THE GRACE OF GOD!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2020.

SUBJECT:  THE GRACE OF GOD!

Memory verse:  "So He answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4 vs 6.) 

READ:  Zechariah 4 vs 1 - 6:

4:1: Now the angel who talked with me came back and awakened me, as a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 

4:2:And said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with its bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. 

4:3: Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.”

4:4: So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?” 

4:5: Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” 

4:6: .So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts."

INTIMATION:

The dictionary definition of grace is; beauty, kindness, good-will, mercy, reprieve, and pardon. God's grace will then be His beauty; kindness; good-will; mercy; reprieve; and pardon for sinful humanity. These attributes of God are freely, and undeservedly given to sinful humanity. Grace therefore, is the free, and unmerited power of God available to sinful humanity to meet our needs without any costs to us. it is received by believing rather than through any human efforts. 

The simple and uncomplicated nature of God's grace as being a free gift, make many people miss it. There is nothing more powerful than grace. In fact, everything in the Bible—salvation, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, fellowship with God, victory in our daily lives, and so on—are rooted in the grace of God. Without grace, we are nothing, we have nothing, and can do nothing. If it were not for the grace of God, we would all be miserable and hopeless. Everything we are, do, and have are by the grace of God. You and I are helpless without the grace of God. We must not trust our own abilities, and initiatives because apart from Him, [cut off from vital union with Him] we can do nothing (John 15 vs 5). 

In Ephesians 2 vs 10, the apostle Paul tells us ..."We are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].” (Amplified Version.) Our works were prepared for us by God and finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4 vs 3).

The psalmist in Psalm 139 vs 13 - 16 clearly states; "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mothers's womb. ... for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works,...My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed . And in Your book they all were written, the day's fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." It is in realization of these facts, and in believing, that God's grace will be alive in your thought process, and you will "enter that rest" already fashioned for you (Hebrews 4 vs 3).  

We should start each day by saying, "Here I am, Lord, ready for whatever You have for me to do. I empty myself, as much as I know how, to allow Your grace to flow in my life, to cause me to be able to do whatever it is that You desire for me. I cast myself totally upon You. I can be only what You allow me to be, I can have only what You will for me to have, I can do only what You empower me to do, and each victory is to Your glory, not mine."

Many people believe that to survive in this world a person must be tough, strong, unbending and harsh. But God says, "Not by our might nor by our power, but by His Spirit—the power of God." It is only through God's Spirit (God's grace) that anything of lasting value is accomplished by us, and we overcome all our lives' challenges. In the passage we read today, the Lord is speaking to the same people who were trying to build the temple with Zerubbabel. He is telling them how they should react to their frustrating situation to overcome their adversaries against the rebuilding the temple. They should rely on God's grace. God says His children’s response to trouble should be not to depend on their own abilities or efforts, but on the limitless power of the Holy Spirit to meet the issues of their lives, and resolve the crises they face. 

Although God asks us to do our part, we should remember that He is not limited to human effort. God often chooses to work through people, but only because it is good for them. He can accomplish all He purposes without any help from us if He so chooses. You are very important to God, but on your own you have neither the ability to fulfill nor the power to disrupt God’s plan. 

Prayer: Abba Father, by strength shall no man prevail. Without Your grace I am nothing, I have nothing, and can do nothing! May I never miss me Your grace in all I do, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!