Grace Defined Devotion 1

Words have meaning – but so often we use words with no real idea or understanding of what they mean. This is especially true in the church. We use words like grace, redemption, and salvation but our understanding of these words have been colored by years of religious teaching and tradition. Now tradition based on truth is something we should honor but tradition based on man’s doctrine can make the Word of God of no effect in our life. See Mark 7:13

“Respect tradition but have a passion for the Truth”

A passion for the truth means that we will seek to understand what we believe and why we believe based on the Truth of God’s Word. It is the only standard. No matter how traditional what we do or say is – if it is not based upon God’s Words it is wrong. Jesus constantly rebuked the Pharisees for putting their religious tradition and teachings above God’s Word.
The word I would like to focus on today is Grace. All my life this word has been used in sermons & teachings. It appears everywhere in the New Testament but I never had a biblical understanding of this word.
Our english word for Grace comes from the greek word charis (strongs #5463)
One of the major meanings of this word is:
1)  good will, loving-kindness, favour
a) of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues

What Grace is:

God’s Attitude towards us – of good will, loving-kindness, & favor

Take a moment and think on that definition. Grace is God’s attitude towards us of goodwill, loving-kindness, and favor. This is so powerful because an understanding of what God thinks about us and how He sees us will revolutionize our ability to receive from Him. The Devil constantly bombards our minds with condemnation guilt and shame. He constantly tries to get us to blame God for the bad in our lives. He uses these tactics to erode our faith in God. The Devil constantly tries to get us to question God’s love for us. To make us think that God is somehow disappointed angry or disapproving of us. Our adversary does not want us to really know God. He fears it so much that he uses one of his greatest weapons – religion – to blind people to the truth of God’s love for them.
When we understand how much God loves us and that He as a loving father is looking at us with eyes of favor acceptance and lovingkindness with a desire for only our good we will be set free to trust Him. This understanding will birth Faith. The bible says that Faith works by love in Gal 5:6, and that perfect love cast out all fear 1 John 4:15.  When we truly understand that God’s attitude towards us is an attitude of Grace – one of lovingkindness, favor, and goodwill towards us, faith will begin to rise up and push back driving fear from our lives. This will free us to trust our father and receive from HIm by faith because we know He loves and accepts us.

Then we will be free as the scripture says to,

     “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16 NASB
With this understanding one can with confidence go to God’s “throne of grace” (The place of prayer where I can know for sure that the Father will receive me because His attitude towards me is one of GRACE – lovingkindness, favor, and goodwill). Because the Father’s attitude towards me is such I can know for sure that I will receive mercy and help in my time of need. Wow! That just fills me with confidence that everything is going to be all right and that God’s grace is going to “push back the attack of the enemy in my life and make room for His Kingdom to be manifest in my life.
Grace & Peace
Pastor Jack