God's Grace Is Empowerment

2 Cor 12:9 NKJV

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The grace we receive upon accepting Jesus is not only for our salvation and forgiveness of sins. It is our power source. It will shine through our weaknesses to show the world who Jesus really is. It will allow us to do what the world thinks impossible. We can do greater things than Jesus did if we let this power flow through us.

2 Peter 3:18 NKJV

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Our level of empowering grace is only as large as we believe it to be. If we keep working to know Jesus better, we will allow more of God’s ability to flow through us and into the world. It will allow us to do miracles, overcome obstacles, and live a truly free life that can only be attributed to God. We must let it grow in us and flow into the world for all to see. Without it the church looks weak or worse, it will compromise to make itself fit in the world.

Acts 4:33 NKJV

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

The first century church did so well because it understood that God’s grace empowered them to do the will of God in all things. They did great miracles, inspired great faith, and brought many into reconciliation with God. They discipled the followers so they could grow in the truth. This understanding flowed through the world like a wild fire changing many people and places. It is still happening where grace is allowed to have its power.

John 1:17 NKJV

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

We received this grace and truth through Jesus. Without the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we would not have this great power to work with God and become part of His family again as we always were meant to be. Anyone that truly repents of how they lived and shows love to Jesus by obeying His commandments will receive this power through grace. It is a gift that we cannot earn. It is the gift that keeps us glued to Jesus and thus able to perform great things in His name. On our own we would fall far short of the mark and make the world wonder why anyone bothers with Christianity.

Let the world see the power of God if you are a Christian. Let Him teach you the truth so that you may walk freely in His grace. Don’t think you can’t do it until you are strong enough or perfect enough. Latch onto the gift of grace and let it empower you to do what God is asking. He is not expecting us to do this alone. Even if you only see small results now, keep working to learn more and let it build your faith. After all, we can grow into this if we let Him lead us.

Ask God for help in letting His grace empower you for whatever thing He has asked you to do, great or small. The world will know those that truly walk with Jesus even if we feel like we are stumbling in our attempts. If your heart is in the right place, you will see miracles and inspire others to want to know Jesus, too. You will have the power to stand firm as the world disagrees because you know God’s grace empowers you.

Repent!

Matthew 3:1-2 NKJV

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!

Matthew 4:17 NKJV

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 

Once John the Baptist was in prison and was no longer the one that came before talking of repentance, Jesus started telling people to repent. It must come first and foremost. If you don’t realize you have sinned against God and what that means, you have no way of truly turning from your ways to God’s ways.  

If a Christian is trying to say you only need to say a little prayer and you are good with God, be wary. You need to confess your sins and truly want to learn His ways in order for His grace to empower you to do so. It has to be a two way relationship between you and Jesus for this to happen.

Matthew 11:20 NLT

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities where he had done most of his miracles, because they hadn't turned from their sins and turned to God.

These unrepentant cities were in trouble. Bad things would come if they did not do a true turning from their ways to God’s way. There is no reconciliation with God without first repenting. You can tell the truly repentant because they will change their lifestyle with some things evident immediately. I know when I figured this out I changed a lot of things in the first few months as I learned with some good discipleship. I keep finding things to work on, but I equate this to peeling an onion one layer at a time. You get rid of the obvious and once that is gone new things are revealed to learn and work on. It’s a journey worth taking as you get closer to God with each step that strips your old self away. In the end we are to be like Jesus.

If we are accepting of Jesus, God already sees us as He sees Jesus. Do not let that turn into an excuse to keep some of your sins. Repent immediately to God when you realize you are not walking correctly with Him. This is how we show our love to Him, by obeying and admitting when we didn’t. This will show the world the truth. Staying unrepentant will show them a lie if you keep confessing to follow Christ. So be ready for someone to point out a flaw. We all have them. Take it as a loving warning from God no matter whom or what makes you realize it.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NLT

We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. 5 With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ.

We are to teach the world how to repent and be reconciled with God by using His tools, not our own. We use His Word, counsel and wisdom to fight against the ideas of the world. It is not a carnal fight, but a spiritual one.

If you are a Christian who hasn’t fully repented, do so now! If you are a Christian not teaching the need for repentance to others, start doing so now! Anyone not professing to be a Christian, I pray that God will send you the person that shows you how to properly repent and become a child of God. I encourage all to repent because God loves us all and is thankfully giving us more time on earth to realize it. Don’t let your time run out.

Are You In Right Standing With God?

Romans 6:16 NLT

Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.

Our conscience will tell us right and wrong. We can ignore the warnings or heed them. Even those that have not known God or His Word have some idea of right and wrong. However, the more we decide to do the things we should not, the less likely any warning will stir us back to the correct path. We are warned that our hearts can be hardened and we can be left to our own devices.

