One of the blessings of being on a pastoral staff is that whenever you are enriched by God’s Word you immediately have a group of people that you can share it with. Being down here I have missed that, but since I have the administration password to this blog – I can share it with you!

Recently, I have been surveying the Scriptures about God’s grace. We have all heard the definitions of grace: “Unmerited favor from God” or the acrostic, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense” But what is grace? What does the Bible say about grace? I think of this because of a few reasons: our church started a ministry called Global Grace; I read Paul’s salutations, “Grace be unto you . . .”; I counsel people through difficult times and say, “God’s grace is available”; and I sing the song, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.” Grace – what does the Bible have to say about it? Let me share with you a few of the observations I have made about God’s grace (this is by no means intended to be an exhaustive list. If you have thoughts to add, please feel free to email them to me!). One distinction that needs to be made: My thoughts are in reference to God’s sanctifying grace, not the saving grace He bestows upon us at salvation. In other words, the growing grace that we need in our everyday walk with the Lord is the topic at hand.

1. God grace comes in increments – James 4:6; Ephesians 4:7

Let’s be honest - there are times when we simply need more grace! God has designed it so that we are constantly faced with the reality that we must depend on Him. It is usually in the midst of difficult situations or crises that we realize the need for more grace. In reality, we should petition for more grace everyday regardless of circumstances. Just as Paul said, “But by God’s grace, I am what I am . . .” (I Cor. 15:10), our everyday progress is marked by our need for more grace to continue our sanctification process.

2. God’s grace only comes through humility – James 4:6; I Peter 5:5

Humility is recognizing the absolute necessity to depend on God for literally everything. The grace that is needed for you and me to grow in our walk with God will only come as we recognize our need to grow closer to God. The moment we are appalled by the coolness of our relationship with the Father is when grace becomes available. But when pride is prevailing upon us, we find nothing but God’s resistance – yes, His resistance and grace be withheld.

Like a fish needs water, we all need God’s grace to progress in our spiritual journey. We understand that we cannot do anything that pleases God without His grace. How do we receive the grace that will bring Him glory and pleasure? Only by humility.

3. God’s grace has no limitations – Romans 5:17

“The abundance of grace . . .” Whenever God provides, He provides more than enough to get the job accomplished. Consider the miraculous feedings of the 5,000 and then the 4,000. In both accounts, He could have provided the exact amount food for all to be full, and no more. But He provided so that there would be plenty left over, so no one could walk away and say they didn’t get enough. No one could ever say, “Boy, it sure would have been better if . . .” It was perfect and more than they could handle. Remember the description of God’s ability in Ephesians 3:20? He can do “exceedingly above all that we ask or think.” God’s grace has no limitations and there is always enough available to make the situation turn out for His glory. (For more on the abundance of God’s provision, see Luke 6:38).

4. God’s grace is sufficient – II Corinthians 12:9

Paul had a trial, a very difficult trial. We are not sure what the trial was, but I doubt it was a hangnail or his PC crashing – again. We know it was serious enough for him to ask Christ three times to remove it. Two negative answers were not enough for Paul to stop asking. He continued to beg God to remove the trial. What finally stopped Paul’s request? It stopped when Christ reminded Paul of His grace. Once Paul turned his focus to the grace of God, the problem didn’t seem so big. Would the problem persist? Sure! But now Paul had the promise that God would provide the very thing needed to magnify His name in Paul’s life – His grace through that particular trial. It’s true, God’s grace is sufficient – even for what you and I face each day.

5. God’s grace allows us to serve God – Hebrews 12:28

We learn from this verse that the only way we can serve God in way that is acceptable to Him is by God’s grace. That is humbling. We like to think that we have some talent that God is just chomping at the bit to use, or that because of our background and experiences we are perfect for a particular ministry. Reality smacks us in our arrogant faces when we understand the concept of this verse. I can only serve God because of the grace that has been given to me. If I accomplish anything for the cause of Christ, it is because God gives the grace for it to be done.

God’s grace is truly amazing. My growth in Christ is an act of His grace. Who am I to grow closer to God? Who am I to bring honor to His name? Everything I touch is tainted with sin; but by God’s grace, blood covers those blemishes and somehow – I don’t fully understand how – but somehow makes me holy in His sight. Hallelujah, what a Savior!