Amazing Grace!

Much of my thoughts this week have been centered on this word that appears numerous times in Scripture, one of our favorites being Eph.2:7-9 "That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Yes indeed, we start off this Christian journey by grace, His gift. You don't work for a gift- you simply receive it! Rom.3:24, 2 Cor. 9:15.  During a lunch conversation with my beloved Amy this week, we spoke of some dear Christian ladies about to embark in a teaching ministry for the next few weeks who seem to be struggling with feelings of inadequacies as they approach their subjects. We discussed how our enemy, Satan, uses that tactic because he doesn't want one life affected for the good by hearing and obeying the Gospel. That one life, you see, will affect another life which will affect another......... I have been praying for those who are tempted by the thought of "what can I accomplish anyway?"  I relate to that so well, have so since I began to blog back at the first of the year but I said to Amy, "If one soul has been encouraged or challenged, then I praise God and will continue to give out what He gives me."  Be encouraged, those who are in Christian ministry, your salvation was by His grace and so is your service!

I was reading through Acts recently and noted a verse as Paul and the others carrying on the work of the Lord were "hazarding" their lives for the sake of the Gospel. They were being persecuted and even commanded to stop teaching and preaching in that Name, that Name Alone which can change lives, and note this verse in chapter 13- "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."

I write today to exhort you who read, maybe feeling unworthy, (a good place to be), to continue- your service is by His grace. Remember what the Word of God says in 1 Cor. 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

Danny tilled, plowed, and sowed our little garden spot a few weeks ago and soon, because of God's grace and goodness by sending sunshine and rain, we will be enjoying the fruit of it. Be careful, you will get hungry here- peas, squash, okra, tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, and then when I take some hot cornbread out of the oven, we will be good to go!  Galatians 6:9 says "And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." First, we plant, then the harvest and all by His grace!  I have been thinking so much lately about the word, grace, that I took out my Strong's Concordance. Now, I know nothing about Hebrew and Greek words. My preacher boy, Jeff, has a Hebrew scholar at Meadow and I know he could expound much more eloquently but here is what I learned. The first time we see the word translated grace is in Gen. 6:8- just prior to God's judgment on the earth -"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." The Hebrew word is" chen" from another," chanan", meaning "to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior."  YES,YES, that is what grace did, Believer!! Grace is why a man named John Newton wrote these words in the late 1700's. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. (Yes, that is what we are, in spite of this culture's attempt to " clarify" that we are all good people- it isn't what the Bible teaches); I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see." A rough, cursing seaman captured by the grace of God said this shortly before he died at the age of 82."My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things; That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior!"

Oh, Christian, doesn't that sum it up pretty readily? Another song writer wrote "The Only Word For Grace is Amazing." One said "His Grace Still Amazes Me." Rejoice with me at these words written in the early 1900's. "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt! Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured- there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe! You that are longing to see His face, will you this moment His grace receive? Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin." HALLELUJAH! Sometimes, we leave out this third verse of one of my favorite hymns of all time ( in fact, sing all of them if I go by way of the grave instead of the rapture),"My sin-O, the bliss of this glorious tho't-My sin -not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! "

I could go on and on- all the Scripture verses concerning grace- John 1:14,16: James 4:6: Heb 4:16: 1Peter 5:5: 2 Cor.12:9, even the last verse in our Blessed Book closes with "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."  At age 71, perhaps the greatest songwriter of all time, a blind Fanny Crosby who longed for her Savior's face to be the first she would behold, after hearing a dying pastor friend say these words "If each of us is faithful to the grace, which is given to us by Christ, that same grace which teaches us how to live will also teach us how to die", she sat down and wrote what she considered her favorite, her "heart-song". "And I shall see Him face to face and tell the story- Saved by Grace."  Yes, if I am asked "how did you make it, Deborah?", surely my answer will be "God's Amazing Grace." "Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling."  "Twill be my theme in glory, to tell the old old story of Jesus and His love." There will be nothing to boast of when we see those nail-scarred hands. Actually, there is nothing to boast of here, who you are, what you have, what gifts you possess, are by His grace. Paul, in his writings to the Galatians, the letter filled with the theme of grace, says this "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." 6:14

I don't know about you but my cup has overflowed while writing this blog, meditating and rejoicing over the fact that His grace is sufficient. WHAT A SAVIOR!

Looking up, Deborah

If you want to, go to Google and type in Michael W. Smith- Grace. This song has ministered to me as I have been in my car this week. Listen to the words and watch the video - I think you will be blessed also.