Growing In Grace through Faith

A friend that sticks closer than a brother

Am so glad we could talk today, I want to share with you a heart liberating story
One morning I woke up, so frustrated, filled with a lot of guilt, regrets and wishful thinking, not knowing what else to do because it had seemed like my life had come to a standstill like most people may feel today considering all that is happening around the world, the economy, the stress, the lack, the suffering, and all that is wrong about this world, I felt like I was stuck in a tight corner, struggling to be free, wishing to move on but lacking the energy to do so, I was raised in a Christian home so naturally, when things are like this, I to turn to God for help, but I felt my lifestyle was not really really pleasing God enough for him to help me, because, I had made a lot of mistakes amongst other things, I could not pray long hours every day like most people, even when I tried, I still felt it wasn’t enough that something was still missing, all these made me feel that I do not qualify for God's help.
All this made me so depressed knowing I had no one to lean on, no one who really understood little me, all these emotions made me feel so rejected and insufficient and soon birth addictions in my life, Until one day, I was so down being beaten up by emotions of rejection and fear and frustration, laying in my bed having thoughts of giving up, I heard the TV turn on in the sitting room, it was my Uncle who decided to play one of his preaching tapes because he was about to prepare for a preaching engagement that morning, so I sighed in my heart and said; let me hear what this man (the preacher) has to say, maybe he will just tell me how condemned I am and how unworthy I am, so I will just get enough energy to end myself. I listened and listened waiting to hear the words of condemnation from the man on TV yet what I felt was hope in my heart so I stood up and sat with my uncle to hear properly what this man was actually saying:

Hearing the Gospel of Grace as preached by Pastor Joseph Prince of New creation church changed everything and gave me hope that tomorrow will be better and not just better but it is sure to bring forth good things because Jesus paid the price for me to receive all the Father has for His children.
When Jesus said

…and you shall know the truth and the truth will make you free It is the truth about God’s grace that sets free

It is the Gospel of grace that liberated me and gave me hope and this hope is what I want to share with you.

As you read on you will discover you are not alone and there is someone, who can actually make a difference in your life, someone who has all the power in the universe, who can heal you of every disease in your body, deliver you from all that is troubling you and free you from every bondage or addiction that has kept you bound, someone who is God, cares deeply about you and He will not mock you or flog you or punish you, when you fail or fall down, He knows you perfectly and still decides to love you perfectly and is concerned for your wellbeing and wants to see you succeed in everything you do.
Some of the revelations i will share with you, i got from listening to podcasts and reading books by Pastor Joseph Prince which has really transformed my life and lead me to discover God’s love for me. It is my desire that the God of all Grace reach you at the point of your need as you read on. All the truths I shared are scripturally referenced.

God’s Will for You

God sent His son to take your place of your punishment, your sins, your unworthiness, your flaws that you might take his place of great favour, righteousness and never-ending splendour and much more, Jesus died taking on himself our sicknesses, diseases and sins, by His sacrifice, all your sins (past, present and future) are forgiven, and God remembers your sins no more and keeps no record of them. Now there is therefore no more condemnation to you anymore because You are in Christ Jesus. God is righteous and He said, the soul that sinneth shall die, Jesus took your place, you were supposed to be punished and die for your sins, He was punished and died in your stead, now, all that Jesus deserves has been given to you and all that you deserve because of sin, He took it so that you will have a right standing with God (righteousness).

2 Corinthians 5:21 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. KJV

So now you are God’s favourite, His beloved, His blessings and favours are on you and He is always with you and will never leave you no matter what happens to you
The only thing God wants you to do is to believe in the One He sent, it sounds so easy and simple, Yes because Jesus did all the hard parts so you don’t have to do anything except Believe in His finished work.

John 6:38-40 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. KJV

You might hear people tell you so many things about what they think God wants from you, they go on to the point of bringing a list of things you have to do, for you to fulfil God’s will for your life so that God can bless you or answer your prayers. Most of these people are well-meaning and sincere people
When someone gives you a list of things to do in other to qualify for God’s blessings and in other for God to hear your prayers they don’t realize that they are pointing you back to the old covenant of the law, which places the emphasis on YOU, which is all about fulfilling a list of things for you to qualify for God’s blessings. However, if slack or fault in any of this requirements, you will have a curse instead of a blessing.

Deuteronomy 28:1-3 28 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field… KJV

That’s the blessings and it gets from verses 1-14. God is saying if YOU obey and keep all His commandments he will bless you with a blessing that will be so much that it will overtake you. That’s something everyone wants even me. But the scripture says something terrifying from verse 15 down;

Deuteronomy 28:15-18 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. KJV

the curses start from verses 15-44
These curses are a result of not keeping all God says and commands as it says in verse 45

Deuteronomy 28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: KJV

Wow! That instils a lot of fear in your heart, right? It makes you see God as a very mean person and a man you don’t want to be involved with because you know if you fail even in one, you are finished.
However, that was under the old covenant of the law all emphasis was on your performance, and how you behave, which God has made obsolete, now we are under a new covenant of Grace which is not based on man’s performance but believing in Jesus’ finished work.

So does it mean we no longer need to keep God’s laws to be blessed? If we could we would, and there would be no reason for the Savior (Jesus) right?

Hold on Morgrace, but Jesus said; if you love me keep my commandments? I have seen people just pick out a phrase or word in the bible and make a sermon out of it, which is not really right because so many things have been said in the bible like when Jesus said you brood of vipers He wasn’t referring to his disciples or any commoner, He was addressing the Pharisees, so you don’t just go on and pick words because Jesus or the Apostles said it, you have to know: to whom it was being said to? why was it said? Everything should be read in its context, What was Jesus talking about when He said; if you love me keep my commandments in John 14:15

John 14:1-18 14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. KJV

In John 14, Jesus is talking about believing In Him, right from the first verse, He is telling His disciples to believe in him, so when He says, if you love me keep my commandments, He is still talking about believing in Him.
More proof: let scripture interpret scripture!

1 John 3:22-23 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. KJV

Friend, Jesus did not come to give us more laws to keep, he came and kept them on our behalf, and we are righteous today when we believe in what He did for us, and we are sure of God’s blessings and favour and good health! Hallelujah!!
Today, When you believe in Jesus you are doing the will of the Father, and you are keeping His commandments and the peace that passeth all understanding is yours in Jesus Name. Amen

Those this mean you can run off and sin as you so desire, absolutely not, God's love which is birth in you through faith in His Jesus will transform you from the inside out and it is said, sin will not have power over you because you are under grace

Romans 6:14

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

KJV

Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, for he hath said;

Romans 5:7-9 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. KJV

Jesus who did not deserve punishment, He did not deserve beatings, He did not deserve slaps, He did not deserve to be spat on, He did not deserve God’s wrath but received it all so that we who deserved all the punishment and beatings and slaps and even death will receive blessings and favour and much more instead now and forever, this is Grace, it is unmerited, undeserved, unearned favour, if you can earn it then it is no more grace.

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