It's All Grace And Mercy

Scriptural Readings: Hebrews 11:6;  I Corinthians 12:9;  II Corinthian 15:10; Ephesians 2:5;  II Corinthian 15:10; I Peter 1:3-4; Ephesians 2:4-5 Ecclesiastes 2:26.

Hebrews 11:6

King James Version

But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

New Living Translation

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Have we ever had second thoughts about our faith in God? Although most of the time we say no, actually, sometimes we do. One of the many scenarios we face is when problems are insurmountable, our faith sees a window of doubt and looks through it. We find options not to believe God cannot help us in the meantime, ending with the question of why? Right?

There is no way we can connect with God without faith. If we do not have faith in God, we will have failures, and that’s all in it. For some, failure is part of life, and we have accepted this premise. However, this also gives us miseries, and miseries are sufferings. Sufferings are the things we want to get rid of.  

One thing that matters is the way that we live in this world. We cannot get rid of living without asking a lot of questions. We are spiritually dead. This is the answer to why. Morality does not work well. There is no way we can save ourselves. We need salvation. The only way that we can live right in this world is to acknowledge, recognize and put our trust in the power of the cross of Jesus Christ. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the foundation of our faith has to be the strongest. 

Isn’t that we are living in the state of the art and sophisticated world today? We are confident in having the answers to problems. But did we ever notice that we are still dealing with the same problem? Let us be honest with ourselves. We have reached nothing! We think that we have gone a long way now and progressed because of our achievements, but the truth, we are still dealing with the same old problems only God can solve! If we cannot see it in ourselves, then we should start looking around us. And if one would still disagree, then wait for what is going to happen next. We will go back to square one, and we cannot make it on our own. We are imperfect creations. We have to be reminded at all times that we cannot be what we intended to be. We need God’s grace and mercy!

“Give us this day our daily bread…”.

We have to understand and put into our minds that we live by His grace and mercy. Currently, we are under a pandemic, and we cannot stop it. Not even the brightest scientists in this world can. If the African swine flu and avian bird flu become a pandemic, what will we do? If wildfires continue to burn agricultural lands, what is next? If flash floods continue flooding us, where are we going to go? The possibility of food becoming scarce is real. We do all know that in some parts of this globe, people are hungry. Even if we have money and there are no commodities, what is the use of it? Everything in this world can be gone with just a wink of an eye. The reason Jesus taught us a prayer that includes “Give us this day our daily bread…”. We need grace and mercy from God! 

God listens and hears our prayers. Approaching the throne of grace, we magnify our God! Even our Father commanded us that we have to earn by the sweat of our brow, He will still provide!  In this way, He shows that He is still our Father, and we are His children. The relationship He wanted in the first place. We can never be the children God wants us to be unless we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, making us a co-heir with Him, and it is all because of His grace and mercy!

Grace

I Corinthian 15:10; Ephesians 2:5; II Corinthians 12:9

I Corinthian 15:10

King James Version

V.10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

New Living Translation

V.10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

 

Ephesians 2:5

King James Version

V.5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

New Living Translation

V.5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

II Corinthians 12:9 

King James Version

V.9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

New Living Translation

V.9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 

It is plain and simple. God created this world, and He is in total control of everything. Not us! We do not have an iota of what we are going and are supposed to do. We are going to lack something sooner or later. We are going to need a thing or things beyond our capacity to have. Whatever these things are, we will need God’s grace. What is happening right now around the globe is one thing that no one cannot deny that we need God’s grace. No person or any group can say we have the solution to all our catastrophic problems, and if there is one, that person should show up and save this world. Our time in this world is limited. Nobody wants to end their lives shorter and senseless. Our Christian life has a divine purpose, and only God’s grace can accomplish it. He is glorified when we acknowledge our weakness and imperfection.

I Peter 1:3-4

King James Version

V.3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

V.4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

New Living Translation

V.3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,

V.4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

Mercy

God sees everything, but we see the other way around. God can alter anything. Yes, that is true, but forcing us to change, He will not do it because of our free will. God will never force us to do anything. We need a change from what we are to God’s divine perspective.

Our Father heaven wants us to know the real meaning of forgiveness because Hatred is in us. We remain to have enemies because we refuse to forgive. We must learn how to forgive, and to learn forgiveness is to have mercy. Forgiveness is the miracle we refuse to accept and do. Since we cannot save ourselves, God sent His son for our salvation. He forgave us because of His mercy.  Salvation is a miracle for us. 

Ecclesiastes 2:26

King James Version

V.26 For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give² to [him that is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

New Living Translation

V.26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. This, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Humanity is no doubt an absolute example of imperfection. We can never be wrong about this. We are inevitably going to be in need. The fact is, we continue to live and survive only because of God’s grace and mercy.  Everything that we lack, God gives. The future now depends on how we stand on our faith in God. Our relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit is the key and gives us full access to what is beyond our expectations in our mortal and spiritual lives.

Amazing grace . . . Alleluia!