For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

Today, I continue a pause of my study of Zechariah as I prepare for leading worship at The Gardens and The Lodge this upcoming Sunday as part of a ministry outreach of my church Bay Leaf Baptist. Since the start of the new year, worship for this ministry is based on Tony Evans' booklet The Grace of God, and for this Sunday's worship specifically, we are using chapter 4 Set Free by Grace.  In reflecting on chapter 4 of the book here are additional thoughts on the logical flow of how grace works - building on my post yesterday:

1. God sent His one and only Son Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah who became the spotless lamb and perfect sacrifice for all of the sins of all humanity throughout redemptive history.  The sacrificial system introduced in the Old Testament was a foretaste of things to come and Jesus fulfilled prophecy to both end a focus on external behaviors and ceremonial rituals as a path to God, and He became the amazing saving grace of God and the path to Him. There is not a single thing we can do to earn this saving grace - it is a gift and it is free.  Grace saves.
2. The appearing of God and His grace (Titus 2:11-14) not only saves but it trains and equips us for the works God has planned and predestined for us - see also Ephesians 2:10.  This training and equipping helps protect us from evil schemes designed to prevent us from falling prey to sin and from performing these good works - He gives us the full armor of God - see also Ephesians 6:10-20. We are also given hope and confidence to stand firm in our faith as we wait for Jesus' second coming.  We ultimately become zealous for His good works.
3. This equipping and training helps us remain laser focused on Him as we don't know when He will return and we must also stay focused on the mission He places before us.  
4. We gain greater assurance and confidence that we can persist in a fallen and broken world because of this equipping, because of the Holy Spirit who is always with us, and because we know that we have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and with this power we can do all things through Him.  He will protect us and see us through the challenges we will encounter.
5. We are liberated by a Christian freedom that helps us see the abundance of His blessings and in fulfilling His purpose - obedience to Him is no longer a burden.
6. We must always remember that the grace that works in all of this never runs out!

Be set free by the grace of God!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who dispenses an inexhaustible supply of grace that sets me free - and free indeed!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this amazing grace and freedom.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14

Today, I continue a pause of my study of Zechariah as I prepare for leading worship at The Gardens and The Lodge this upcoming Sunday as part of a ministry outreach of my church Bay Leaf Baptist. Since the start of the new year, worship for this ministry is based on Tony Evans' booklet The Grace of God, and for this week specifically, we are using chapter 4 Set Free by Grace.

1. Grace saves; it is embodied in Christ (John 1:1-18), and in Christ we are released from condemnation (Romans 10:4); grace is free (Romans 8:32)
   
2. Grace enables us to fulfill God's instructions and call for us (Titus 2:11-14)
3. Grace inspires a constant focus on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) where he gives us a "war footing" and assumes Jesus could return at any moment (Matthew 25:14-30); our worship and our lives must reflect this readiness (Psalm 34:1-2)
   
4. Grace protects We can be assured that Jesus has faced everything we might ever encounter (Hebrews 4:14-16) and that there is nothing we cannot do with Jesus (Philippians 4:13)
5. Grace brings freedom (John 8:36) that is defined by finding abundance (John 10:10) in His purpose, through a desire for obedience to Him (1 John 5:3)
6. Never forget that God's grace is inexhaustible (James 4:6, Romans 5:20)

Live in God's grace!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are amazing and Your grace is amazing - thank You Jesus for Your inexhaustible supply of grace.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[T]he grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:12-16

[T]he grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14

Oops!  I am not hosting and leading worship services at the Gardens and the Lodge until next Sunday 29SEP on behalf of my church.  Although I did make a mistake on timing, I did prepare using the correct content that I will be using next Sunday - the RayFowler.Org Fruit of the Spirit Sermon series, and for next Sunday 29SEP, the focus is the Fruit of Love.  This said, given much of my preparation for next Sunday is near complete and that will focus on completing it early to mid-next week, until then I return to my study of 1 and 2 Timothy using DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video series - picking up with 1 Timothy 1:12-16, Part 3 with the video entitled Faith and Love Are the Overflow of Grace. 

Excerpts from the video:

• Focus on v14; mercy and grace are the kindness of God, treatment better than we deserve (as we deserve death per Romans 6:23)
• This grace is all the more amazing given how Paul describes himself prior to his election by God on the road to Damascus (see also v13)
• Faith refers to Christ and love "probably" refers to love towards others; see also Galatians 5:6, Ephesians 1:15-16, 1 Thessalonians 1:3-4, Philemon 5 - this is what overflows from grace as the "giver" of this faith (see also Ephesians 2:8-10)
  
• Only in union with Christ is there saving faith and genuine love for others
• Faith conquers unbelief, love conquers persecution and hate; Paul was given grace before even the creation of the world; see also for how this grace works 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Corinthians 15:10 
  

Get to know God, His amazing grace and how this unending overflow of grace flows for believers!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your amazing grace and how it never ends.  Of course I am undeserving - this is the nature of grace.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

Psalm 116:12-14

What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Psalm 116:12-14

Because John Piper is still working on the DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video series for 1 and 2 Timothy, and I am slightly ahead of him, I am again leaning on the Solid Joys daily devotion series, which today looks at Psalm 116:12-14 where the psalmist rhetorically asks how to repay the Lord for all the benefits He provides.  Piper himself looks at that question and at first glance is very nervous, thinking to himself that there is no way to pay back the Lord for all that He has done for those of whom He has saved.  Piper points to Acts 17:25 and 1 Corinthians 15:10 where Luke and Paul describe how in Piper's words "you can’t give anything to God or do anything for God that he hasn’t first given to you and done for you," and "none of our work can ever be a payment to God, because the very work is another gift from God. With every deed we do for God we go deeper into debt to grace."  Piper then shares how the psalmist answers the very question raised rhetorically in v12. 

• In v13a: "I call on the Lord to fill the cup. To pay back the Lord means to go on receiving from the Lord so that the Lord’s inexhaustible goodness will be magnified."
• In v13b: "I will call for more help. What shall I render to God for graciously answering my call? Answer: I shall call again. I will render to God the praise and the tribute that he is never in need of me, but is always overflowing with benefits when I need him (which I always do)."
• In v14: "[Vows to the Lord] will be paid by holding up the cup of salvation and by calling on the Lord. That is, they will be paid by faith in the promise that more grace — all-sufficient grace — is always on the way." 

God's grace never runs out - unbelievable!  See also this post.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and is full of compassion for me - extending me grace in an inexhaustible supply. Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such grace.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.