God's Grace

In response to my last post I got this letter from a dear friend, who shall remain anonymous (as she has requested in the past):

"I was thinking this morning how much listening to “grace” teaching has transformed my life in recent years. One thing that has changed is that I had a lifelong problem with tardiness. I was powerless to change it. It seemed the harder I tried, the worse it got. This Gospel of grace has changed all that. I routinely get to work early. That has never happened in all my 52 years. Why now? The “grace message” has brought freedom into my life. Freedom I always yearned for, but felt powerless to step into. Church did not help. It hindered. Why? My church is not a place where “grace” is taught. My church is a place where behavior modification is taught.

"I remember telling you years ago about Creflo Dollar. At the time, he was more a cohort of the Copelands. In recent years, I suspect since the business with his daughter, he has been preaching the grace message from his pulpit. It is changing lives. Their church is still not that far down the road in Atlanta. But there are many on the internet and TV as well. Joseph Prince and more. I recommend it. Grace brings freedom and stamps out the bondage of behavior modification."

I've got to tell you that at first I felt completely like I had been slapped in the face for wanting to make changes in my life. How could I respond? I let it sit and then, later, started to think about grace.

Wow. I had not been considering grace. Yet, grace is what changes everything. God's grace.

As I went off to sleep I was thinking about what she had said. When I woke up early (for me) this morning I was in a different spirit. God had been speaking to me and continued to minister to me as I continued to meditate on Him. I cannot type here all the things that He showed me but I ended up realizing that as I fasted, I wanted to be praying. I want to walk with Jesus.

I remembered the word "focus" from my Bible study yesterday morning. We had looked at synonyms and one antonym which are: Focus – center, focal point, center of attention, concentrate, direct, motivation, single-mindedness, application. Antonym: edge

I had pointed out to the group that "focus" is the center and not the edge. Thinking about the opposite (the edge) is like looking all around the outside and never getting to the point. The point being grace. The point is in the center where God and His grace are. His new grace. His mercy and His grace are new every morning because He does not change. He is always new.

From my study: "Drawing near to God means focusing on Him and walking in His Presence day by day. Just like using a camera with a telephoto lens, we first focus, then refocus.  As you focus in and out, things in the lens become more or less sharp and clear. Focusing on God is the same.  It takes practice. We will probably never be able to keep our focus constantly on Him as we live our lives but we must remember to refocus on Him, over and over again, every day.

“ 'Levelheaded' is a mind that is not wavering and rippling about in strange waters. It is settled on the Word of God. A mind that remains smooth because it is focused on Jesus!"

What my friend had told me to do was to focus on grace. As I did that I was drawn closer and closer to the peace of God. 

You know, I am not sure, I can get down on paper what I remembered and felt and prayed for this morning but I can tell you that God's grace changes everything. Focus on His grace!

·       2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

·       Joh 5:24  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

·       Ga 6:8  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

·       La 3:21-24 ¶  This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"

  

1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

 Hebrews 13:9

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

  I don't know about you, but, I know that my fasting times will now no longer be about me doing things for my body... my fasting will now be my time to commune with God and to meditate on His grace and mercy and the fact that He loves me and calls me "worthwhile." Amen

Fasting can be a break from the world. Eating is tending to the flesh. Fasting and praying is tending to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Praise the Lord!

I don't know if I got the point across in this writing. That is what the Spirit of God does. He gets His point across. Sometimes it just takes the prompting of a friend to point us in a better direction. It takes the Lord to put it in our hearts and fill us up.

Thanks, my friend, Thank You, Lord!

Be back soon,

Marcia