The God that Saves

Read | Ephesians 2:8-9

^"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health.

What this gentleman needed to realize was that what we do or what we give up for Jesus doesn't amount to much. The Lord isn't looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He's calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God expects of a "seeker" is to believe in Jesus--that He is who He says, He will do what He says, He has the authority to forgive, and He will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from his old life--in other words, to repent--and begin the process of becoming "a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17).
We don't evolve into a saved people by deleting old habits and instituting better religious ones; we are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ when we believe in Him.

Since salvation isn't something we earn, no one can boast before God. All of our moral living, good deeds, and strenuous efforts to change bad habits amount to a pile of trash compared to the holiness of Jesus Christ (Isa. 64:6). Only His righteousness can cover our sins and make us right before the Father.
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from Intouch Magazine, April 2012

The Grace to Keep Going

Read: ACTS 15: 7-11

As believers, we readily attribute our salvation to God's grace, but what does "this grace in which we stand" mean to us now (Rom. 5:2) How does it work out in everyday life, especially when we're going through periods of trial or suffering?

1. The Lord's grace releases His supernatural power within us so we can endure life's hardships with a godly attitude. In fact, we'll even be able to rejoice in what He is doing in us through the adversity.

2. Grace builds our confidence in the sovereign Lord. Nothing looks hopeless when we focus on Him instead of on our problems.

3. We discover the assurance of God's sustaining presence as He walks with us every step of the way.

4. Because we've experienced His care for us, we are able to show empathy and love to others facing hard times.

5. During fiery trials grace works to transform our character so that others see Jesus reflected in us.

Difficulties in life are unavoidable. So we need a daily dose of God's grace if we are to walk through trials with confidence that there is great reward on the other side. If we rely on our own strength, however, obstacles will appear insurmountable, leaving us discouraged and ready to give up.

Too often believers rely on Christ for their salvation but then try to go solo. If God's grace was needed to save us, then logic says we would also need it for the rest of our days. Only through a continuous infusion of His sustaining power can we live a victorious Christian life.
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from Intouch Magazine, November 2011 issue

Sufficient Grace

Read: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

  "Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, withdistresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

I thought the Christian life is going to be easier than this. Have these words ever entered your mind? Sometimes we come into the family of God thinking that our heavenly Father will fix all our problems and devote Himself to our happiness and comfort. However, that is not the reality portrayed in Scripture. Paul was a man whom the Lord used greatly, and yet his life was anything but easy.

In fact at one point, the apostle thought his pain was too much to bear, and he begged God to remove it. There's nothing wrong with asking the Lord to relieve our suffering, but what should our repsonse be if He doesn't? Paul probably had no idea that His experience would find its way into the Bible, to comfort and guide believers throughout the ages. The promise God gave him applies to us as well. "My grace is sufficient for you" (v. 9)

God's grace could be defined as His provision for us at the point of our need. The problem is that sometimes it doesn't seem as if the Lord truly is meeting our need. But He frequently sees deficiencies, outcomes, and complications that we don't. His goals for us involve spiritual growth, the development of Christlike character, and strong faith. And trials play a vital role in achieving these.

The important issue is how we respond. If all you want is relief, you could descend into anger and doubt. But if your desire to become the person God wants you to be, you'll see each trial as an opportunity for Christ to display His character and strength in you.
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from Intouch Magazine, November  2011 issue