January Blog Chain

Welcome to January 2012 edition of Christian Writers Blog Chain. Our theme this month is "Quest" For the most part life is a quest. We are always seeking something whether it is  some type of resolution of change or perhaps something less grand than the meaning of life. My personal quest began a few months ago when I discovered that I am not using all the benefits of being a Christian with unlimited access to the throne of grace. I've entitled my post "Finding Grace"  I hope that you'll benefit from my discoveries. Please check out other posts from our talented team of writers on the chain. Their links are listed on the right side bar. May God bless you on your personal quest!

Finding Grace

We are taught in scripture that all we need is found in God's grace, but more often than not we find ourselves begging God for the things we need in prayer. Sometimes we look to other people to learn the secret. Sometimes we try to earn the favor of God by our actions, but we know something is out of balance.

I've spent the last couple months meditating on three familiar scriptures: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall have everlasting life” and John 10:10 “Jesus said,” The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come so that you will have life to the full” finally Hebrews 11:1 “ What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we can not yet see” These three scriptures are stand alone scriptures, no other definition is necessary,

The Lord has been so gracious to us, that although things in the physical world are amiss, because of  the sinful nature of man, His word gives us many assurances of the truth and how we can find balance. Some question God's goodness or His power when their needs are not met, but in meditating on these scriptures, I've discovered an eternal truth. God is good and His love endures forever. He provided all we could ever need BEFORE we had a need.

In the beginning He created light (Genesis 1:3) three days before the universe we know. He created the land, sea, sky, seed-bearing plants and animals before He made the sun. The sun is not the source of life, but God is. This logical progression begins and ends with His power. Everything was prepared for us before we were created, thus proving the forethought and provision of God. So is it so hard to imagine John 3:16?

God's grace is ever present. He never withholds it or changes His mind, our problem is accessing this source. This is where faith comes in. Faith is our response to God's word. It is the amount of trust we have built through spending time with Him. Our experience in faith determines how much of God's grace we access. It was by using a tiny amount of faith, we received salvation and it's by more focus on believing God's word, growing in His love and allowing it to transform our mind (Romans 12:2) that we access His grace more abundantly.

Jesus said, “The thief [Satan] comes to kill, steal and destroy” (John 10:10). He steals the truth from those who are seeking, the innocence from those who trust God. He distorts the truth of God's word by deceiving believers that the war is still on and we need to earn salvation. Satan is a master manipulator who thrives on watching Christians misrepresent Jesus.

We have come to believe that our sin still separate us from receiving the Lord's blessing in our lives-that is simply not true, Jesus paid all our sins on the cross, which separated us from God. He is the source of all blessing. It is our unbelief that stops the flow of blessing in our lives. Jesus said “Ask and you shall receive, Knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:8).  “If you ask for anything in my Name you will have it”(John 14:13),''But when you pray, do not doubt that you have received it" (Mark 11;24). “A person who is double-minded can not expect anything from the Lord”(James 1:6-8). We can still sin against each other, which causes separation in our lives, but not from God.

So how do we find and live in balance of God's grace and our faith? First, we need to strip off the trappings of religious thought and renew our minds to the truth of God's Word. We are deeply loved, fully pleasing, totally accepted, and complete in Christ Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith! It was the hope we placed in His truth that brought us to His redeeming grace. Second, we need to act in love towards others, remembering we all struggle with the same deceitful enemy.

Becoming grounded in this truth, our faith will grow, allowing us greater access into God's boundless grace that is always available. We will realize we are more than conquerors in this age and how rich we are in spiritual blessings through Jesus. As we grow this way in uncompromised faith, we'll bring greater glory to God and receiving all we need or could hope for.

“ I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13

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