Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Abounding Grace: Knowing God

But as you abound in everything—in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love to us—see that you abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7 MEV

You do well and excel in every respect—in unstoppable faith, in powerful preaching, in revelation knowledge, in your passionate devotion, and in sharing the love we have shown to you. So make sure that you also excel in grace-filled generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:7 TPT

  We've been in a study examining the great Grace of God. We are looking at how this Grace abounds in all areas of our lives. So far we've seen how this Grace abounds towards our Faith, strengthening and empowering it. We've seen how this Grace makes our speech more effectual and dynamic in blessing and loving others.

 Today, we want to see how this Grace abounds to our knowledge. That is, Grace abounding to our knowledge of God. Knowing God is something the Father longs for. God our Good Father desires for His children to know Him more and more. 

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory, both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 MEV

 God wants us to know Him. Religion and traditions of men make that rather difficult. The enemy looks for ways to prevent the people of God from becoming more intimate with their Father in Heaven. That's why this Grace abounds more and more so we can know Him.

 Just look back at Genesis. When Adam and Eve fell, they hid from God. Why? Fear, worry, shame, and condemnation from the enemy were working overtime to keep them away from God's presence. The enemy wanted them to be disconnected from God. Yet God sought them out, that's Grace!

 When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they refused to go up to the mountain. They wanted Moses to go but they were afraid to go. They drew back. They didn't press in. Why? Again, fear. Fear that they would be wiped out, killed by God's wrath. They didn't know God. 

 God wants us to know Him. Look in the Old Testament, we see the various names of God recorded. Names such as Jehovah Jireh. The Lord who sees or provides. Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner or victory, His banner over us is Love. Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals you. 

 There are many other names. Why did God do this? He wanted the people to know who He is. 

 God is a Good Father. He longs for and strongly desires for His people to know Him in all His goodness. To see Him in His great Love. To know and experience His mercy, Grace, goodness, and unconditional Love. 

 The Father wants an intimate relationship with His people. This begins by knowing who He is. It begins when we see Him in all His goodness. It begins when we know and understand how He sees us. When we know how much He loves us and how flawless He sees us in Christ, our intimacy with the Father grows, and our relationship with God grows sweeter and sweeter as the days go on.

 God wants us to know He is a Good Father. He is not the author of our tragedy. He isn't the one orchestrating our losses or hardships. He is not the designer of our detriment or any earthly disaster. Knowing God isn't the creator of our difficulty or the one ordaining death, disease, or destruction, we won't run from Him, but rather we run to Him to find refuge, help, and hope in times of trial or temptation. 

 God wants us to know He isn't holding our sins and shortcomings against us. He is the One who bore the full penalty of our sins on the Cross. When we trusted in Christ, He forgave us of all our sins. He made us perfectly Righteous, accepted, and approved of our Good Father. We can come to Him even when we fail because we know He has hope and restoration for us. We can rest in Him, knowing He has forgiven us once for all time and isn't holding anything to our account.

 God wants us to know He is our healer. He wants us to know He isn't the author of any sickness or disease. God is the One who heals you. It's His perfect will that you be healed and made whole. We can come to Him and receive without doubt or unbelief. He is Good!

 God wants us to know who He is. We get to know this Good Father by studying His Word. We study the Word in context. We study the Word by rightly dividing between the Old Covenant and the New. 

 We get to know this Good God by spending time in prayer. Think about it. God the Creator wants to spend time with you. He desires intimate fellowship with you. We can spend time with Him in prayer any time throughout the day. 

 In summation, this Grace abounds to our knowledge. Grace reveals the true nature and character of our Good Daddy God. Return to Him in intimacy. He longs to fellowship with you. Turn off the media, tune out the social media, put the electronic device down. Spend a few minutes with the Father. Your life will be incredibly blessed more and more as you do this consistently. You will find your joy increasing and worry and stress and anxiety decreasing. God is a Good God!


Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Monday, September 21, 2020

Abounding Grace: Graceful speech


 

But as you abound in everything—in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love to us—see that you abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7 MEV

You do well and excel in every respect—in unstoppable faith, in powerful preaching, in revelation knowledge, in your passionate devotion, and in sharing the love we have shown to you. So make sure that you also excel in grace-filled generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:7 TPT

 We've begun a series focusing on the Grace of God. Specifically, we're examing how this Grace is abounding towards us. How this Grace enables and empowers all aspects of Christian life. 

 So Far we've seen how this Grace produces empowerment when received. We've seen how this Grace impacts our Faith. Today, let's go further and see how Grace abounds to our words. 
 
  Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, that it may give grace to the listeners. Ephesians 4:29 MEV

 His Grace abounds to our utterance, that is our speech, our words. We should speak words that reflect what's happened inwardly. That is, His unearned, undeserved favor has overtaken and blessed us with new life. Our words and messages to others should convey the good news.

 There are three areas of our words where Grace abounding brings change for the better. Let's briefly examine them. First, we see it from Paul here in Ephesians. 

 Our words should build others up. Instead of constantly criticizing, belittling, cursing others we can build them up. We can speak words of encouragement. We can speak words of hope. We can speak words of life, not death.

 Proverbs tells us a soft answer turns away wrath. Harsh and unkind words just stir up anger. Words of Grace defuse and deescalate tension and anger. I've seen how an angry person has relaxed when soft words were spoken. This is not a weakness but a strength.

 The next two areas often work in tandem. The area of judgment and condemnation. Words should not be used to sit in judgment of others. Our words should minister Grace never condemnation.

 Speaking of utterance, some like to claim their words are inspired of God. They then begin to proclaim doom and gloom. That judgment is coming upon this city or this nation or that region. These claims dismiss the Grace of God. Jesus paid the price for all sin and the Father accepted the Finished Work. Jesus took the full judgment and bore the wrath of God. There is no judgment on nations or cities for their sin. Jesus' blood was enough.

 Words that are spoken or ministered should never be seasoned with condemnation. Condemnation doesn't produce change. Condemnation just forces people to conceal their habits, their addictions, their sins deeper, and more cleverly. Only Grace being spoken and received will produce a change of mind.

 Some ministers like to minister with a mixture of Law and Grace. With a little condemnation and then a little Grace. They enjoy the large altar calls in their gatherings. 

 Want a large altar call? Here is how to have a large altar call in two easy steps. Step one, strip away the full assurance of eternal life in your hearers. Step two, preach about how sinful your hearers are. The altar will be flooded with those awaiting to get saved over again. Repeat weekly.

 Now it will appear that your church or gathering is in revival. In reality, all you're doing is telling the children of God, those who've accepted Christ by Faith, that they really aren't God's children. All you've done is become an echo and mouthpiece of the enemy bringing accusation to God's beloved. Instead of the enemy whispering his lies in their ears, he has preachers proclaiming them loudly through a microphone. 

 God's Grace abounds to the believer. His Grace abounds to our speech and utterance. We can speak words of life. We can speak words of hope. We can speak in agreement with God and the Finished Work. We don't have to allow our words to become the echo chamber of the enemy and his lies.

 In summation, His Grace abounds to all areas of life. Our words under the influence of Grace will speak life, love, and liberty to the captive, to the downtrodden, to the lost. Our words can minister to others. Our words can pick people up when they're down. Our words of Grace can rebuke shame and guilt and fear off of God's people. The enemy likes to say shame on you, Grace speaks shame off of you. Our words influenced by Grace bless others and reminds us of who we are and whose we are.


Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay 

Thursday, September 10, 2020

Abounding Grace: Abounding in Faith

   

 









You do well and excel in every respect—in unstoppable faith, in powerful preaching, in revelation knowledge, in your passionate devotion, and in sharing the love we have shown to you. So make sure that you also excel in grace-filled generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:7 TPT

But as you abound in everything—in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love to us—see that you abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7 MEV 


  We've begun a new study looking at the abounding Grace of Almighty God. We saw that Grace is not just an entry-level truth of the Christian life. We saw that Grace is not just an excuse to never mature and never interact with other believers. God's Grace received produces empowerment and triumphant living.

 Today, let's look at how this Grace abounding toward us empowers our Faith. Let's examine how Grace makes walking by Faith fruitfully joyful and not frustrating. Grace and Faith were designed to function in unison. 

 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

 Paul by the Spirit reveals so clearly the role of Grace and Faith. It is God's Grace, His Goodness, not our doing which purchased the blessing. His Grace provided all salvation and the Finished Work procured on our behalf. Life eternal, Righteousness, forgiveness, health, prosperity, provision, deliverance, protection, and wholeness were provided by Grace, but they are received by Faith. 

 Faith reaches out and takes what Grace makes. Faith doesn't sit around waiting just hoping that the provision comes. No Faith reaches out and takes what Grace purchased and provided. Faith isn't working or striving or attempting to earn anything. Faith receives what Grace provides, not by working but by believing and speaking and receiving it. 

 Too often Faith is presented as something that we must muster up in our own power and strength. That if we just get our Faith up to a certain level we will finally achieve the blessing. We can work our way to deserving God's Goodness. This is a mistaken idea. 

 Faith is in our hearts, our spirit man, and released out of our mouth. In other words, we believe what Grace provided is in fact ours now. We speak in agreement with Grace. We say yes to Grace and lay claim to what is ours because of Grace. 

