Grace Costs Nothing, It's a Free Gift of God. But, We Need to Make Some Room, Because GRACE IS BIG!
Who among us could use more of God's Grace? That’s the thing with Grace; it’s free, absolutely free to me, and you, and it's unlimited. Grace is an unconditional gift from a loving Father, and we are encouraged to take as much as we can. Grace, it’s a HUGE gift too! Grace has ALL the blessings of God wrapped up as one. Grace is so big that we have to make room for it to receive it. Grace might be free to me, but it cost Jesus everything. So, to receive God’s Grace, I WILL MAKE ALL THE ROOM IN THE WORLD, won’t you?
Ephesians 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, WHO HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING in the heavenly places in Christ,"
My life was once very hectic and busy, and I was always slammed with a full schedule and lots of very important things to get done - so I thought. Grace is the only important thing.
Luke 10:42 - "but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Now don’t get me wrong. I am far from perfect, but I have grown, matured, and changed over the last few years. I want to grow and learn, and I am willing to follow Grace. I have a ways to go, but through the Grace of God, I’m confident I will get there. But to take on God's Grace, I need to make room for it.
Philippians 1:6 - "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."
Making room for Grace has been difficult for me in the past. But recently, it’s been a lot easier. I simply assessed all my selfishness, self-centeredness, and self-righteousness in my life and decided I could let it ALL go... knowing if I did, I would have plenty of room for Grace, and even more Grace!
Ephesians 4:31 - "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."
Grace showed up in my life, and for whatever reason, I made some room for it. I am so glad I did. Jesus paid a lot for my freedom and liberty, so I am determined that He get His money's worth!
Colossians 2:14 - "having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."
Shortly after allowing Grace to work in my life, God’s Grace began to transform my heart and mind. I began to let go and let God, literally.
Romans 12:2 - "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
I have allowed Grace to remove a bunch of the garbage out of my heart and mind, including bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander.
Mark 7:21 - "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,"
So, in essence, so far, receiving Grace cost me the loss of bitterness, evil thoughts, wrath, anger, fornication, and a lot of unnecessary and unwanted slime.
Philippians 3:21 - "who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."
Basically, God went into my heart and removed condemnation and shame, and like magic, a lot of garbage just left with it; garbage just disappeared and Grace came in.
Hebrews 3:12 - "Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God."
One day a bunch of garbage was here, and the next day, it was gone, or at least mostly gone.
Romans 8:1 - "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
The Grace of God is a serious thing, perhaps the most essential thing in the universe.
Ephesians 2:8-10 - "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. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."
Yes, it is true. I need to make some room in my heart, changes to my schedule, and alternations to my focus.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
I also want to control my tongue, and instead of judging and criticizing others, I want to edify them and lift them up. I want to clean up my language, also.
Ephesians 4:29 - “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
It’s clear, I need to make room in my heart and mind for Grace. I want to make room for Grace. As a matter of fact, my goal is to make Grace THE most important thing in my life.
1 Corinthians 15:10 - "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me."
Then, to the degree that I can receive God’s Grace is the same degree of supernatural peace, comfort, security, confidence, and assurance I get to enjoy.
Matthew 11:28 - “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
The Grace of God is a place of REST and assurance and confidence and faith, and it is all IN CHRIST!
Hebrews 4:11 - "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience."
Resting can be hard, especially if you, like me, have been taught that PERFORMANCE IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS - because that’s a lie. The only thing that matters is to receive the gift of God, salvation through Grace. REST and trust IN CHRIST!
Genesis 2:2-3 - “By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”
God created EVERYTHING through the Grace of God (the Word of God, who is Jesus).
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