“For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favour and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes, He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).”
2 Corinthians 8:9 AMPC
Christ is the origin of grace
“The grace (favour and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing together, and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it).”
2 Corinthians 13:14 AMPC
“For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favour upon favour, and gift heaped upon gift].”
“For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favour and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ. [Exod. 20:1.]”
John 1:16-17 AMPC
“And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honour, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favour, loving-kindness) and truth. [Isa. 40:5.]”
John 1:14 AMP
It was given to us
“Yet grace [God’s undeserved favour] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and abundant] gift.”
Ephesians 4:7 AMP
But he continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.””
James (Jacob) 4:6 TPT
Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
If your grace-gift is serving, then thrive in serving others well. If you have the grace-gift of teaching, then be actively teaching and training others.”
Romans 12: 7 TPT
What can we do to earn grace?
By definition, we cannot earn grace, It is a free gift. Eph 2:8-9
“For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ! So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 TPT
The reason for the gift of grace
Why are we given grace?
Grace is God in the race of life
1. For salvation
“All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature, we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”
Ephesians 2:3-5 NLT
2. For sanctification
For living an obedient and humble life in Christ
“But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD and HAUGHTY, BUT [continually] GIVES [the gift of] GRACE TO THE HUMBLE [who turn away from self-righteousness].”
James 4:6 AMP
3. It is for help in times of need
“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favour] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”
Hebrews 4:16 AMP
4. It is to teach us how to live in godliness
“God’s marvellous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone.
This same grace teaches us how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age.”
Titus 2:11-12 TPT
5. For our enrichment in all ramifications
“For you have experienced the extravagant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was infinitely rich, he impoverished himself for our sake so that by his poverty, we become rich beyond measure.”
2 Corinthians 8:9 TPT
6. For purposeful service
“Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-coloured tapestry of God’s grace. For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking his words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.”
1 Peter 4:10-11 TPT
7. Grace is for profitable stewardship
“assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me [to share with you] for your benefit;”
Ephesians 3:2 AMP
8. Grace must bring diligence. Grace is for serious work
“But God’s amazing grace has made me who I am! And his grace to me was not fruitless. In fact, I worked harder than all the rest, yet not in my own strength but God’s, for his empowering grace is poured out upon me.”
1 Corinthians 15:10 TPT
9. For discipling people and sharing the gospel
“I have been made a messenger of this wonderful news by the gift of grace that works through me. Even though I am the least significant of all his holy believers, this grace-gift was imparted when the manifestation of his power came upon me. Grace alone empowers me so that I can boldly preach this wonderful message to non-Jewish people, sharing with them the unfading, inexhaustible riches of Christ, which are beyond comprehension.”
Ephesians 3:7-8 TPT
10. Grace is given unto individuals according to the assignment given to them
“And he has generously given each one of us supernatural grace, according to the size of the gift of Christ.
"And he has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers. And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ. These grace ministries will function until we all attain oneness into the faith until we all experience the fullness of what it means to know the Son of God, and finally, we become one into a perfect man with the full dimensions of spiritual maturity and fully developed into the abundance of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:7, 11-13 TPT
Grace is given by love. Love brought grace to us.
So in order to fully appreciate grace, we need to embrace love
In order to fully dispense this grace, we need to embrace love.
But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all–love].”
1 Corinthians 12:31 AMPC
The work of grace is through faith
Our faith is one of grace…but if it’s real, it will lead to doing, to practical daily living
Our practical daily living must be one of love if we are to show that we understand grace.
Prayer
If you haven’t given your life fully to Christ, you cannot experience fully the power of this grace. This grace is for your salvation, daily sanctification, help to overcome sin, addiction and habits you have been struggling with.
The source of Grace says...
“Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door within, I will come into you and feast with you, and you will feast with me.”
Revelation 3:20 TPT
Grace wants to help you. Grace wants to dine with you. Grace wants to abide with you
Open up now and accept God’s free offer.
When you accept this grace you are made right with God and His promise to you is found in Psalm
“Lord, how wonderfully you bless the righteous. Your favour wraps around each one and covers them under your canopy of kindness and joy.”
Psalms 5:12 TPT
To those who have accepted this grace, your prayer must be....
⁃ Father may I truly share this grace by showing love to people through good works. Let my whole life be an expression of your love
“For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].”
Ephesians 2:10 AMPC
⁃ May I not defeat the propose of grace through the way I live, rather may I be a channel through which grace is increased in other people. AMEN
For the full teaching on today's topic, click the video below...
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