Grace - Not just for meals anymore

The funniest thing I have found on my journey as a newly saved Christian, is when talking to my friends and family they all have no idea (and well neither did I) what the Grace of God is. Laughingly most admit, that they just figured that grace was that little prayer you said before meals at Christmas and Thanksgiving. WOW what a delusion. How many of us have lived in fear and shame because we were not aware of the Grace of our Lord?

"So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" Romans 5:21

"Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:6-8

Praise the Lord, how awesome is that. We are given right standing with God which results in eternal life through Jesus, simply because of God's wonderful grace. Grace we are given simply by asking for it. There is no prerequisites, no test or exams, no hoops to jump through, no minimums and no maximums. God wants to give you His grace simply for being you. He loves you just the way you are and wants to bring you to salvation just as you are right now. You have nothing to do to get His grace but to ask for it.

"for Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved" Romans 10:13

"And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved" Romans 11:5-7

You have nothing to do but to call to the Lord ask for His salvataion and you will be saved by His grace. That is the best part of our God, He loves us so much that He asks nothing of us, and there is nothing we can do to deserve His Grace, we are blessed with His grace simply because of His kindess and love

I know in my experience there is no feeling in the world like being wrapped in God's grace. In the lowest moment of my life, the moment I was truly saved by God (even if in that moment I didn't know it right away) I felt His grace. It was a feeling of warmth that embraced me like a warm sweater, a tingling sensation that over whelmed me and comforted me. A calm wave that brought peace to my whole person. I try to explain that feeling to those that have asked what grace really is. I have gotten a little feedback from friends who have found those moments of grace when they were surrounded by fear or insecurites and God wrapped his grace around them and let His peace flow. It is in moments like that when we can turn to God, and ask for salvation and turn our lives over to Him, where the promise of life everlasting with Jesus Christ is a guarantee. Really, how great is God? Our God is awesome. His love and grace is never ending and totally unconditional. His mercy is new and fresh every morning.

Glory to God.

I hope in some small way this will help lead you to Him, who ever you are, where ever you, no matter what baggage you bring. God loves you and wants to bring you home.

God Loves US!

As human beings we have a sinning nature. Sinning and doing bad things comes easy, even for those among us who have a strong moral compass. Sometimes it is easier to lie, or to hide the truth rather then face the consequences of our actions no matter how small. We are made selfish and are convinced by the world that we are "special" and "different" from all those around us. This leads us to separation from the whole and separation from God. Through the trials I have been going through over the course of the past few months, which perhaps I will eventually share via this medium, I have learned that we are not that special or different. We are all really so similar, we go through the same things, are tested in similar ways, share the same fears and insecurities, and have the same feelings. Our nature wants us to not believe this, our nature wants us to hold on to the selfishness and turn away from the things that bring us together with each other and with God. The hard part for us is to love, to love everyone as if they were ourselves. This is what God commands.

"Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV)

This is an important aspect of Christianity and of faith. This is the first step towards turning your life to God. To see each person as an extension of yourself. To love them as though they were an extension of you. This goes completely against our nature, that selfish nature I mentioned earlier.
God wants us to love each other, wholly, totally and completely. Love each other with reckless abandon. He even gave us an example to live by, He showed us how to love, and how He expects us to love each other.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NLT)

Praise God, how amazing is that. Not only does God make the ultimate sacrifice for us, His creation, His children, but He gives us the perfect example of how we must love each other. The perfect example of how He loves us. And He LOVES us. Powerfully and unbridled, completely and totally. He loves us exactly how we are right now in this moment. As a sinner, as an imperfect and selfish human being. His grace and His mercy is always available, always waiting for you and always present in your life, all you have to do is ask for them.

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

By God's own words we can be saved at any time in our lives, by just turning to God and telling Him we are ready to give our lives to Him. Glory to God, what an awesome promise!

Life will fill us with challenges and obstacles and the more we try to fight them on our own, the more overwhelmed we will become, once we turn our lives and our will to God, good thing just start happening!

Go forth and love, love everyone the way God loves you!