We often think that we deserve better than what we have. We compare our lives with others, we are tormented by our mistakes or failures, we see injustice all around and complain to others and God about our situation. Unfortunately, we are not much different than the Israelites who, after having been delivered from the hands of their slave masters by mighty miracles of God, found themselves in the desert complaining about their situation. They were so ungrateful of the mighty work God had done for them, that they even yearned to go back to slavery in Egypt just so they could have some watermelon!
Do we as Christians really understand what God has done for us? I think if we did, we would be so grateful that we would live our lives to please the One who has set us free. We would continue to press on through the desert moments in our lives without slipping into grumbling and wishing for "things" that don't satisfy. If we truly understood GRACE, we would humbly and thankfully commit to being obedient children, who appreciate God's gift.
For those of you who think that you made a good decision when you accepted Christ as your Savior, let me remind you that you would not even have had enough faith to believe if it were not for GRACE! GRACE, by definition, is an undeserved gift. God gave it to you, even though you didn't deserve it. "For it is by GRACE that you have been saved through faith (and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God) not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
But God did not stop there in His "gift giving". GRACE - THE UNDESERVED GIFT was given for the following:
So, from beginning to the end, God has graciously given us all we need to live holy and righteous lives! AND.....what did we do to receive this gift? Nothing....absolutely nothing!! We did not deserve salvation, forgiveness, eternal life, blessings, favor, power, prosperity, and all the other benefits of being children of God. He gave us this gift, simply because.........He loves us!
"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits....who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" Psalm 103:1-5
Do we as Christians really understand what God has done for us? I think if we did, we would be so grateful that we would live our lives to please the One who has set us free. We would continue to press on through the desert moments in our lives without slipping into grumbling and wishing for "things" that don't satisfy. If we truly understood GRACE, we would humbly and thankfully commit to being obedient children, who appreciate God's gift.
For those of you who think that you made a good decision when you accepted Christ as your Savior, let me remind you that you would not even have had enough faith to believe if it were not for GRACE! GRACE, by definition, is an undeserved gift. God gave it to you, even though you didn't deserve it. "For it is by GRACE that you have been saved through faith (and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God) not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
But God did not stop there in His "gift giving". GRACE - THE UNDESERVED GIFT was given for the following:
- GRACE to be set free from sin. Romans 5:18-20
- GRACE to act according to His will. Titus 2:11-12
- GRACE to pray. Zechariah 12:10
- GRACE to grow. 2 Peter 3:18
- GRACE to witness. Acts 4:33
- GRACE to be gifts to the body of Christ. Romans 12:3-8
- GRACE to give. 2 Corinthians 8:1-9
- GRACE to receive all you need. 2 Corinthians 9:8-14
- GRACE to receive more GRACE. James 4:6
So, from beginning to the end, God has graciously given us all we need to live holy and righteous lives! AND.....what did we do to receive this gift? Nothing....absolutely nothing!! We did not deserve salvation, forgiveness, eternal life, blessings, favor, power, prosperity, and all the other benefits of being children of God. He gave us this gift, simply because.........He loves us!
"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits....who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" Psalm 103:1-5
