[B]y the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Corinthians 15

[B]y the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today emphasizes God's grace, and in John Piper's words, how it is "ont only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us."  The highlighted text from 1 Corinthians 15 shares how Paul believes that God's grace worked within him to make him work hard.  Piper next refers us to Philippians 2:12-13, where Paul "adds" that for believers, God's grace "works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Piper concludes the devotion by sharing that God's grace "is past and it is future. It is ever-cascading over the infinitesimal waterfall of the present, from the inexhaustible river of grace coming to us from the future, into the ever-increasing reservoir of grace in the past."  Piper's final words for the devotion include a proper response to God's grace: "[t]he proper response to the grace you experienced in the past is thankfulness, and the proper response to grace promised to you in the future is faith. We are thankful for the past grace of the last year, and we are confident in the future grace for the new year."

Be thankful and faithful!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has freely distributed grace to me in an indescribable number of ways and for this I am thankful.  Yet I know that 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 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.

 

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

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

I maintain pause my study of 1 Corinthians and focus on a study of 2 Thessalonians and Titus as part of a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  This morning I read Titus 2, assisted by the Christ Centered Exposition Series commentary for 1-2 Timothy and Titus, and focus on vv11-15. Per the commentary:

• Main idea: The grace of God is the foundation for godly living.
  
• Excerpts from the introduction: No doctrine of Scripture is more precious to mankind than the doctrine of salvation. And no word is more crucial to the doctrine of salvation than the word grace....In Titus 2:11-15, Paul highlights the grace of God and the glory of God. What he discusses concerning these two realities can also be summed up in one word: Jesus. 
  

Divisions:

1. God’s Grace Teaches Us How We Should Live (2:11-12): God's grace has come to us through Jesus. "Without calling for perfection, Paul says that a new direction in a person’s life is the outgrowth and expectation of God for those experiencing His salvation. The grace of God, the goodness of God, the greatness of God, the glory of God instructs us negatively “to deny godlessness and worldly lusts” and positively “to live in a sensible [toward ourselves], righteous [toward others], and godly way [toward God].” We are called to live this way “in the present age,” right now, today....And remember: it is grace, God’s amazing grace, that teaches us to live this way. I cannot do it in my power, my strength, my genius, my ability."
   
2. God’s Grace Teaches Us Where We Should Look (2:13): Although believers have a temporary home in "this present age," we know that Jesus will return someday and we should look here. "The grace that has appeared speaks of His first coming. The glory that will appear speaks of His second coming. With a constant gaze and the experience of grace, our eyes are fixed heavenward with one and only one hope: His coming. 
   
3. God’s Grace Teaches Us Who Is Lord (2:14): The doctrine of salvation is laid out as "Jesus paid for us...He purifies us...He possesses us....and He prepares us....He purchased us, to purify us, to possess us, literally 'for Himself a people for His own a possession.'" We are referred to 1 Peter 2:9-10.  What security is ours! Once we were Satan’s, now we are the Son’s. Once we were sin’s, now we are the Savior’s. Once we were foreigners, now we are family. Now I belong to Jesus[.]...Our works are the natural response to His work. Zeal for Him becomes our daily desire, having been prepared by Him for this kind of life. Grace teaches us who is Lord." 
   
4. God’s Grace Teaches Us What We Should Learn (2:15): "John MacArthur says verse 15 'is one of the clearest and strongest statements in Scripture about the spiritual authority of men whom God calls to minister His Word and shepherd His people.'" Using imperatives, Paul commands Titus and all believers to "learn doctrine, learn duty, learn discernment, [and to] learn dedication."   
   

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me...teaching me how to live, giving me a home for eternity where I should fix my eyes and race towards, and so much more!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  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 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, apply and be obedient to Your message for me today and every day.

[B]y the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Corinthians 15

[B]y the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at grace - which John Piper describes as not just "leniency when we have sinned[, but also] the enabling gift and power of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon." Piper leans on 1 Corinthians 15:10 and continues by sharing that efforts to be obedient to God are through God - not of our own effort - and Paul highlights that God does this through grace. We are referred as well to 1 Peter 4:11 where Peter writes that God supplies the strength to serve - through His grace. We are given yet another text in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 where God works to equip us "according to the grace of our God." Piper wraps the devotion by sharing that "[t]he obedience that gives God pleasure is produced by the power of God’s grace through faith. The same dynamic is at work at every stage of the Christian life. The power of God’s grace that saves through faith (Ephesians 2:8) is the same power of God’s grace that sanctifies through faith."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO good as You pour out Your grace daily for me as forgiveness and power to be who You intend for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such riches and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn 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 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.

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:14-18

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17-18

I continue my study of John and this morning, I focus on on vv14-18. 

