poGm

The word "grace" refers to helping or blessing someone that has not earned it. To be "gracious" describes someone who shows grace to others regardless of how they are treated by them. One example would be being pulled over by a cop for speeding. Even though you were speeding, if the cop only gives you a verbal warning, he was being "gracious" to you by letting you go free without the punishment of a ticket.

Another and more in-depth example would be how parents also offer grace to their children as they raise them. When a child does something wrong, the parent corrects the child with love so as to help the child learn to do good in life. If the child repeats the bad act, then the child is chastised; but the child is still loved and not cast from the family because the parent loves the child. This is how our heavenly Father teaches us as well. It says in Proverbs 3:12 , "For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." And again in Hebrews 12:6 it says, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

Over loving Father is teaching each of us how to live in a way that blesses the child just as a parent teaches the child they love day by day. Our God loves us so much He even allows trials or what some may call a loving spanking to come upon us so as to get us on the right track to Heaven because when it's all said and done, He knows we would rather live with Him for eternity in perfect peace and happiness than to die and be forever separated from our Father's love and care in the eternal darkness of death.

How we respond to His will or even His love filled spankings is key in how we grow in Christ. And it's actually rather simple in how He helps us overcome.

I recall back in the mid 80's when I found and embraced the Lord as my God, Saviour and King. After I calmed down from experiencing His presence for the first time in my life and was able to stand up on wobbly legs; I was pleading with Him with tears of sadness regarding all my sinful ways and how I tried over and over again to stop them the last 18 months; but I simply couldn't do it. Each time I started to describe a sin I needed help in overcoming, I heard Him say to my heart, "I will help you." I heard this with every sin I mentioned. Even before I finished the sentence I heard Him say, "I will help you" over and over again. And it made me realize how He really is a loving Father to His children. This is how His grace works. BUT, we need to do our part as well. We cannot ignore such grace as this.

All of us are 100% unworthy and unable to stop any sin we are in because Satan is a foe we simply cannot defeat in this wretched and weak flesh we stand in. But, our Lord loves us so much that He is willing to help us if we simply trust Him and take Him at His Word. He will deliver us from every sin by actually giving us the power to obey Him.

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him." "The just shall live by faith." Colossians 2:6; Hebrews 10:38. You gave yourself to God, to be His wholly, to serve and obey Him, and you took Christ as your Saviour. You could not yourself atone for your sins or change your heart; but having given yourself to God, you believe that He for Christ's sake did all this for you. By faith you became Christ's, and by faith you are to grow up in Him--by giving and taking. You are to give all,--your heart, your will, your service,--give yourself to Him to obey all His requirements; and you must take all,--Christ, the fullness of all blessing, to abide in your heart, to be your strength, your righteousness, your everlasting helper,--to give you power to obey. {Steps to Christ 69.2}

It's literally just that easy!

If you have accepted Him as Saviour HE WILL speak to you via a blessed thought that comes to mind, by a Bible verse that cuts your heart one day, by a word of knowledge from a Christian friend, or even in the same still small voice He used to help Elijah while in the cave in 1Kings 19.

This is something absolutely every true Christian knows about first hand. Obedient Christians literally have two Fathers just as Jesus our perfect example had. He had Joseph as His earthly father and He had His heavenly Father as well. As far as I can see, that's the ultimate doctrinal whisper unto every babe in Christ. But what most miss is how just as an earthly father cannot do everything for us, nor can our Heavenly Father. But not because He is unable to, we must show faith in our Father by doing as He commands before His hand moves. Where we cannot do anymore than our flesh allows, He will take it from there just as an earthly father does when he trains us to ride a bike the first time. The father holds the back of the bike while we do our best to master the ability to do so on our own. This is how we must walk daily.

For example, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb He told the apostles to roll the stone away first. Yes; Jesus could have easily done that Himself. The fact He had angels move the stone at His resurrection proved hands down He didn't need any help from man. But He wanted to teach them a lesson that day that man must do all he can do on his own first if he is ever going to be helped by our Heavenly Father. What man cannot do for himself, Jesus will do for him. As we know, directly after the apostles rolled the stone away, Jesus then did what they couldn't do on their own. He raised Lazarus from the dead.

I recall that when I tried to quit the sin of smoking 35 years ago. I was struggling with it as most do due to the addictive and deadly ingredients in American cigarettes. One day, after I opened a new pack of cigarettes, I lit the first one up and took a drag. I then heard the Lord's still small voice saying, "will you give them up for me?" I instantly dropped the cigarette, stamped it out, threw the remaining 19 cigarettes into the trash can and said YES! It was at that very moment I became a non-smoker! I was even tested the next few days that proved I really was a non-smoker.

I "rolled away the stone" that day by tossing the cigarettes in the trash. Jesus then took it from there by performing a miracle that delivered me in a way I couldn't do on my own. He delivered me from the cigarettes. Even the craving was gone! I never smoked another cigarette since that day! I was delivered from that addiction, but only AFTER I said "YES" to sacrificing the cigarettes for my Lord, Saviour and King Jesus! His perfect grace truly is all we any of us need.

If we make the final decision to do as He commands, He gives us the power to do what's best for us while at the same time glorify Him.

God the Father grants us "grace" as well in that even though we were sinning, He offers us His loving "grace" by letting us go free without punishment once we accept His Son as a gracious Saviour.

