Birth. Celebration. Achievement. Health.
Renewal. Revival.
Transformation. Reconciliation.
In the fullness of life and during the catalyst of change-I
stand in Grace!
Abundance. Blessings. Contentment. Success.
Loss. Heartbreak. Sorrow.
Destruction.
In my good fortunes and in my defeat- I stand in Grace.
Encouragement. Kindness. Understanding. Love.
Anger. Fear. Bad choices.
Failure.
In the reverence of compassion and in the agony of distress-I
stand in Grace!
Uncertainty.
Turmoil. Embarrassment. Shame.
Confidence.
Boldness. Strength. Respect.
In the silence of awkwardness and in the intensity of
aptitude - I stand in Grace.
Mercy.
Forgiveness. Peace. Pure joy.
Pain. Bitterness. Grief.
Despair.
As the recipient of all good and in with the deception of lost hope-I
stand in Grace!
Human. Mortal. Weak.
Selfish.
Bewildered.
Betrayed. Doomed. Dying.
In the calamity of my humanity and at the end of all things-
I stand in THE GRACE of God!
I stand in THE GRACE of God!
Grace is a gift beyond
measure because it is undeserved. Grace
is incomparable to anything else and is kindness in its purest form! In this tumultuous
world we live in is the kindness of grace all that important? For Christians, grace is a subtle precursor
to our salvation and perhaps something we need to look into a bit more!
Christians and
non-Christians alike know that this earthly life is cursed and death is the
price to leave this doomed land. This stunning truth puts a spotlight on a philosophical
scripture that states the blaringly obvious:
"... for we brought nothing into this
world and we can take nothing out of it”.
1 Timothy 6:7
Nothing in this
world is gain; however, our belief system about what happens to our life after
death changes things. This is where
grace comes into play. Age-old manuscripts point the way to an
ancient God who professes to be our creator and, by grace alone, our savior. With scripture as a
reference we discover that grace is the gateway to Christianity’s entire spiritual
belief system! It also says that there is nothing that we can do to deserve grace-it is given freely to the underserving. In the Book of Ephesians there is a passage of scripture that
talks about the grace of God that saves us from death. With death as our catalyst let’s peer into
ancient scripture that explains our plight so that we can acknowledge why our
need to be “saved” is relevant:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world
and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings
of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
But because of his great love for us,
God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ
even when we were dead in transgressions—
it is by grace you have been saved.”
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world
and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,
the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings
of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
But because of his great love for us,
God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ
even when we were dead in transgressions—
it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2: 1-5
In the following two verses we find the explanation of grace
and kindness…and the point that I am trying to make:
“And God raised us up
with Christ
and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
in order that in the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us
in Christ Jesus. “
Ephesians 2: 6-7
and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
in order that in the coming ages he might show the
incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us
in Christ Jesus. “
Ephesians 2: 6-7
The phrase “incomparable
riches of his grace expressed in his kindness to us” is the essence of this
writing. It reminds us that God’s grace is expressed or given to us through an
abundance of kindness. Isn’t it
interesting that human nature can so easily express itself, abundantly, using
the complete opposite attributes of kindness. (Think anger, jealousy, impatience, envy, or
simple selfishness.) Kindness, indeed,
has a nemesis.
Does the Christian belief system and what happens to us
after death come down to an underserved abundance of kindness and grace-which
is actually a free gift from God that includes eternal salvation?
Evidently so!
“For it is by grace you are saved, through faith—
and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—
not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2: 8-9
____________________________________________________________
"But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
and we can take nothing out of it."
1 Timothy 6:6-7
and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—
not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2: 8-9
____________________________________________________________
"But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
and we can take nothing out of it."
1 Timothy 6:6-7
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