Observations of the vv14-18 based on the Sword Bible Study Method: 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: God (the Word) became flesh (doctrine of incarnation), He lived among humankind for a period, His glory (as the only Son of God) was seen by humankind, the Son of God was sent by God, and He is full of grace and truth - v14; John the Baptist bore witness of Jesus, and Jesus existed before John the Baptist - v15; Jesus gives us grace upon grace - which implies a continuous flow of grace, one that never ceases (see also Lamentations 3:23-23) - v16; Jesus gives us freedom from the law (grace and truth), a New Covenant based on His shed blood and death on the cross; we must still obey the law (the moral law not the ceremonial law), but our obedience comes through a relationship in Jesus and the Holy Spirit as obedience is not something we can attain on our own - v17; no one has even seen God (Moses came close), yet Jesus (who is currently seated at the right hand of God in Heaven) made Him known to us, that we can know Him more and have an intimate personal relationship with Him as our Lord and Savior - v18.    
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Though Jesus took on flesh and become human as the incarnate Son of God, humankind cannot claim that we are equal to Jesus.
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid focus on the law, on achieving God's favor through works and our own strength, and instead focus on knowing and loving Jesus more and more each day. Claim the promise of how Jesus' provides a never ending fountain of grace, one that provides mercies every day - ponder this and rejoice in what God has done to provide this for you. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, what an awesome God You are that saves and provides grace upon grace in an inexhaustible supply...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of salvation nor 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.

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!

Comment and discuss this post.

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.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Corinthians 15

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, and John Piper urges us to look closely at God's grace for us.  He starts by stating that "[g]race is not only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us."  Piper uses not only 1 Corinthians 15:10 as text to emphasize his message today, but he uses Philippians 2:12-13 where Paul is more explicit how "God...works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."  Piper wraps the devotion by exhorting us to also see how grace is past and future, and that our proper response to past grace is thankfulness, and faith in response promised grace in the future.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and Your grace is amazing indeed - both past and future!  Thank You for the grace You have already poured out for me and also for the faith You give me for the promised future grace - You are faithful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and 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 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.

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Romans 11

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:5-6

  

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fifteen From Theology to Doxology, which covers Romans 11.  My focus today is Romans 11:1-10, which my commentary refers to under the heading God Has a People, Chosen by Grace. Here, Paul continues to build his case that God's Word and promises have not failed.  In v11:1-10, Paul looks more closely at God's Word and Promises from the Old Testament and he reminds us that God never promises to save all the Jews, only a remnant.  Of course Paul is one of them and he shares his credentials in v11:1.  Paul then references scripture from 1 Kings 19:10, 14, and 18 where Elijah shares his frustration with God regarding Israel's hardened hearts and how they are seeking to kill Elijah (v11:4).  Paul uses God's response to Elijah (1 Kings 19:18) where God indicates that He will punish Israel but save a remnant of seven thousand.  Paul then writes how those saved are elected by God by grace alone and not "on the basis of works" (v11:6). In v11:7, Paul summarizes Israel's failure to "obtain what it was seeking," writing that "[t]he elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened."  Paul uses Isaiah 29:10 and Psalm 69:22-23 to illustrate how this was all part of God's design and plan.  

My commentary encourages us to look at Romans 11 broadly and see three themes:

1. Zeal for evangelism - as Paul seeks to save as many of his fellow Jews as possible
2. Call for unity - Paul writes to both Jews and Gentiles with the hope that both see each as part of the same church and both called by God and both children of God
   
3. Call for worship - Paul writes that our response to God's immense and unlimited mercy should be ceaseless worship

Specifically in v11:1-10, my commentary describes how Paul provides three "proofs" of how God has not rejected Israel in its entirety: (1) Paul himself (v1b); (2) God's saving of seven thousand who "had not bowed down to Baal--even though the majority of Israel had indeed rebelled against Yahweh;" (3) application of God's saving grace through election via v11:5 "[s]o too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace."  The commentary sums it up very well by stating: "[m]any worry that the choosing of some and not all would be unjust, but this idea overlooks the fact that election is gracious.  No one deserves to be elected, and thus the election of any is a merciful gift of God that cannot be claimed as a democratic right (quoting Schreiner)."  We are encouraged to be motivated to be faithful....it may seem lonely, uncool, etc. but God is at work!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is so full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your grace and mercy - not at all!  My sin of worry, gossip, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me 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 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.

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.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

This morning, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on generosity (the broader context of 2 Corinthians 9:8) and how God's grace, both in the past and in the future, serves as the motivation for such generosity. Piper refers to the role of past grace by referring to 2 Corinthians 8:9:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

Piper states: "[w]ithout this historical work of grace, the door of Christ-exalting generosity would remain closed. That past grace is an indispensable key to love. But notice how the past grace in this verse functions. It is made the foundation (Christ became poor) of future grace (that we might become rich). Thus, the historical key to our generosity operates by putting a foundation under the experiential key of faith in future grace."

