Thursday, 29 September 2016

GRACE, NOT DISGRACE - Open Heavens 2016 - September 30, 2016


Read:
Psalms 23:1-6

Bible in one year:
Ezekiel 23-24
Psalms 71:1-13

Hymn:
Sing hymn 11

Grace is the favour of God to human beings. It is the demonstration of God’s goodwill towards humankind in the person of Jesus Christ, and the effects of that goodwill in human lives. The word is rarely found in the Old Testament but employed frequently in the New Testament, leading some to declare the New Testament period as the dispensation of grace. The Christian life is completely dependent upon the grace of God. God’s grace compensates for human weaknesses in that God shows Himself gracious in His dealings with human beings. John 1:16-17 says:
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
God’s grace is abundant (Romans 5:17). This grace is not only abundant but can be exceeding in one’s life (2 Corinthians 9:14). Grace is one way God makes up for our shortcomings. Grace covers our human frailties. Through grace, God uses our very limited strength and resources to do the impossible. This He does by adding His own strength and resources to ours. With grace, your lack, limitations, and defects are fully covered. When you have exceeding grace, it means God’s provision far exceeds your need. Grace is in action at those times that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray in accordance with God’s will when we do not know how to pray (Romans 8:26-27). When you have prayed, fasted and tried without measuring up to standard, then it is time to fall back on His grace. Grace can be accessed at varying measures. To some people, grace may be unavailable, to some, only a little, while some will have it in abundance, and for some others, grace will outnumber their needs. What level of grace do you have access to? If you want to access extreme levels of grace, do not frustrate God’s grace that is currently available upon you, do not waste it and do not become a storage tower of grace, but rather, be a channel of grace. Always use grace for the purpose it is given to you. Be gracious to others. Be generous. Live a holy life. 2 Corinthians 6:1 says:
We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
God does not wish that we receive His grace in vain; He wants us to be progressive by growing in grace. God wants us to share His grace with others for them to taste and see that the Lord is good. May His glory fill the earth, that His Name may be praised forever more.

Memorise:
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence:  and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Romans 9:33

Prayer Point:
Father, let Your grace be sufficient for me. Please Lord; make me a distributor of Your grace.

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