Grace

"...and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace..." Romans 1:4-5a (NIV)

Have you really meditated upon the grace you received from Jesus Christ? What exactly is that grace and why is it so important?

The grace most often described by Christians is known as salvation grace, which is best defined as "unmerited favor". According to Dr. Verda Thompson, "we can see from the Word that we are drawn by the Holy Spirit to Jesus, and then we are given grace to grow and stand." The first part of that statement truly illustrates the grace Christians are familiar with and understand --for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24 (NIV) However, it is important not to miss the second part of her statement that suggests we grow and stand under that same grace.

Dr. Thompson's thoughts on this subject have been echoed by Pastor David Alsobrook of Sure Word Ministries. Alsobrook maintains that "grace is the means by which God accomplishes everything he does in our lives." So, it is here that many Christians need to revisit. Grace is not a one-time shot; it is not just defined as "unmerited favor."

You see, grace has power to effect change in a believer's life, attitude and action. It is Christ in us that enables us to realize that all things are possible. Alsobrook explains this as the operational power aspect of grace, which is defined as "the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life of the believer; a divine enabling."

When you read of grace in your quiet times this week, put grace into perspective..."Love is the motive, grace is the method; love is the why, grace is the how; and, love is the heart of God, grace is His hand."

Pastor Leo encourages us to "set our minds on spiritual things by making our new life the point of the day." Do you realize it is grace that enables you to do that?

I'll discuss this further after Sunday's sermon on -- you guessed it -- grace...

Be Blessed