As we continue to study and get a revelation of God’s Ridiculous, Radical, Inexhaustible Grace, let me remind you that you are righteous; as righteous as you’ll ever be. Through all the studies/teachings on The Grace Report website, we’ve barely scratched the surface of the grace of God.
You may find this teaching repeats things from previous published teachings. This is done by necessity, because we can never study this truth too much. Grace is so much more than we have already studied. It’s more than just what I need when I sin, or when I make a mistake, or when I don’t deserve it.
I decided to put this teaching in four parts due to it’s length. It just seems that every time the Lord begins to give me a single word, in the form of a revelatory thought or scripture reference, He continues to explode that revelation as I study it.
God’s grace is so deep and wide, we can never fully understand it. As a matter of fact, Ephesians 2:7 says “that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”. Even when you look at that verse, you see it’s nothing we do or can do, it’s all Him doing it. It’s Him showing us, it’s His grace; it’s His kindness toward us. IT’S ALL HIM!!!!
Jesus will apprehend you and make you a prisoner of his love. They are chains of love. Scripture says it would take us an eternity to get a grip on the Grace of God. That’s how vast it is, how good it is, how wonderful it is.
Everything God provided for us, came to us by His grace. Remember John 1:17? “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”. Again you see that truth is always on the side of grace. The law was given, which speaks of distance, but Grace and Truth came, which is Jesus Christ.
John 1:14 reaffirms that truth is always on the side of grace. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”.
So we could say it this way – Grace was the way that Love chose to display Himself. WELL GLORY!!!! That makes me shoutin’ happy. Let me say it again. GRACE IS THE WAY THAT LOVE CHOSE TO DISPLAY HIMSELF.
Hebrews 4:16 says – “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”. Do you see that? Come boldly to WHAT? So, God’s throne is called a throne of GRACE. Not a throne of WORKS, or burden, or achieving, or performance. No, it’s a throne of grace and we are to come BOLDLY to it in time of need, because our provision is waiting there.
We don’t slink before God like a wimp begging God out of fear. We go boldly as heirs and joint heirs of Jesus Christ. We do this knowing that His Grace has provided all that we will ever need. We put a demand on the anointing and take what He has so wonderfully promised us and provided for us.
Grace is God’s divine “want to”. He saved us because He wanted to, He loves us because He wants to, and He sent His Son to die at Calvary because He wanted to.You should never ask yourself the questions Does God want me? Does God care about me? Does God love me? It’s already been answered and settled 2000 years ago at Calvary.
God’s invited us to come boldly before the throne of Grace anytime. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. I can go ANYTIME, because He loves me and accepts me and I’m His child. Well Glory!!!
So many Christians are still stuck in the old grind of trying to be good enough for God, or do a good work for God, or try to perform just right to get God to accept them or to get God to love them. Let me say it loud and clear “There is no external, pasted on behavior change or performance that will lead to true salvation or bring approval or acceptance from God”.
Quit trying to achieve and start to receive. By trying to keep the rules or live right for God, you’re really saying the gift of His Son was not enough. I’ve got to do more, I’ve got to bring something to Him, I’ve got to sacrifice for Him. That’s the old law. STOP IT!!!
If you want to truly bring a sacrifice to Him, bring the sacrifice of Praise. You see, it’s not the gift or the sacrifice you bring to Him; it’s the gift and sacrifice He brought to you. It’s not what you can do for Him; it’s what He has done for you. The best thing you can do for God is embrace what He has already done for you.
Grace is not right doing, it’s right believing. If you have to do anything to be worthy of Grace, then it’s not Grace. It’s not Grace if it demands your performance. Grace is what God did for you, independent of you, before you were ever born. (Andrew Womack)
Ephesians 2:8 reads “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”. Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men”. John 1:17 reads “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ”.
Once again we see that it’s nothing we do (not of yourselves). It is a gift. Salvation is brought to us and grace and truth were realized through Jesus. Grace appeared BRINGING salvation (not saving you, but bringing the opportunity to you).
Reaching out to Grace and receiving what is realized in Christ and what appeared through Christ to provide for salvation. Faith is an act of receiving and agreeing with God.
Maybe you’ve heard people say “I have been praying, reading my Bible, going to church, and paying my tithes yet I don’t seem to be able to get my prayers answered.” (See the teaching What About Tithing). What do I have to do to realize the blessings of God in my life. I’ve done everything I know to do. Yes, they probably or surely have done all that they know to DO. Therein lies the problem. They are trying to do it instead of allowing the grace of God to be received in their lives and bring it to them.
They have fallen into the trap of linking God’s response to their performance. They have not received the revelation of the grace of God so they can properly understand the balance of grace and faith.
I'm going to stop here, but come back for part 2 of this truth. We will define grace and faith. Grace and Peace.
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