22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says. Mark 11:22-23 WEB

 Mark 11 in the WEB translation here is amazing. We must believe what we are saying is actually happening. Who makes it happen? Ourselves? 

 Is it our own goodness causing it to happen? Is it our personal holiness, that is abstinence from sin? Is it our ability to be nice and polite to people, to show love? Is it our ability to give and keep giving? Is it our church attendance? How many messages we listen to? 

 Certainly, it is good and right to walk out this holiness, to abstain from sin. It is good and right to walk in love and be the light and be kind to people. It is good and right to be a generous giver, to support the kingdom financially. It is good and right to go to church regularly and to feed on the Word taught. Yet these things aren't the source of the blessing and benefit and Goodness of God on our behalf.

 We believe what we are saying is happening because Grace made it. Grace has provided all things that pertain to life and godliness. We see what the Finished Work accomplished and we agree with that readily.

 So often we make the assumption that Grace only means Christ died for our sins and gives us the New Birth, eternal life. That Grace is only about forgiving our sins. That Grace is only about giving us new life when we were undeserving. Of course, Grace did that but there is so much more. His Grace provided for total redemption.

 Total redemption is ours through Grace. By Grace we who believe are a New Creation in Christ, forever forgiven and made the Righteousness of God in Him. Grace doesn't just save us, Grace also heals us, prospers us, protects us, and delivers us. This Grace makes us whole, spirit, soul and body. Total redemption through Grace and received by Faith.

 In summation, this Grace is abounding to us. This abounding Grace empowers our Faith. We can trust Christ to provide for all our needs because of His Goodness not our own. Victory is ours by Grace through Faith.


Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Abounding Grace

 


 But as you abound in everything—in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love to us—see that you abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7 MEV

You do well and excel in every respect—in unstoppable faith, in powerful preaching, in revelation knowledge, in your passionate devotion, and in sharing the love we have shown to you. So make sure that you also excel in grace-filled generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:7 TPT


 We who believed have received such abounding Grace. We who received this wonderful free gift of eternal life have experienced His over the top Grace. For those who have yet to receive,  God's Grace is abounding toward them searching for them, inviting them, finding ways to show them God's goodness and love.

 Grace is abounding on the Earth. Grace is constantly revealing itself. God and His Love is pouring out to the multitudes. Many churches and ministries are proclaiming God's Love and goodness and Grace more and more for all to hear. This is a move, this is God reaping the harvest of souls and lives.

 This is good news. Grace is being made known. We who have received Jesus, His free gift of eternal life, we who put our trust in Him, have experienced Grace. It compels us to share it with others. We receive Grace upon Grace and we want others to partake.

 That said what about after we've received this abounding Grace? Is that the end? We receive His Grace, we are then made a new creation, made eternally secure, made perfectly righteous, completely forgiven, and approved of God. Is this it? Is this all Grace does for us? 

 Sometimes it seems that is it. That is we get saved and afterward, it's all up to us to grow up. We are now to rely on our own efforts and doings to grow up. Grace is just the beginning, from here out its work and work and more work. 

Still, to others, it seems that Grace means we receive new life and that's it. There is no maturity. There is no renewing the mind. No growth. Just do whatever you will. Read the Bible? Give? Be a part of a local church? Build relationships? What? I have received Grace, that's all there is. 

 Both ideas are wrong. It's not Grace is the beginning and the rest is performance and hard work. It's not I received Grace, now it's just me and Jesus, I don't need to grow up. Grace is the beginning, the middle, and the end. That is the whole Christian life is about Grace.

 What the Lord is sharing is that Grace is received and afterward it continues working in you and through you. It matures you. It strengthens you. It increases you, the real you, the new creation you, the Righteous you, the forgiven you, the secure you. 

What is Grace? Grace is the unearned undeserved unmerited favor of Almighty God. You can't earn or achieve anything with God. You can't work enough for God to merit anything. When this Grace is received though, it produces an empowerment. Grace empowers you to serve others, to be generous, to believe God, to speak His words and truth. It transforms your desires into passionate devotion. It's His doing not your own that causes this to come to pass. It's abounding Grace.

 In the next few posts, we are going to be looking at how this Grace empowers our Faith. How it empowers our knowledge of Him, our words, and love to others. How it empowers passionate devotion in our lives and motivates us to be a generous blessing to the kingdom of God.

 In summation, Grace is abounding on Earth. Grace is being made known more and more. God is looking for His people to grow up in Grace. To receive it and allow it to empower all areas of our life. Receive His abounding Grace, your life will never be the same.


Image by Treharris from Pixabay