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You grace is amazing and it abounds both historically when You became like us and died on the cross, and in the future - thank You Jesus!  I can no good things without You.  Thank You for Your grace and how it serves as the foundation for good works in my life - I am not deserving of Your grace - not one bit. My sin of worry, etc. continues.  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 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.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Corinthians 15

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

This evening, until I start a new Bible study, I continue using devotionals from John Piper.  Today, the post focuses on the start of a new year, and the topic grace - both past grace and future grace. Paul acknowledges (and Piper highlights) that "[g]race is not only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us."  Paul (and Piper) also refers us to Philippians 2:13 for scripture that illustrates how God works in and for us. In hindsight, I see the fruits of His grace in my life and I am thankful.  I also know that God is faithful for all the promises He makes and I can be confident of future grace. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord, Your grace is amazing and it is sufficient for all of my needs - amazing indeed!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace.  I sin...daily...primarily worry.  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 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.

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

As I continue my vacation in Maine, I maintain a pause on my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs, and tonight and throughout my vacation I will use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotionals - today's focuses on how God's grace should be recognized not only as an undeserved act in the past but also a form of power in the future.  In the devotional John Piper seeks for us to fully appreciate how grace is a form of power.  He unpacks 2 Thessalonians 1:12: "[t]he power that actually works in our lives to make Christ-exalting obedience possible is an exertion of the grace of God."  He uses 1 Corinthians 15:10 to underscore his point, then states again: "[s]o, grace is an active, present, transformative, obedience-enabling power." He describes this past and future grace as a cascading waterfall that keeps flowing.  For the grace we have already experienced, we should be thankful.  For the grace we are to experience (as power), we should trust.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is full of grace for me as an eternal cascading waterfall - thank You Jesus!  I can trust in Your grace - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings and grace.  My sin is daily - anger, impatience, etc. 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 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. 

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

I maintain pause my study of 1 Corinthians and focus on a study of 2 Thessalonians and Titus as part of a men's discipleship group (d-group) at my church.  This morning I read Titus 3, specifically vv4-7, assisted by a sermon message on this text from John MacArthur's Grace to You website. Here, John MacArthur digs deeply into vv4-7 where Paul writes about how God "saved us" and what that means for believers.  First, MacArthur looks at v3 where Paul emphasizes to Titus and the church at Crete that all believers were - before they were saved "foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another."  MacArthur refers us to text elsewhere that highlight this pre-salvation state - slave to sin and condemned to eternal damnation - see also Romans 1:21-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11a, and Ephesians 2:1-3 just for a few examples. Of course, such a state leads to death as a deserving punishment - Romans 6:23.  MacArthur then highlights a "seven-fold" salvation in the text:

1. We are saved by His kindness; " It means that He has a concern in His heart toward people in misery. God is basically good. He is inherently good. He is inherently kind."
2. We are saved by His love; based on the Greek word philanthropia - "It literally means pity, compassion, eagerness to deliver from pain or distress because of strong affection. It has the idea of a strong affection. It doesn't have some kind of self-serving component in it. It's not pity for the wrong reason. It's pity out of strong affection. God is kind. He is kind toward the ungrateful and evil men, as Jesus said, and His kindness causes Him to have a strong affection out of which He wants to act in pity and compassion."
3. We are saved by His mercy; "It's different than grace. Grace relates to guilt. Mercy relates to misery. Grace relates to the state of the sinner before God the judge. Mercy relates to the condition of the sinner in his sin. Grace is a judicial concept that forgives the crime. Mercy is a compassionate concept that helps the criminal recover. Mercy looks at misery, grace looks at guilt."
4. We are saved by His regeneration; "Obviously we can't cleanse ourselves, we can't give life to ourselves. That's all the work of God."
5. We are saved by His Spirit; "There's nothing you can do to get the Holy Spirit. There's nothing you can do to gain or earn the renewal work of the Holy Spirit. That's something God pours out and it tells us in verse 6 He poured out the Spirit upon us richly."
6. We are saved by His Son.
7. We are saved by His grace; "He paid the price and therefore our sins are removed, justice is fully satisfied, kindness, love, mercy and grace can act freely. Justified by His grace. Grace is giving us what we don't deserve. We don't deserve to be forgiven. We don't deserve to have our sin removed. We don't deserve to be imputed the righteousness of God. We don't deserve that. We don't deserve to be just before God. We don't deserve to come into His presence. We don't deserve heaven. But grace gives it to us because God's justice is satisfied in Christ and He declares us justified...justified."        

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are so good in how You saved me and You intercede for me eternally, praying for me and never leaving or forsaking me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  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 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.