GRACE, JUST GRACE, NOTHING BUT GRACE...
This past weekend, was one of the best and most productive weekends I've had in a long time. It was also a challenge. You see, I'm so enamored, amazed and grateful for God's grace--and I want everyone else to be, also; so, whenever I see hints of legalism, something gets stirred up in me. That occurred, too, this weekend. Legalism doesn't only stink in God's nostrils, it stinks in mine, too. I see the damage it does, and I see also that it is in essence a rejection of the work of the cross.
Today, for my devotional time, I was drawn to the 4th chapter of Romans. You know how you can read a verse or verses all of your life, but never get the full meaning--and then, a light bulb gets turned on? And, really that's not to say, that there won't be further illumination, but today was pretty explosive. I love this chapter--it's the story of the shaping of grace, through the father of faith, Abraham. When we read in Genesis (if we start there, having never read or understood what's going to occur later), we have no idea what God is doing in the life of this very imperfect man. As imperfect as Abraham was, he listened to God, and he obediently followed Him without anyone teaching him about God, or faith, or how to follow. God called him, and told him to get away from all that he knew, to an unknown land. And, God tested his faith time and time again. There were a couple of times when Abraham was fearful and failed to trust God and devised his own plan--it caused a lot of trouble.
Abraham grew older and wiser--in the ways of God. God blessed him, wherever he went. When his greedy nephew Lot chose the "greener pastures", Abraham still thrived. Lot learned, like we often do, that the grass really isn't greener on the other side--it's just a mirage. It took a long time for Abraham's faith to mature to the level where he was ready for the ultimate test. Romans 4:19 says it this way, "He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah's [deadened] womb." (The Amplified Bible). For some who might be concerned about accuracy because of the difference in wording from the King's English, here is the same verse from the Jewish Bible--"His trust did not waver when he considered his own body - which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old - or when he considered that Sarah's womb was dead too." For years, I read this account, but my focus was always on the following verses. This verse speaks volumes, though. It says that he acknowledged the facts--he didn't deny them (as many teach, in terms of faith), but he looked at those facts through eyes full of faith. He didn't say, "Sarah's not barren, and I am not now impotent"; he simply believed AGAINST what he saw. And, then God, called "nonexistent things into existence." (The Complete Jewish Bible)
Faith accomplishes the impossible. Faith is the vehicle that connects us to God's grace. It isn't what we do or don't do--laws and rules, because verse 15 (of the same 4th chapter of Romans) clearly tells us that "For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)" (New Living Translation). And verse 14 tells us that if we are reliant on the the law to be righteous, we make faith "void", "useless", "unnecessary", "futile and empty" and the promise of God "has no power".
A verse comes to mind now, "Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the transgressor is hard [like the barren, dry soil or the impassable swamp]." (Proverbs 13:15, The Amplified Bible) What does this mean??? As it relates to those of us, in this dispensation of grace, the transgressor is the person who insists on living according to the Law (or laws, rules and regulations) rather than walking fully according to grace. His way is hard--because, it is impossible to secure righteousness, by the Law--this is why we needed a Savior. The only work going on in any of us that will save us, is done by the Holy Spirit. It really is just grace. As long as you are trying and striving to govern your life according to rules you are living a life tantamount to running backwards on a treadmill--going nowhere, making no progress, and stumbling often. All one has to do is step off the treadmill and turn around, and receive grace, and allow God to make him or her righteous--it's so easy, it's fool-proof, literally. We complicate everything--and we complicate it for others, especially. We create rules for people that we can't even live by--so did the Pharisees, in Jesus' day, and He called them "whitewashed tombs" in other words, appearing beautiful outwardly, but inside filled with the skeletons of the dead.
To sum this up, let's go to the beginning of Romans 4. "What shall we say then that Abraham our father hath found pertaining to the flesh? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath reason to glory, but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' Now to him that worketh, his reward is reckoned not according to grace, but according to debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness," (Romans 4:1-5, New King James Version)
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, We thank You, for the marvelous and miraculous gift of grace. Help us to understand that any attempt by us to live our lives according to anything other than your grace, is transgression. Your sacrifice was too great, for us--You were cursed for us, Your blood was poured out for our guilt. Give us hearts to serve You, in love and gratitude. Teach us to walk according to grace, recognizing that LOVE is the great sin-killer, not the Law. As we increase in love, we will decrease in sin, and in our desire for sin. Purify us, by Grace. In Jesus' Name. AMEN.
