Category Archives: Christian Life

GOD’S MASTERPLAN

Christian Life, ,

Unlike human plans, intricate and multi-faceted, based on the human wisdom of fallible people, open-ended and uncertain of ultimate success, God’s masterplan is guaranteed to work. Let’s examine what He has done.

Psalm 2 is a masterful presentation of God’s universal plan to restore everything, but He has opposition.

Psalms 2:1-3 NLT
[1] “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? [2] The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. [3] “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

The nations, under the influence of evil spirit beings, led by the most powerful of them, rebelled against God’s instruction to rule in righteousness. Instead, they led the nations astray. Earthly rulers were determined to throw off God’s yoke, to take over the earth, and to establish their own rules. This was Adam’s choice gone universal.

God’s plan is to push the “reset button”, to restore the universe, and the earth in the universe, to its original perfection and purpose. How will He accomplish this?

Psalms 2:4-5 NLT
[4] “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. [5] Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury.”

God is not fazed by human opposition. He is first amused at their arrogant but pathetic efforts to throw off His authority. They rise up in rebellion, shake their fists at God, and make threatening noises, like kittens mewing at a storm.

Then, He is enraged. How dare puny humans, be they kings or any other authority figures, think they can out-manoeuvre God? Who do they think they are? Do they really believe they can overthrow His power and take over the universe?

Perhaps God should ask earthly kings the same questions He asked Job. “Where were you…? What part did you play in the creation of all earth’s wonders? Were you in on the planning of each intricately-fashioned plant and animal, and proclaimed into being by a spoken word…in six days! So, how do you think you can take over the running of the earth, let alone the universe, when you don’t even know how or when it began or how it works!”

Instead of being blabbermouths, this mighty God should stun them into silence and submission by His mighty power! But, no, they think they can outsmart Him, and He seems to be doing nothing!

God’s response is not what we expect. God’s plan is not an intricate strategy or a massive display of power. God’s plan is far more simple than that. God’s plan is a man.

Psalms 2:6-9 NLT
[6] For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”

What! Is that all? How can a man defend God’s universe against a coalition of all the most powerful rulers on earth?

Wait. He is not just a man. He is “the man, Christ Jesus”. Who is this man, this king who will stand against all the powers and weapons on earth, and win?

This man is God come to earth in a human body…

Philippians 2:6-7 NLT
[6] “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.”

This man lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father. This man’s life qualified Him to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin. This man died in place of all sinners to reconcile us to God.

Philippians 2:7-8 NLT
[7]”…When he appeared in human form, [8] he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

The Father vindicated this man’s life and death by raising Him from the dead.

Romans 1:3-4 NLT
[3] “The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, [4] and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The Father gave this man the greatest reward possible.

Philippians 2:9-11 NLT
[9]” Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus claimed that authority and send His disciples out to tell the world who is in charge and to call all people to repentance and faith in Him.

Matthew 28:18-20 NLT
[18] Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. [19] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

God’s plan in a nutshell….Jesus.

God, the Father, put Jesus, the Son, in authority over the entire creation, including galaxies of stars, and planets. That means that His rule is absolute.

Hebrews 1:1-3 NLT
[1] “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. [2] And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. [3] The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”

“He sat down…” Sitting means resting, work complete, authority established, nothing more to do! God’s kingdom is a theocracy, not a democracy. He rules, not people. God settled that issue, once and forever.

So…

[7] “The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. [8] Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. [9] You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’”

Since Jesus’ rule is established, forever, absolute, God warns the opposition to submit or perish. There is no alternative.

Psalms 2:10-12 NLT
[10] Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! [11] Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. [12] Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant…. “

There is a terrifying end to those who persist in their rebellion, the wrath of the Lamb.

Revelation 6:15-17 NLT
[15]”Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. [16] And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. [17] For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”

God’s MASTERPLAN…the man, Christ Jesus the Lord.

