THANK GOD FOR GRACE - PART 4

THURSDAY 20 JULY 2023

So many people have lived and died rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ. These are people in all ages and from all works of life. All who reject the Saviour reject the grace of God, and they are by nature, wicked. Why did I say so? There is no more certain, cogent and conclusive proof of wickedness than the rejection of the Lord Jesus, after all He went through on the cross to pay for our own sins, as a sinless Son of God.

Reference: Ephesians 1:6 New Living Translation (NLT) "So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son."

If you have received the Lord Jesus Christ, understand that God has poured out His grace on those who belong to His dear Son. Therefore, be grateful and thankful.

To that end, here are ways to express our thanksgiving to God for His grace:

Firstly, Ephesians 4:7 says, "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift" (NIV). The view here makes reference to the conception of grace given to us according to the manifestation of our spiritual gifts, which come in shapes and sizes. So it is reasonable to expect that those who have been specially favoured with spiritual gifts should praise God for His glorious grace.

Secondly, 1 Peter 4:10 reads, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms"(NIV). Beloved, we have indeed received the abundance of God's grace in various forms, meaning that we have been signally favoured by whatever gift we have received in the Kingdom of God.

Therefore, to express our thanksgivings to God, just as each one of us has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Into the bargain, as you do so, do it heartily, as to the Lord, knowing that you will receive the reward of the inheritance as you serve the Lord Christ (see Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV).

The third way to express our thanksgivings to God for His grace is by approaching the throne room with confidence. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) reads, "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Notably, the name attached to the throne room is GRACE. Why so? Our strength lies in the grace of God; our faith inclusive.

Approaching God's throne of grace means that we are not dependent on the works of self-righteousness, but rather, we rely on His mercy and grace. Looking back to works of the law will assign a limit over you. It also implies that there is no divine heritage without grace, which is just like saying: no spiritual birth without Christ. Significantly, it is through GRACE that we receive anything from the throne room.

Fourthly, or the fourth way is by giving our best to God. To that effect, apostle Paul urges us in 2nd Corinthians 8:7 saying, "But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving" (NIV). So we express our thanksgiving to God for His grace by our precious acts of giving. To that effect, 2 Corinthians 9:8 reads, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work" (NKJV).

When we receive Christ, we become God's own children by His glorious grace. Hence, the communication of a spiritual life begins through the influence of the Spirit because we are now born of God. So God is faithful and worthy to receive our praise after all He has done for us in Christ Jesus. Having embraced Christ as Lord, having been saved by God's grace, and having received the message of eternal life, we ought to be full of thanksgiving to the Almighty Deity. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 1:14; Acts 8:6; Romans 11:6; Acts 15:11; Ephesians 2:8-9.

Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, your grace affords great delight in me, and its revealed in the manner which I express my thankfulness, both now and always, in Jesus' Name, Amen!