MORE ABOUT GRACE (or What I've Learned About Grace)

God gives grace freely according to His own nature. Therefore we cannot cause it to be given in any way.

Grace is hated by the proud, natural mind of man because he doesn’t want to admit that he doesn’t deserve it.

But instead the believer will rejoice because we know that in our flesh there is no good, and we find that God blesses us anyway. 

So, since there is no reason why grace should be given, we must quit trying to cause God to give it to us. We have been accepted by Christ. We are not on probation. God knows already our needs, and grace is given independent of them – not dependent on them.

What should our attitude be under grace?

. To believe and consent to the fact that we are loved while unworthy

. Not to make resolutions for that is to trust in flesh

. To realize more and more how unworthy we are, and yet to believe and expect to be blessed

. To be thankful for and testify of the goodness of God at all times

. To decide that God’s chastening is a mark of His kindness.

Remember to “hope to be better” is not to see yourself in Christ only. To be disappointed with yourself is to have believed in yourself. (This is something I’m having to work on.) Don’t be discouraged for that is unbelief in God’s purpose and plan for your life. The lack, therefore, of blessings in our lives comes from unbelief –  not from our failure in our devotion to God. To believe that devotion comes first and blessings second is backwards and looks to Law not grace. The Law made our blessings depend on our devotion; grace gives us undeserved, unconditional blessings. Our devotion should follow, but it doesn’t always and probably never in a worthy amount. Knowing we, ourselves, don’t deserve the blessings we receive should make us less critical of others.

 So again I say, let’s be grace-conscious people, not sin-conscious, knowing we are loved

by a God who is LOVE. It is a lesson that the more I live by the happier I am, but it isn’t always easy!!!

Terry