Revelation 19:11-16 NLT
[11] Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. [12] His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. [13] He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. [14] The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. [15] From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. [16] On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.”

His rule is absolute, His judgment final. All opposition will be permanently crushed.

And what of those who submit to His rule?

“But what joy for all who take refuge in him!”

Jesus doesn’t take sides. We do!

EXHUMED!

Christian Life, ,

Pardon this bizarre discussion, but it has exposed a VERY IMPORTANT TRUTH!

Recently, a friend was exposed to a terrifying situation, leaving her emotionally and spiritually shaken. Why, God? What was the purpose of this horrific experience? Despite the peace that steadied her in the moment, there were still unanswered questions?

On reflection, a startling revelation hit me. Let me explain.

I love forensics. I have been wired to enjoy unravelling situations to get to the bottom of the puzzle. Hence my interest in TV programmes that do just that….Forensic Investigations, Air Crash Investigations, Extreme Makeover, Home Edition…even maths at school…unravelling mysteries… these are the fascinating stories that I love to watch.

So, a situation like my friend endured, to me is a spiritual situation that needs unravelling.

How often, during a forensic investigation, the puzzle needs the deeper examination of a body to find the real cause of death. The body must be exhumed for further examination. In an air crash investigation, no stone is left unturned to find out not only what happened but why it happened. Only in this way can flying be made safer.

So, in the mystery of suffering, the Holy Spirit helps us to dig deeper to find answers that, most important, help us to understand what the Lord is doing in these unusually tough experiences.

What is it, deep inside us, that needs investigation? Let’s read the Bible’s diagnosis of the rottenness of the human heart.

Isaiah 64:6 NLT
[6] “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
[9] “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

Romans 7:18-19 NLT
[18] “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. [19] I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”

Trouble is, we have no idea what is inside of us, what evil we are capable of doing when the occasion arises. Only God knows!

Jeremiah 17:10 NLT
[10] But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

Now, we are assured that, in the New Covenant, all our sin… past, present and future… has been forgiven. However, there are beliefs and attitudes buried deep inside us that need to be exposed so that we can be deeply cleansed from even the attitudes and motives that pollute us.

Like the forensic scientist who looks inside an exhumed corpse to find what is in there, so the Lord exposes us to life-and-death situations to bring to the surface what is hidden inside.

Wow! Can this mean that God allowed, even organised the terrible thing that happened to my friend? If He is sovereign in all our circumstances, does this mean that He will go to whatever lengths are necessary to bring to the surface what is inside us?

The real “me” is exposed when the chips are down. How true is the saying, “There are no atheists in foxholes!” Our “faith” may be nothing but wishful thinking until and when we are faced with a crisis.

The real issue is…how serious is God about our deepest thoughts and attitudes? If holiness is His uncompromising demand of us, without which we will never see Him, how far will He take us in suffering to open up our inner being to His light? You see, though He knows what is in us, we don’t.

How could Peter ever know how fearful and cowardly he was without the server test that brought these things to the surface? His bragging meant nothing when he was faced with possible arrest and death.

So, we are encouraged by these words…

Hebrews 12:5-11 NLT
[5] “And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. [6] For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” [7] As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? [8] If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. [9] Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? [10] For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, SO THAT WE MIGHT SHARE IN HIS HOLINESS. [11] No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

In the end, it’s all about being His sons and daughters in His forever family, recreated in the image of Jesus, His perfect Son. So, even in extreme trials, we can trust Him and thank Him because He is preparing us for our eternity with Him. Be glad when God exposes hidden evil. Give thanks in all circumstances. God is preparing a bride for His Son, pure and without spot or blemish.

“Beulah Land”

Christian Life, ,

Theologians have recognised that the book of Isaiah is a microcosm of the Bible, 66 chapters in Isaiah, 66 books in the Bible. Isaiah is made up of two parts, 39 chapters dealing with law, sin and judgment, 27 chapters introducing the era of Messiah. The Bible is divided into two sections, 39 books in the Old Testament, dealing with law, sin, and judgment, 27 books in the New Testament unfolding the era of Messiah.

