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In the movie a “Fall from Grace” (there is a scene in it, purely for SEO purposes) from Netflix with Bresha Webb, Tyler Perry and Crystal R. Fox, a woman is indicted for murdering her husband; then her lawyer thinks there may be a conspiracy at play. She had the best time of her life until her marriage with her husband. Then the money in her account disappear and her husband turned foul on their marriage which seems like he staged his feelings with alterior motives.
– What will drive you to the edge to drop your guard and change your values for the worst?
– What will it take to change you back to a lovable person who really cares about people and who’s got great values?
Hans the grace of God makes our salvation possible.
The grace of God also makes our growth and development possible.
God’s grace is the source of everything that is Good in us.
Let’s see what God has to say about grace.
Verses for Today:
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus,the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ – Eph 1:1-10
Hans the concept of grace is to give everything to someone who deserves nothing, and that is what happens to us in Jesus Christ.
We deserve nothing, but in him we are given everything.
In spite of our sin, we are treated as if we were like Christ himself.
This means we are judged not on the basis of our performance, but on the basis of grace Hans. Incredible !!!
The Bible talks about “how great is the love the Lord has lavished on us”.
– So what does the word “lavish” mean Hans?
- Francois I think it means love in abundance, overflow, etc.
Well Hans the meaning in the dictionary; “bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities on”.
– So Hans what picture does that give you of God?
- Francois the words of the song “Picture of Grace” comes to mind:
Picture a man with no reason for living
With no hope of smiling again
Imagine a world with no golden daybreak
Enclosed by the blackness of sin And the scene is bathed in beauty and glory
Transformed by love’s sweet embrace
The hands of the Savior, erased all my sorrow
And painted this picture of grace How skillful the hands of the artist
Who painted this picture of meHe saw with the eyes of a master
How beautiful my life could be Where once was a portrait of gloom and despair
This masterpiece hangs in it’s place
It’s signed with his blood and it’s framed with his glory
This beautiful picture of grace. The ashes and ruin
That once filled the picture
Had vanished and faded from view
And beautiful touches of mercy adorned
This picture he painted anew Such peace filled the eyes of the man he created
A smile gently rests on his face
Since Jesus erased all the guilt of my past
And painted this picture of grace How skillful the hands of the artist
Who painted this picture of me
He saw with the eye’s of a master
How beautiful my life could be Where once was a portrait of gloom and despair
This masterpiece hangs in it’s place
It’s signed with his blood and it’s framed with his glory
This beautiful picture of grace Where once was a portrait of gloom and despair
This masterpiece hangs in it’s place
It’s signed with his blood and it’s framed with his glory
This beautiful picture of grace
This beautiful picture of grace
– Hans how does this differ from some views of God that you may be familiar with?
- God is cruel to let people die.
- God does not care about me because look what is happening in my life.
– What is Paul’s response, described in 1:3, to such incredible grace?
- God has blessed us in the heavenly realms, with every spiritual blessing. Wow!
– How should your understanding of God’s grace change your attitude and outlook on life?
- Francois it should make me thankful.
- It should make me live a happy life.
- It should make me live a thankful life for God.
– How blessed are you in your life because of God?
- I have a beautiful wife and daughter.
- We both have good jobs, hopefully still after the Corona virus lockdown.
- I have an awesome spiritual family who really cares for me and challenges me to love God.
- God allowed me to get a degree and register professionally as a Quantity Surveyor.
That is great Hans. Can you close us out in prayer?
- Yes I will do Francois. Lord thank you for this new day. Thank you for your grace and your unmerited gift you bestowed on me. Help me to live a thankful life, to live up to the calling you have bestowed on me. Lord please help me to live a holy and blameless life in your sight.
- Amen
Tomorrow we will be looking at: Standing in Grace
