This morning, meditating, on what is “TRUE”
Meditating on the GRACE of God (the FAVOR of God) …
Below are scriptures that I thought you would also be blessed by.
Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”
- Grace is NEVER MERITED – it is a gift that has been purchased by Jesus at the cross and ultimately received by the open arms of faith: Romans 11:6 “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.”
- Grace is totally associated with JESUS: Romans 5:21 “so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
- Grace was DEMONSTRATED in Jesus: John 1:14 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
- God’s THRONE / access to the Father through Jesus Christ – is called a THRONE OF GRACE Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
- It is grace that God wants you to TOTALLY REST in I Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ …”
- We are to be STRONG in grace 2 Tim 2:1”You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”
- The grace that God has given is SUFFICIENT in your life for God to be glorified in and through your life: 2 Cor 12:9 “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.”
- It is something to be DECLARED: Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
- The declaration by God that your sin is as though it NEVER was that you have been JUSTIFIED is the result of GRACE: Romans 3:24 “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus …”
- Grace comes in ABUNDANCE: Romans 5:17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
- Grace covers the darkest sin/ stain – but it is NOT a LICENSE to sin: Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!”
- Grace DEFINES who you REALLY ARE: I Cor 15:10-11 “… by the grace of God I am what I am …”
- Grace is something that God can have ABOUND toward you 2 Cor 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
- It is solely based on GRACE that God chooses to USE and ENABLE us to be used: Eph 3:7 “…of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”
- The Spirit of the grace of God can be INSULTED Heb 10:29 “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”
- God gives grace TO THE HUMBLE: “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
- You are SAVED by grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God …”
- The LAST VERSE IN THE BIBLE reads, Rev 22:21”The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Dear Pastor Greg and our entire church family:
I have been truly blessed in reading, studying, and applying Phil 4:4-4:13 with an emphasis on Phil 4:8 this week. What an awesome study. We serve a truly awesome Lord that gives us just what we need!!! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Prior to reading, God placed on my heart to remove all distractions. I find that a few songs of worship help accomplish just that. I share this in case anyone might want to do the same. I started thinking about a song that has blessed my family beautifully sung by Sarah Denham titled “Above All Else”. So, I remembered that Sarah was singing in Southern Ca. last Sunday and I was truly blessed when I found the service online. If anyone is interested, I encourage you to go to http://www.day7.tv Then, click on “Video Archives”. Next, click “Watch Webcast” from 4/26/2009. Once the window comes up, click the drop down arrow and you will see “Special Music – Sarah Denham” I assure you that you will be blessed hearing Sarah honor our Lord through her worship.
Sarah – You did an awesome job. This was a blessing! We thank Jesus for your gifts!
David Urged Others to Trust in the Lord
Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:3-5)
Those who live by grace trust in God to work in their lives.
We can see David’s heart to live this way, as he urges others to trust in the Lord. “Trust in the LORD…feed on His faithfulness…Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him”.
God wants His people to be characterized by goodness.
Yet, David affirmed that no one does good on their own.
“There is none who does good, No, not one” (Psalm 14:3).
So, for anyone to do good, the Lord must do a good work in and through their lives.
Those who place their trust in the Lord find the will and the strength to do that which is good in the sight of God.
“Trust in the LORD, and do good”.
To be faithful in doing good, God’s people must be nurtured in God’s faithfulness.
“Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness”.
Those who place their trust in a faithful God become increasingly faithful servants of God.
Of course, the work of God in lives is centered in the heart of man.
David prayed for an undivided heart of reverential trust toward the Lord.
“Unite my heart to fear Your name” (Psalm 86:11).
Everyone who is willing to let the Lord be the captivating joy of their inner man will have God Himself planting godly desires within their heart.
“Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart”.
These implanted desires are then worked outward unto godly living.
As this godliness is developing, we desire that the Lord’s path for our lives would become increasingly evident.
We have a growing interest in walking in the ways of the Lord.
David had such a desire in his heart toward the Lord.
“Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me” (Psalm 25:4-5).
The Lord teaches those who are willing to entrust their lives into His directing.
“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass”.
Those who do place their lives under the sovereign care of God enjoy the great privilege of having the Lord God almighty governing the very steps that they take day by day.
Heavenly Father, I want to trust in You that I might see Your goodness developing in my life. I want to have You as the ultimate joy of my heart that You might have free rein to plant Your desires deep within me. I give You permission to aling my desires with Your. To make Your will mine. I want to entrust my life completely into Your hands that I might have You controlling my daily path, through Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.