The last chapters in Isaiah, then, roughly correspond to the last book in the Bible, Revelation. They describe the consummation of history and the eternal reign of Messiah over His redeemed earth and people.

God’s promise to His people, using the imagery of Zion, Jerusalem, the capital city of His realm, is restoration.

Isaiah 62:1-5 NIV
[1] “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. [2] The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. [3] You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. [4] No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. [5] As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.”

Isaiah concludes his long resume of Israel’s failure and God’s patient dealings with His people with God’s promise. God never leaves His work in people’s lives open-ended. He always concludes His work with positive action, either confining unrepentant sinners to the destiny they chose or finalising His intention to perfect those who trust in Him.

For Israel, God’s purpose was to prepare them for the coming of His Messiah, to redeem not only Israel but the whole world from slavery to sin. Despite the waywardness of His people, God planned a positive outcome for His choice of this special nation.

Messiah came but God’s people still did not repent. In fact, their rebellion led to Messiah’s death! However, God’s plan was still on track because He had the Gentiles in mind.

Romans 11:11 NLT
[11] “Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.”

Despite God’s desire for His people, the land was in constant turmoil throughout their history. If not trouble through drought and pestilence, then invasion by foreign powers that decimated their homeland and diminished its people. Even today, God’s people and God’s land are in the throes of serious conflict.

When will it all end? We have no idea!

As much as Israel faces constant enemy incursion, so do we as individuals. Jesus assured us that trouble will be a part of our lives. There is no such thing as Utopia in this life, even for believers in Jesus but… He has a plan; He has a promise.

Married!

Not marriage as we see it in today’s troubled world; not jumping in and out of marriage when selfishness destroys relationships; not shacking up, unmarried, with no commitment because marriage is too permanent and doesn’t work; not even murder to get rid of a troublesome spouse!

Married, as in a permanent and indestructible union between Jesus and His bride! There are two ingredients for this perfect marriage which only God can provide.

Hephzibah…”my delight is in her”.
Beulah… “married”

The story of Eliezer’s mission, sent by Abraham to find a bride for Isaac, beautifully illustrates the Father’s purpose for sending the Holy Spirit. He came to find and prepare a bride for God’s Son.

The church is Jesus’ bride in whom He delights. He gave His life for her to perfect and prepare her for marriage. This marriage will be perfect and permanent.

Ephesians 5:25-27 NLT
[25] “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her [26] to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. [27] He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.”

He has gone to prepare her eternal home and will return to marry her when all is ready.

John 14:3 NLT
[3]” When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

Revelation 19:6-8 NLT
[6]” Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. [7] Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. [8] She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.”

Although much time and money are spent on preparing for the wedding, the ceremony and celebration are only the doorway into the marriage, a lifetime union of becoming one!

Beulah! Married! That’s the goal of all the preparation. Not a short-term, temporary union that is dissolved when it doesn’t work. Married means partnership, togetherness in every circumstance and situation, always functioning as a pair, doing life together through thick and thin, delighting in each other to the exclusion of all others.

“Married” is God’s promise for those who endure hardships, persevere despite obstacles, and press on through every difficulty to win the prize for which Christ calls us heavenward.

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
[13] “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

The ones who will receive the promise are those who comply with the conditions.

Living in Beulah Land means leaving the past behind in anticipation of the future. . Every trial endured, every pain suffered, every loss experienced prepares us for the peace of Beulah Land where we gaze with eager longing at the beauty and promise of the Celestial City across the Dark River.

The Dark River holds no terror for those who have reached Beulah Land because our Bridegroom has conquered death, broken its power, and now He has free access to those He accompanies into glory.

Hebrews 6:11-12 NLT
[11]”Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. [12] Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.”