Ephesians 5:5-7 NLT

You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world. 6 Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him. 7 Don't participate in the things these people do.

What we desire can become an idol for us. It blocks our view of knowing the right thing to do because all we want is the idol. In our culture this can be anything from a thing, person, and more likely some idea. Don’t get bent out of shape when life is not going your way in achieving what you think is best. We don’t always know what is best. This is why all Christians that accepted Christ are sent the Holy Spirit to be a helper and a counselor. Be sure you are paying attention to Him.

For some Christians, they think this means they should avoid the sinner. Jesus did not avoid the sinner because God’s love is there for anyone who will receive it. What we are not to do is turn from God and go into a lifestyle that is contrary to what God is telling us to live. We truly have more freedom and peace living God’s way. Christians should be doing their best to show the world God’s love and then we can show them how God’s way is better. If you don’t first do it with love, which is God’s way, they will not want to turn from the darkness blinding them to God.

Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT

So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. 17 Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. 19 Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I have trouble with this all the time. I’m not perfect, but I can’t use that as an excuse. I make mistakes, but do my best to learn from them. I also am learning a great deal about my weaknesses, so in those I can let God be my strength. He works best through our weaknesses, which I find miraculous. It’s so contrary to the way we are taught to think in Western culture, but I’ve learned a lot more from any mistake I made than having done something right the first time. God’s grace and power pick me up and help me to try again to get it right.

Thank God for His power that helps you get through the trials of life.

Be An Overcomer

Last week I talked about how fear is the opposite of love and faith. We were made to succeed with God on our side.

John 16:33 NLT

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." 

We will see many trials in our lives. Some of the trials are due to our own ignorance or bad choices and others we have absolutely no control over. All of them can be overcome with a feeling of peace if we follow Jesus. He is the ultimate overcomer of the world.

I have peace as I deal with multiple sclerosis on a daily basis. I know that God is working in me little by little due to this disability. Sure He can heal it any time and I wouldn’t mind. However, I’m also not going to complain about it still being here today. It does give me something to overcome and learn a great deal of patience and other things. Okay, some days I need to retreat so I don’t lash out incorrectly due to hurting too much. Despite this ailment, I know God is on my side and Jesus is right there helping me overcome.

Rom 5:3-5 NLT

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us — they help us learn to endure. 4 And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. 5 And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

That is what I rely on. I will keep doing what God is directing me to do even if I might take longer due to my disability. I’m still here so I know God has further purposes for me before He takes me home. Even on the bad days I’m trying to be the proper servant and not letting fear of not accomplishing things get in the way. Fear is a show stopper even for the perfectly healthy.

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells us the parable of the talents. The lord goes away after giving each servant talents to invest while he is gone. Two of the servants manage to double their money. They don’t react in fear because they know the blessing they will get if they can do a good job or even try. Now the servant who only got one talent reacted in fear. The lord definitely thought he could do something or he never would have given him a talent in the first place. The two that did the job correctly got rewarded with more. What happened to the fearful servant who hid the money in a hole in the ground where it couldn’t even make interest?

Matt 25:24-30 NKJV

Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.  25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' 

26 But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 

Don’t be the servant that does nothing due to being afraid. No matter what life throws at you keep on walking with Jesus. You will finish the journey as an overcomer rather than an outcast that loses everything due to fear.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Proverbs 29:25 NLT

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.

Most of our fears can be alleviated with facts, even fears of dealing with certain people because of how they have treated us in the past. If we take the time to ask why they treat us that way, we will get more facts and understanding about their view of it. Of course, it may lead to more confrontation, but if you don’t let them know it bothers you, they have no reason to change what they are doing.

Psalms 27:1 NLT

The LORD is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid?

The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger — so why should I tremble?

I know I have fears to deal with. Some of them are only based on what I have perceived, not on the facts. But I feel like the psalmist because I have God on my side and I should feel able to deal with fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

As a believer of Jesus Christ you have the power through His grace to deal with life. You know you are loved by Him and if you love Him, you know how to love the world as He does despite all the wrong in it. So having this power and love, you can acquire self-discipline that dumbfounds the world as you deal with your fears and in turn learn how to help others with their fears. If we hide from certain people we can never show them God’s love. We are to go out into the world proclaiming Him and we can’t do that if we fear people.

1 John 4:18 NLT

Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

The kind of love God has and teaches us to have expels this fear. People will know where we stand with God based on how we react to the world. Are we showing it love or fear?

Isaiah 35:4 NLT

Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you."

If you are a Christian, the enemy is not the people around you. It is Satan who is doing his best to influence this world while he still has the chance before God comes to finish the war He will win. The enemy is the spirit of darkness keeping people in fear instead of going to the light of God to learn what true love and power is.

If you are scared of anything, hand it over to God and ask Him to help you overcome it. He loves you and wants you to have the power to live life His way without fear.