What Grace Needs!

  
   The Bible says we are saved by grace.  Thank God for grace!  And, let me give you my favorite definition of grace.  "Grace is the willing involvement in the affairs of our life".   Another definition is "Grace it the divine influence on the affairs of man".  Still another, "grace is unmerited favor".  But, I'll tell you why grace doesn't seem to work on behalf of some folks.  You see grace needs something else with which to work. 

   The Bible says that "grace" reigns through "righteousness" (Ro. 5:21).  It is through abundant grace and the gift of righteousness, together, that we reign in life.  Without righteousness (the gift), grace has nothing to reign through.  It is a sad thing to report that for a very, very long time we have failed to preach the gospel of how to be saved by grace.  First of all we don't get people to believe in the resurrected Jesus as Lord.  We teach them to call Him almost anything but LORD!  Jesus can save you because He is LORD.  And then secondly, we don't tell them to believe "unto" righteousness.  A lot of church folks go through their whole life and never believe they are righteous.  In fact, they may spend their whole life trying to become righteous.  Result?  Frustrated grace.  Grace with nothing to reign through.  And, a life that overcomes nothing.

   Make your confession "HE IS LORD".  Not just Lord of your life - but THE LORD.  But don't stop there, confess this "I am righteous...it came as a gift".  If you don't believe for it and confess it, you don't have it.  If you don't have it, grace is stymied. Prayers fail, God activity comes to a grinding halt.  If you think you have to earn it, you don't have it.  It is a gift!!!!!!!  What part of "gift" do you not understand?  Take it by faith.  Jesus bought it and gave it to you.