Crazy Awesome Grace!

"Grace is getting what you don't deserve." That's absolutely incredible! That we would not only be saved from the punishment we deserve--that's mercy--but we would also be given what we don't deserve--that's grace.

"Your Grace Still Amazes Me"

"Your Grace Still Amazes Me" Phillips, Craig & Dean

My faithful Father, Enduring Friend

Your tender mercy is like a river with no end

It overwhelms me; covers my sin 

Each time I come into Your presence

I stand in wonder once again

Your grace still amazes me 

Your love is still a mystery 

Each day I fall on my knees 

'Cause Your grace still amazes me 

Your grace still amazes me 

Oh patient Savior, You make me whole 

You are the Author and the Healer of my soul 

What can I give You; Lord what can I say 

I know there's no way to repay You

Only to offer You my praise 

Your grace still amazes me 

Your love is still a mystery 

Each day I fall on my knees 

'Cause Your grace still amazes me 

Your grace still amazes me 

It's deeper, It's wider, It's stronger, It's higher

It's deeper, It's wider, It's stronger, It's higher

Than anything my eyes can see 

Your grace still amazes me 

Your love is still a mystery 

Each day I fall on my knees 

'Cause Your grace still amazes me 

Your grace still amazes me 

Here is a "definition" for grace from God's word: "It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). That's what grace is, the will to do and the doing of God's perfect will. 

To put it in other words, "grace is the desire and the power to do the will of God." Not only are we incapable of doing anything right, anything God would want us to do, but we often don't even have the desire to be obedient to God. But, "when we are at our whit's end and feel like we can't do anything right, God's grace says, 'I'm proud of you. I don't care about what you can't do, because I've got it all under control.'"

You see, "the only person that can live the Christian life is Jesus." Good news or bad news? Well, considering I've failed to live the Christian life so many times before, it's actually a very good thing. Only through Jesus will any of us ever do anything right.

And if you've gotten to the point where you know that YOU CAN'T DO THIS, God may be able to finally use you, because it's the people that realize how far they are from where they need to be that will rely on God, get out of His way, and let Him do what we could never do on our own. "If you have failed miserably, God's message to you is, 'You're just the person I've been looking for!'"

So how do we respond to this grace? Say, "Yes." Call on God and His grace. "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) When that thing that we can't do, that situation that we can't handle rears it's ugly head, stop trying to do it alone; go to God. He'll tell you, "My grace is all that you need."

p.s. btw, if anyone is interested, guess what? I'M FINISHED SCHOOL! Graduation tomorrow! :) Yes, I'm slightly excited...

JPK