We are wholly unworthy of such a blessing. At the same time, He loves us beyond measure and He knows all too well about our plight living on this world wherein Satan constantly tempts us to sin 24/7. Basic reality is, Jesus literally walked among us in our same flesh. He knows perfectly well what we're going through.

In short, the "grace" God offers us sinful beings is a merciful gift we are not worthy of. His love looks beyond our sinfulness. And just so you know; like Salvation, this "grace" has to be a gift from God because He knows we can never be worthy of it without accepting His Son. Even before we accept Jesus as Saviour, God's "grace" is clearly upon us guiding us day be day towards His Son. In fact, it literally says in Ezekiel 33:11, "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"

"In ancient times, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses with his meekness and wisdom, and Joshua with his varied capabilities, were all enlisted in God's service. The music of Miriam, the courage and piety of Deborah, the filial affection of Ruth, the obedience and faithfulness of Samuel, the stern fidelity of Elijah, the softening, subduing influence of Elisha--all were needed. So now all upon whom God's blessing has been bestowed are to respond by actual service; every gift is to be employed for the advancement of His kingdom and the glory of His name. {COL 301.1}

"All who receive Christ as a personal Saviour are to demonstrate the truth of the gospel and its saving power upon the life. God makes no requirement without making provision for its fulfillment. Through the grace of Christ we may accomplish everything that God requires. All the riches of heaven are to be revealed through God's people. "Herein is My Father glorified," Christ says, "that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples." John 15:8. {COL 301.2}

NOTE: Just walking in obedience to Christ allows our Father to be glorified. And no, the obedient child of God does not "obey" because he has to. The obedient child of God loves their Father in heaven and therefore cannot help but to have the heavenly fruit that all of mankind can see that glorifies their Father in heaven just as the wicked cannot help but to display the hellish fruit of their dying god for all the world to see.

Galatians 3:27 literally says, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

"We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith. {SC 61.1}

"It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness." {SC 18.1}

"The world needs today what it needed nineteen hundred years ago--a revelation of Christ. A great work of reform is demanded, and it is only through the grace of Christ that the work of restoration, physical, mental, and spiritual, can be accomplished. {MH 143.2}

Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, "Follow Me." {MH 143.3}

"The nearer we come to Jesus and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly we shall discern the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the less we shall feel like exalting ourselves. Those whom heaven recognizes as holy ones are the last to parade their own goodness. The apostle Peter became a faithful minister of Christ, and he was greatly honored with divine light and power; he had an active part in the upbuilding of Christ's church; but Peter never forgot the fearful experience of his humiliation; his sin was forgiven; yet well he knew that for the weakness of character which had caused his fall only the grace of Christ could avail. He found in himself nothing in which to glory. {COL 160.1}

None of the apostles or prophets ever claimed to be without sin. Men who have lived nearest to God, men who would sacrifice life itself rather than knowingly commit a wrong act, men whom God had honored with divine light and power, have confessed the sinfulness of their own nature. They have put no confidence in the flesh, have claimed no righteousness of their own, but have trusted wholly in the righteousness of Christ. So will it be with all who behold Christ." {COL 160.2}

"Let us not be unreasonable. It is not a question of whether we can overcome, but whether we will overcome. There is no merit in being continually in the Slough of Despond, or of languishing in Doubting Castle, and much of our so-called confessions of our shortcomings and weaknesses, are not manifestations of humility, but of culpable negligence. Christ says, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," and "my grace is sufficient for thee." Let us not say by our actions that we do not believe him. E. J. W. {January 11, 1883 EJW, SITI 15.5}

Think of Paul who was in danger many times due to his faith. Notice what he says about something he was going through physically that the Lord never healed. He said in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

"Christ has given us no promise of help in bearing today the burdens of tomorrow. He has said, "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9); but, like the manna given in the wilderness, His grace is bestowed daily, for the day's need. Like the hosts of Israel in their pilgrim life, we may find morning by morning the bread of heaven for the day's supply." {MB 101.1}

"The religion of Christ is not what many think it is, nor what their lives represent it to be. The love of God in the soul will have a direct influence upon the life, and will call the intellect and the affections into active, healthful exercise. The child of God will not rest satisfied until he is clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and sustained by his life-giving power. When he sees a weakness in his character, it is not enough to confess it again and again; he must go to work with determination and energy to overcome his defects by building up opposite traits of character. He will not shun this work because it is difficult. Untiring energy is required of the Christian; but he is not obliged to work in his own strength; divine power awaits his demand. Every one who is sincerely striving for victory over self will appropriate the promise, "My grace is sufficient for thee." {RH, June 10, 1884 par. 9}

"We are wanting in simple faith; we need to learn the art of trusting our very best friend. Although we see him not, Jesus is watching over us with tender compassion; and he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. No one in his great need ever looked to him by faith, and was disappointed. Brethren, do not express doubt; do not let your lips utter one complaining, repining word. The Christian is not morose, sullen, and desponding; he is the happiest man in the world. He feels secure; for he trusts in Jesus, and enjoys his presence. His "defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart." Do not defer this matter, but begin here in this Conference to fix your minds more firmly upon Jesus and heavenly things, remembering that by beholding we become changed into the same image. Have courage in God, brethren; have courage in God." {RH, June 10, 1884 par. 12}

Want to know about the POWER you have as a Christian that even Satan cannot defeat? Click here.