The greatest frustration in a Christian's life is not being able to get what they believe to work in their lives.
You've got people who have studied and believed that it's God's will to heal them. They know from scripture that Jesus bore our sicknesses and carried their pains and by His stripes they're healed, but they just can't get it to work.
They know they ought to be changing, to be transformed into the image of God but the only image they've become is the image of the person they were before salvation.
20 years later they're still the same; they haven't conquered their thoughts, or their desires that plague them. The same torments and fears are still there. They had a bit of a change after they got saved, but unfortunately the same sins that plague most people before they were saved seem to make their way back to take up residency once again.
Galatians 5:4 says that "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."
If you've got something tormenting you and you can't get free of it ? Christ is of no effect to you.
If you've got some sickness you can't shake. If you've got no joy or peace in your life, if you've got some habitual sin you can't get free of, then Christ has become of no effect in your life.
Simply put you no longer have contact with Christ in your heart and His divine nature and power is having no influence upon your life. When it's all of us and none of Christ we loose all connection to the saving power that is resident in our spirits.
Some people think falling from grace means you're not going to heaven, but it's really just reaching the place where Christ is of no effect to you.
In defining grace, we need to find out what grace is not.
1.Grace is not God's ability to overlook sin. Paul refuted that in Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Grace is God's ability to get you out of sin.
2.Grace is not God's ability to accept you where you are, that's God's mercy that makes him able to do that.
The bible says about the New Testament, that mercy and grace have kissed.
While God can accept you as you are, His grace becomes your ability to change.
3.Grace is not unmerited favor. If I were to buy you a car as a gift, you wouldn't tell your friends that I gave you unmerited favor. You'd tell them I bought you a car. Although the gift was unmerited favor, that's not what it is, that's how it came to you.
Grace is the divine influence that works on your heart to conform you to the image of His Son.
Dustin Gray publisher and author of Christian Bible Study Manuals. For free local church publishings please contact dustin@publisherhouse.com or visit dustin@publisherhouse.com or dustin@publisherhouse.com
no-contract cleaning service Des Plaines ..Sometimes you have to see something to believe it. Like... Read More
The human body is surely a miracle of God's creation.... Read More
While study and pursuit of the Kundalini is considered part... Read More
We are the beneficiaries of the promise God made to... Read More
One of the most difficult barriers... Read More
The more we worry about money, and who's asking for... Read More
In Corrogue the air is chill and the frost is... Read More
Anyone who has invested time, energy and effort into finding... Read More
What is it with angels and digital clocks? I fell... Read More
If you would like to learn to read tarot cards,... Read More
As I sat down today to write this article, I... Read More
The bible has many accounts throughout time that He used... Read More
Picture this state of existence in your mind by closing... Read More
Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More
Most of our troubles are bought about by exercising our... Read More
Do you ever get into those moods where you just... Read More
I can see the cops coming! They're a good thousand... Read More
"Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for... Read More
How a Divine "Dream", gave me a Spiritual Principle for... Read More
We've all heard the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as... Read More
Paul is led up a 512 ft. hill, Mars Hill,... Read More
A new chapter in my life begins today, the anniversary... Read More
Even though our lives progressively moves forward on occasion it... Read More
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,... Read More
*Advice on living a humane and compassionate life.According to text... Read More
bathroom cleaning service Lake Forest ..How many Christian people do you know who are bearing... Read More
We may sometimes consider the difficulty that occurs with our... Read More
There are many energy beings available to assist us in... Read More
The greatest frustration in a Christian's life is not being... Read More
I am sure many of you reading this article have... Read More
Obviously, if you really want to learn about the meanings... Read More
Many look outside of themselves for an experience of the... Read More
My fiancee' and I frequent a restaurant in L.A. called... Read More
This question, "what is grace" plagued me more into knowing... Read More
Acknowledgement of our need of God and reliance upon Him... Read More
Now, I will recount in full what happened to me... Read More
The following article is an exploration of the Spring holiday... Read More
It's real easy to look at the physical world around... Read More
"Spirit is beyond the void of space. This realm, beyond... Read More
"I learned I was not, as most Africans believed, the... Read More
We often forget that we are human beings first, and... Read More
Your creative gift has power.God was the first and still... Read More
Since the beginning of time mankind has pondered, who God... Read More
It is important and necessary that we regularly spend time... Read More
I still remember the scene vividly. I was getting out... Read More
I have been counseling people on weight loss, exercise efficiency... Read More
Be still, and know that I am God; I will... Read More
A feeling of fulfillment is something we all seek. Here... Read More
The human body is surely a miracle of God's creation.... Read More
Have you ever heard something that really "resonated" with you?... Read More
Spirituality |