Faith and endurance, keeping our eyes on the goal and pressing on regardless…will get us to “Beulah”, the eternal land of the eternally “Married”.

Beulah Land is a time of consolidation and anticipation. Consolidation… all the lessons of the past, learned through the hard experiences of pain and suffering, don’t need to be learned again. They are now cemented into who we are, and we draw on them to navigate the final stage of our journey through life.

Anticipation… By faith, we glimpse, with longing and eager desire, the gleaming turrets and towers of the Celestial City across the Dark River. This is God’s eternal dwelling place which we shall share forever in union with His Son.

One more thing…I have often wondered how Jesus can be the bridegroom of a composite bride of many millions of people. He is not a polygamist. The Holy Spirit answered my question. I asked the Lord how He can have all the names of every believer inscribed on the palm of His hand. (Isaiah 49). His answer: “NOT every name. Just one. Your name!” Every child of God has a one-on-one relationship with our Bridegroom! In the same way, we all have a personal space at His feet in worship. So, we have a personal, one-on-one intimacy with Jesus.

“Beulah Land”, an experience not to be missed in the final days of our journey through time. Time, for us, will cease. One more trip…across the Dark River, accompanied by our Bridegroom, to fall at the Father’s feet in worship and adoration, the consummation of all we have endured for this moment. Raptured…into the heavenly bridal chamber to be joined with Jesus, our bridegroom…forever!

MAINTENANCE

Christian Life, ,

In a recent episode of Air Crash Investigation, a horrific crash that killed everyone on board the plane could have been prevented had a routine item of maintenance been carried out.

The rear elevator on the tail of the aircraft controls the plane’s pitch, up or down, and roll, left or right. The jackscrew, controlled by the pilot’s action in the cockpit, moves the elevator to keep the plane flying level.

The jackscrew needs to be greased regularly to allow smooth movement. On this plane, the investigators discovered that, because of poor maintenance, the grease had dried out, causing the jackscrew to jam and eventually fail. The plane became uncontrollable and pitched down into the ground.

Isn’t this so like our Christian lives? Routine maintenance will keep us flying level and save us from a fatal crash.

There are warning signals in the plane’s cockpit to alert the pilot to the area that needs attention. It’s up to him to troubleshoot and correct the error if and when he can. If the error is a fault of the plane’s mechanics and function, he must land the aircraft as quickly and safely as he can. If the error is of his own making, he must adjust his behaviour in the cockpit according to strict protocols set by the manufacturer.

How do we maintain this “craft” that is flying through life? Paul gives us the maintenance procedures that take care of the safety of the passengers as well as the performance of the pilot that will ensure the craft’s safe landing at our destination.

We must remember that we do not live life alone. Whatever we say or do affects many others around us. We must live our lives in a way that does not isolate us from others or damage them by our words and actions.

Colossians 3:12-15 NLT
[12] “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. [13] Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. [14] Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”

Do you get it? Mercy, tolerance, patience, forgiveness, love…these, and more, keep the passengers on this” aircraft” flying together safely.

As pilots, we have a spiritual “alert” signal that warns us when there is a fault in our function. It’s called “the peace of God”. When our peace is disturbed, we know that somewhere in our words and behaviour, we have malfunctioned. We need urgent maintence to correct the problem to keep the “passengers” safe.

What a picture of doing life together in the church! We all need to maintain our walk with the Lord constantly and consistently so that no malfunction in any of us causes others to be hurt or discouraged. We are all in this together. Just as the pilot is responsible for the safety of his aircraft and passengers by functioning efficiently in the cockpit, so are we in the church, for a safe landing. Any failure or neglect puts the whole congregation into danger.

We have the maintenance manual at hand to keep our lives level and functional all the time, God’s Word, the Maker’s Manual. This book tells us how we were made and how we maintain this marvellous and intricate machine in which we “fly” from earth to heaven.

So let’s do the wise thing… fly our lives safely to our destination.

