that grace comes before works as I am not able to “earn” my way to salvation from works, the works are a demonstration of my salvation given by God through grace and my faith in Him. But His grace predates my existence here in this world.

“⁸Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ⁹who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” — 2 Timothy 1:8-9 (ESV)

Paul has written to Timothy 2000 years ago and he indicates that God provided grace “before the ages began”. I came along in the now, relatively, and that puts me even further out from when grace was given. Therefore grace did come well before I began and my works are only a result of that grace.

The thing that I have learned, or was reminded and realized is that God’s grace was eternal and will be eternal. He gave it long ago for those who would receive and will continue to give to those who did receive and have yet to receive. It is faith in His grace where I have to remember to reside and do the works to demonstrate that faith in His grace.

Now that I have learned or reminded and realized of God’s grace well before I began, it is important that I remember it as I progress forward in this world and lean on His grace for all of my actions and works. I have to guard against being influenced by the world and falling into the trap of trying to “earn” my way. I have to trust Him and follow His direction.

“¹³Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” — 2 Timothy 1:13-14 (ESV)

Where are you leaning as you move forward? Are you leaning on the now with the works that you are doing and trying to earn your way? What if you realized that you have already received the grace that was given you even “before the ages began”?

We are Still Here

The world is in full disarray at the moment. There is continued trouble in the middle east and frankly even in the United States there is a lot of trouble and division where it seems as though the evil one is winning. Social aspects of world are winning out over Christian aspects and there is to the eye, the attempt to make Christians out to be the perpetrators of this discord.

“⁴But what is God’s reply to him? ‘I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ ⁵So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.” — Romans 11:4-5 (ESV)

No matter how bad it seems to be getting or actually is in this world, we are still here. There are still warriors in this world for Christ. There are those of us still fighting. The evil one will not win. I have to remember that the ending has already been written and not matter the current situation, God will prevail. I have to know that where it seems as though all may be lost, there are still those who stand up and fight.

God promised the Israelite’s they would inherit the land, although He did not tell them when. They waited and fought and waited some more, until it was time. I know that I am in the same position here in the world today. I am waiting and fighting and waiting some more, until it is time. I may, as with the Israelite people, not get to experience the promised land in this world, but I will certainly be there for the already written ending to the suffering that is in this world. I will have my chance to be called on as one of the “seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal”. I will fight in the final battle. I am still here.

I am here thanks to the grace of God and not the works that I may have performed to this point. I am doing my part thanks to the grace of God. I am here fighting the fight before me each day. It may seem to me that I am having little to no impact, and that is only due to the sheer size of the war being waged. I am here doing my part in my little corner of the battlefield. When the time is right, God will call me from the corner and into the middle of it all. Until that time, I must continue to fight the battle before me and know that I am still here, ready when called.

What is your status in the war? Are you down and out waiting for someone or some kind of rescue? What if as a follower of Christ, you were to accept that you are still here fighting the battle before you waiting to be called up to the greater war?

Not Works, Mercy

“¹⁵For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ ¹⁶So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” — Romans 9:15-16 (ESV)

God provided salvation out of mercy for me, not due to my works. First, I was saved young in life and at that point, was not out looking for salvation through my works. I was simply living life and was offered salvation and I accepted. So I did not really have the chance to accomplish a lot in the way of works to “earn” salvation. Second, as a sinner, I will never be able to “earn” salvation. I was, am, and always will be a sinner and that makes me not worthy of God’s grace, yet he gives me grace thanks to His mercy for me.

Lately I have been struggling with things not seeming to ever go right. I feel as though I am ignored and no matter the work that I perform, I am not even acknowledged for my existence. Oh, there is the cursory, “thank you” that comes out of politeness, yet there is no recognition that I have actually done something that others did not. In fact, there are those who are fully recognized and celebrated for simply doing what is expected of them and therefore I have gotten to the point of “why keep doing it”.

As I look into it all and work to understand, I have come to the conclusion that due to my continued doing more than what is expected, I have simply raised the bar for what is expected of me. My doing of the work, no matter how much I excel and take things to the next level, it is simply now the new expectation, FOR ME. And if I happen to miss one of those things that are clearly out of my scope, because I had been doing them before, I have somehow failed in the expectation.

“¹⁰And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, ¹¹though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls” – Romans 9:10-11 (ESV)

I know, this is a lot to read into, but let me wrap up my thoughts. I have to be comfortable knowing that I have done the work. I have to also know that no matter the work, God loves me and provides grace for me. He does not look at my works as the payment for my salvation. He looks at my works as the result of my salvation. I have to do the same. Others not recognizing my worth I have to put behind me. I have to remember that they are not the one I am glorifying, it is God, and He has called me, and provided me salvation and grace through His mercy.

What are you trying to “earn” through your works? Are you looking to your works as somehow the definer of your worth? What if you accepted that God does not look at your works as the payment for your salvation, but rather the result thanks to His mercy?

Received Mercy, Now Be The Example

This morning I was brought back to 1 Peter chapter 2 and the first passage where I have studied a number of times. I have notes in my bible attached to all verses with the exception of the verse on the receipt of mercy where my study is as of this morning. God is certainly great in all that He does and directing me in His Word is no exception.

“¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” — 1 Peter 2:10 (ESV)

I know that I have been studying “mercy” for a few weeks now, it never gets old to read that God has given me mercy and putting to the fact that I do not deserve it. I was, am, and always will be a sinner. How can God love someone who does not reform from the one thing that separates me from Him? It is through His mercy and grace alone that it is possible.

To go along with the verse above declaring once again the mercy given by God, there are the verses that surround it declaring how we got here and what is expected of us going forward.

“⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light…¹¹Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹²Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” — 1 Peter 2:9 & 11-12 (ESV)

I am to be seen in the light of the example of the mercy that I have received. I am to turn from the flesh and turn to God and all that He has for me. I am to be above reproach so that when others see me they see something/someone different. Through my actions alone I am to bring the gospel to those around me. As noted in verse 12, the only thing that should be said against me is that I have done good. And if that is all anyone has to say, I will certainly take it.

I have been given mercy and Peter points out that I have to act like it. I have to take that mercy to heart and go forward as the example of what right looks like in the eyes of the LORD.

What actions are you displaying to those around you? Are you somehow ignoring the mercy and grace you have been given? What if you were to have received the mercy from the LORD and now serve as the example of Him in all that you do?

Saved by Grace Thanks to God’s Mercy

Each morning I approach God’s Word with an open mind and heart for Him to lead me in what it is He would have me. I only have a plan on where I will start and that is I continue with a word study from the concordance of my ESV Bible. Right now I am studying the word “mercy” and go one or two verses at a time in the day. The only expectation I have is that I will be impacted in some way by the word as used and meant in the verse, or from the passage as a whole. I do not force the study on a particular topic. This morning is no different as move to Ephesians and Paul’s passage titled “By Grace Through Faith”.

“⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,” — Ephesians 2:4 (ESV)

Above is the verse that started my study this morning. Simple enough. God is rich in mercy and love for us. But when I look only at the verse, I am still confused and need more. So, I read on, starting at the beginning of the passage and find why Paul installs this verse into his letter.

“¹And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” — Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)

Paul writes of the mercy and love of God to let know that we are in need of it. The Ephesians and we were enslaved by the evil one. We were following the destructive path. “But God” provided the way out through His mercy and love.

“⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:5-7 (ESV)

When I read past verse four I find that there is so much more thanks to God’s mercy. I have been not only given mercy and love, but I have also been given grace and salvation and the eternal reward of heavenly citizenship.

Putting it all together gives me the context of just what has been done for me and what my reward is. I was dead in sin, “But God” had mercy on me and loved me, regardless of my past. Thanks to that mercy, God offered me salvation through His grace free of charge and all I have to do is continue to have faith in Him.

I am truly blessed to have Christ with whom I can trust. He provides for me thanks to His immeasurable mercy, love, and grace. Thank you LORD!

What are you looking at to be saved? Are you working to somehow earn salvation? What if you just accepted that God’s mercy, love, and grace are enough and all you have to do is put your faith in Him?

Paul and Me, Sinners Saved by Grace

God sent His son Christ Jesus to save sinners. He came for me and the worst of us. Paul was one of the worst.

“¹⁵The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” — 1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

I am a sinner yes, and all of my sins are egregious as all sin is. Whether little white lies or those that are in direct disobedience to the ten commandments, all sin is terrible in the eyes of God. At this moment, I want to talk about in the eyes of man. Make no mistake, I am not condoning any sin and know that God looks at things much differently than man.

Paul (at the time known as Saul) was one of the worst sinners in this world. He was a direct persecutor of those who followed and believed in Jesus as the Messiah. He tracked them down and stoned or killed them just for what they believed. In the eyes of man, Paul was an awful person.

“¹²I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹³though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” — 1 Timothy 1:12-14 (ESV)

Jesus came for Paul and in His great wisdom and plan, provided the grace needed for Paul to turn to Him and become one of the greatest advocates and apostles to the gospel. Paul was seen as a sinner by God, no different than me. I have every opportunity to do the same or at least to the work that God has for me and in the eyes of man, am not as awful as Paul, so I should have even more opportunity.

Now I want to shift back to the grace of God and share my thoughts on His perspective. Paul and I are the same. We are both sinners who need the grace God has to provide. We both are not deserving, yet God provides for us despite our sin. Whether persecuting followers of Christ or lying to a neighbor, both of us find ourselves in the same room as sinners in need of grace.

God looks at the man (or woman) not the sin. He has to or else He would not be able to look at any of us. He takes us for who we are warts and all. He love us and came to save us despite what we have done and/or will do. Paul and I, where in the eyes of man are vastly different, in the eyes of God, we are the same. And that is what and where it counts. God loves me and came for me, the sinner.

What is your belief in the grace that is provided by God? Is one deserving of grace more than another based on the sins committed? What if you were to recognize that we are all the same in the eyes of God, sinners, and we all receive grace despite the sin we have or will commit, and we only need to accept?