Grace,
Lisa
Today, for my devotional time, I was drawn to the 4th chapter of Romans. You know how you can read a verse or verses all of your life, but never get the full meaning--and then, a light bulb gets turned on? And, really that's not to say, that there won't be further illumination, but today was pretty explosive. I love this chapter--it's the story of the shaping of grace, through the father of faith, Abraham. When we read in Genesis (if we start there, having never read or understood what's going to occur later), we have no idea what God is doing in the life of this very imperfect man. As imperfect as Abraham was, he listened to God, and he obediently followed Him without anyone teaching him about God, or faith, or how to follow. God called him, and told him to get away from all that he knew, to an unknown land. And, God tested his faith time and time again. There were a couple of times when Abraham was fearful and failed to trust God and devised his own plan--it caused a lot of trouble.
Abraham grew older and wiser--in the ways of God. God blessed him, wherever he went. When his greedy nephew Lot chose the "greener pastures", Abraham still thrived. Lot learned, like we often do, that the grass really isn't greener on the other side--it's just a mirage. It took a long time for Abraham's faith to mature to the level where he was ready for the ultimate test. Romans 4:19 says it this way, "He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah's [deadened] womb." (The Amplified Bible). For some who might be concerned about accuracy because of the difference in wording from the King's English, here is the same verse from the Jewish Bible--"His trust did not waver when he considered his own body - which was as good as dead, since he was about a hundred years old - or when he considered that Sarah's womb was dead too." For years, I read this account, but my focus was always on the following verses. This verse speaks volumes, though. It says that he acknowledged the facts--he didn't deny them (as many teach, in terms of faith), but he looked at those facts through eyes full of faith. He didn't say, "Sarah's not barren, and I am not now impotent"; he simply believed AGAINST what he saw. And, then God, called "nonexistent things into existence." (The Complete Jewish Bible)
Faith accomplishes the impossible. Faith is the vehicle that connects us to God's grace. It isn't what we do or don't do--laws and rules, because verse 15 (of the same 4th chapter of Romans) clearly tells us that "For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)" (New Living Translation). And verse 14 tells us that if we are reliant on the the law to be righteous, we make faith "void", "useless", "unnecessary", "futile and empty" and the promise of God "has no power".
A verse comes to mind now, "Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the transgressor is hard [like the barren, dry soil or the impassable swamp]." (Proverbs 13:15, The Amplified Bible) What does this mean??? As it relates to those of us, in this dispensation of grace, the transgressor is the person who insists on living according to the Law (or laws, rules and regulations) rather than walking fully according to grace. His way is hard--because, it is impossible to secure righteousness, by the Law--this is why we needed a Savior. The only work going on in any of us that will save us, is done by the Holy Spirit. It really is just grace. As long as you are trying and striving to govern your life according to rules you are living a life tantamount to running backwards on a treadmill--going nowhere, making no progress, and stumbling often. All one has to do is step off the treadmill and turn around, and receive grace, and allow God to make him or her righteous--it's so easy, it's fool-proof, literally. We complicate everything--and we complicate it for others, especially. We create rules for people that we can't even live by--so did the Pharisees, in Jesus' day, and He called them "whitewashed tombs" in other words, appearing beautiful outwardly, but inside filled with the skeletons of the dead.
To sum this up, let's go to the beginning of Romans 4. "What shall we say then that Abraham our father hath found pertaining to the flesh? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath reason to glory, but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' Now to him that worketh, his reward is reckoned not according to grace, but according to debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness," (Romans 4:1-5, New King James Version)
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, We thank You, for the marvelous and miraculous gift of grace. Help us to understand that any attempt by us to live our lives according to anything other than your grace, is transgression. Your sacrifice was too great, for us--You were cursed for us, Your blood was poured out for our guilt. Give us hearts to serve You, in love and gratitude. Teach us to walk according to grace, recognizing that LOVE is the great sin-killer, not the Law. As we increase in love, we will decrease in sin, and in our desire for sin. Purify us, by Grace. In Jesus' Name. AMEN.
Grace,
Lisa
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