GLIMPSES OF PAUL – 11

Christian Life, ,

PAUL – SHATTERED BY GRACE

The one thing that escaped Paul on his murderous mission to Damascus was grace. The law of God was his passion. Since God’s law demanded “no other gods”, to worship a man, even Jesus who claimed to be the Son of God, was blasphemy of the worst kind. He must get rid of this threat quickly.

Then grace smashed head-on into him, knocking him, not only from his horse but also from his pedestal of self-righteousness.

Never had Paul tasted anything so sweet as God’s grace in Christ. When grace dawned in him, he realised that everything he had ever done to qualify him for favour with God was nothing more than “dung”, waste of the most revolting kind.

What had he made of Isaiah’s words…

Isaiah 64:6 NLT
[6] “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

…or Jeremiah’s conclusion…

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
[9] “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

Perhaps he simply ignored the searching truth and continued in his efforts to please God his way!
What a revelation when it finally dawned on him that all his self-effort was nothing but a futile waste of time. Worse than that, from God’s perspective, it was an affront and an insult to His holiness, to think that a mere man, and born sinful at that, could even try to be as righteous and holy as He is! What was Paul thinking!

Paul’s hypocritical “righteousness” was a denial of the very Tanach he was trying to obey. There was plenty of evidence in the Word he tried so hard to live by and protect, that made human righteousness a farce. Perhaps he thought that his efforts at “protecting God” by wiping out Jesus-followers, made up for his personal failures.

Although we don’t know how Paul processed all these aspects of his self-righteous arrogance, which included his religious background, upbringing, and training under Gamaliel, one thing is for sure…

… He met Jesus…

… And he went to Arabia…

… And he returned to civilisation a transformed man.

Grace became as precious to him after as his self-effort drove him before…

From that moment on, grace underpinned everything Paul was, did, and became.

Saved…

Ephesians 2:8 NLT
[8] “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”

Called…

Galatians 1:15 NLT
[15] But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace….”

Made righteous…a standing in grace

Romans 5:1-2 NIV
[1] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Delivered from the power of sin and death…

Romans 5:17 NLT
[17] “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”

Grace to overcome and to reach others…

2 Corinthians 4:11-12, 15 NLT
[11] Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. [12] So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you….
[15] All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.”

Grace, grace, and more grace. Everything God ever does and everything God ever gives is through His grace. He filters all His thoughts and deeds through grace because His love energises grace.

Grace punctured Paul’s hot air balloon, pulled him down to earth with a bump, set him on his feet right side up, and sent him on a mission to spread the message of grace to the whole world.

It’s all over, this desperate effort to gain God’s approval. It hasn’t worked..never will. Fortunately for Paul, he faced that one head-on and got the message.

For the rest of his life, Paul rode easily on God’s grace. No more trying…only trusting.

Philippians 3:3-9 NLT
[3] “For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, [4] though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! [5] I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. [6] I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. [7] I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. [8] Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ [9] and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NLT
[6] “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, [7] even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. [8] Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. [9] Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. [10] That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

What is grace? Grace is the unmerited favour God shows us from birth to death, despite what we are, sinners under judgment and deserving of death.

Grace intervened to rescue us from our own self-made destruction.

Grace provided a perfect solution to our guilt.

Grace gave us the gift of righteousness that allows us, access to Himself.

Grace provides the perfect answer to our weakness, GOD’S own presence in us, the Holy Spirit.

Grace empowers us to persevere to the end that we might be saved.

Grace provides an eternity of life in the presence of God.

You see, grace is the foundation of all that God has done through Jesus to reverse what happened in Eden and keep us on course until we fulfil His eternal purpose.

Grace is like the oil in a mighty machine that keeps all the parts of salvation running smoothly and efficiently.

How can we know God’s grace?

John summed up its source perfectly …

John 1:14-18 NIV
[14] “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) [16] Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

Jesus is grace in a human, bringing all of God’s grace to us.