MATCHLESS GRACE

2 Cor 12:9

He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

We need to be thankful for all the things God allows in our life. Praise is the way we demonstrate our trust in him. If we replace our agenda with his agenda, we will be well prepared in heart and mind to meet every crisis. We are like servants who must be ready to do our Lord's bidding. If we let him be in charge, he will see that everything in our life is in its' proper place. If we are guided by his wisdom, nothing will be out of order in our life. If we desire only to know the Lord, his goodness will fall upon our soul like the morning dew upon the grass, reinvigorating and refreshing us. Every day will be a bright and shining new day. His presence will dispel the darkness around us, and we shall walk in his light. He loved us before we were born, and he laid out beforehand a storehouse of blessings just for us. These blessings we inherit, as we read and follow his word. If we remain unafraid of men and of what they might say or do, then they cannot steal our blessing. What is most important is what the Father thinks of us. He is the one we are to please. Since we were born, he has been watching over us, waiting for us to come to him so that we might receive the things he already had in store for us.
So come and drink of the water of life. Come to this river which shall flow forevermore. The grace of God is the greatest gift you could ever have. Christ is able to make all grace abound, so having all grace you may have more than enough power to face all problems, and face them well. So having all grace, you may have the strength to face every challenge and every task with pleasure, knowing his grace cannot fail to help you in every situation. His grace is sufficient for you. You are no exception to the rule. If you find that you have failed the task, then you did not partake of his grace. But where sin and failure abounded, grace did much more abound. Even in failure, you are not lost. There are more battles ahead and victory lies in store for you, if on his grace you rely. For by grace you were saved, and by grace you can stand in God's presence as his child. Praise Jesus for his matchless grace!
Remember, the chastisement of the Lord is his loving way of getting you back on the right road. You need not fear his wrath, although you should respect him with reverence and awe. Though you have failed, do not forget it is by grace alone you were saved, and it is by grace you stand. Never forget it is only what the Lord has done which causes you stand. Did he not say he would teach you his will? Surely he shall show you the way. Heed his Spirit, fully trust him, and you will learn how to obey. He is always on your side, and his ways are always right. Only acknowledge your sin, and continue to seek him for more grace. He loves you, and his Spirit is yours to enjoy. So delight yourself in the Lord and he will grant the desires of your heart, for he is most gracious, loving, and kind.
The more you appreciate what Jesus has done for you and what Jesus has given you, and when you ponder what he has brought you out of and how great a change he has made in your life; then you will long to praise him more. Death has been destroyed and now you have eternal life, because of his love for you. He looks for you to be of humble heart, for it is the humble in heart who he can lead, guide, and direct. The humble are those who walk by his side. But if you are proud, he will not leave you or desert you. He will not let you go, or leave you helplessly reliant on your own strength. He has never forsaken his own. Rather, he is ever longing to come back and take you, so you might be with him forever. He hears your cry. He sees your heart which seeks after him. He waits for you to humble yourself, so he may bless you and lift you up. He waits for the lost and the downtrodden to respond to his love. He waits for the cold in heart to come to him. He waits patiently for those who have turned from him to come back to him, so they may receive forgiveness.
Everything you possess has been given to you. It has been freely given. All is freely given from God. Before you were formed in the womb, these things were prepared for you according to his will. When you were born from above, new things were given--love, joy, peace, gifts of the Spirit, and everlasting life. You did not have them or make them, neither did they come from you, but they were freely given! When you recognize this, you shall begin to see how abundant his grace is to you. He did not give you all these things to use for your own purposes. Do not think proudly, as if you did anything to deserve all these blessings. Do not deceive yourself, by taking the glory for his gifts. You will receive the greatest pleasure by using your blessings and gifts for God's glory. Like an obedient son, who knows he will inherit all his father has, use all these things to build up his Kingdom, and you yourself will share in the rewards when you receive your kingdom. Joyfully, thankfully appreciate the grace he has bestowed upon you, as you use all you have for him. Then you shall obtain the full potential of all the rich dividends which await you at your journey's end.