Word for the Week: January 20th- 2014 People are named after it. Songs are written about it. All people are elated when they receive it. Fewer give it than receive it. It is a source of indescribable peace. It comes wrapped as love, mercy, favor, forgiveness, and blessing. What is it? Eph 2:8-9 (NASB) For by GRACE you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. There are a myriad of verses throughout the old and new Testaments which expand on the source, content, and acts of GRACE. John 1:16-17 (NKJV) 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and GRACE for GRACE. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but GRACE and truth came through Jesus Christ. Hold on to that statement “We all received Grace for Grace.” Is it possible that the grace freely given by God through His Son Jesus Christ becomes an attribute of His followers? If the answer is yes, which I believe is true; it follows that when you are saved: Grace is manifested in the life of the believer! The believer becomes full of grace; abundant grace! Many would say that God took a huge risk when He gave man “Free Will”. I am guilty of that myself. But the truth is God sees things totally different than we do. I have named this concept: “God’s Grace Quotient” or “GQ” for short. I read a quote recently that I had recorded on January 4th 2013 by Martin Ban. He said: “When we don’t have any risks with God, we can take greater risks extending grace to others.” Before we can apply this to our personal lives we must always be cognizant of the fact that we are “Created in the image of God”. If God had wanted robots to do exactly what He says when He says it, He could have created robots. God created a being which is capable of love. Love is not robotic it is personal, thoughtful, and yes emotional. What is grace wrapped and packaged as? Love! God’s loves as well as His grace are extended to us freely and unconditionally. That is part of His nature; one of His attributes. The problem exist that when any one extends love/grace freely they take a risk of rejection. Rejection is never a pleasant for me nor is it pleasant for God. Where God differs from me is that He understands that when it comes to rejections, the one who accepts His grace freely brings greater joy than all of the rejections. The ones who truly lose out are the ones who do not even try to have a relationship because of past rejections in their life. What if God stopped extending His grace because others in the past rejected Him? Grace is an extension of God’s love. There is absolutely nothing negative about even the concept of grace. However, some refuse to accept this free gift fearing that there are strings attached. Enter GQ. Grace has no strings. The grace we experience grows proportionate to the grace we extend. Grace Experienced + Grace Extended = Grace Multiplied Equal To Risk Reduction Some experience less grace because they are afraid to take the risk of showing others the same grace God gave us; grace that has no strings. Here is the product of God’s GQ: The Higher the Grace the Lower the Risk. The more grace you extend the more Joy you will realize. Extend more grace to others and have a blessed week.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Jan 2014 15:57:23 +0000
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