Underneath are the everlasting arms. What child of God was ever permitted to fall lower than Gods underneath? H. GILL
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. (Titus 2:11-12 NKJ)
The idea of grace being a teacher in my life is something I havent given much thought to. I have always considered grace from God as working as a safety net. I know that it is much more than that, but from my experiences, the mental image I get of Gods grace is one of getting a second chance, of being caught and held safe before I spiritually bounce off the floor. When I first became a Christian, grace was explained to me as unmerited favor. Something that I receive that I could have never been able to afford or even pay for by the good things that I might do. How the grace of God has worked in my life is by God giving me a second chance, and a third and fourth and on and on. When ever I have strayed from Gods will for my life and I realize that I have walked away on my own. When I honestly desire a change and I come back to God with my head hung down. Then God always has accepted me back with loving arms that wrap around me like no human can do. That was grace to me, when I deserved punishment, but received love instead. What a different concept of grace the apostle Paul has given me today, that of grace being a teacher. Come to think of it, some of the best teachers that I had were the ones who gave me second chances. The teachers that were patient with me and let me learn by experience were the ones that made the difference. I may learn something from a book, and know it well, but until I apply it to my life it is just knowledge. Some of the best lessons that I have learned from life have been the ones that I failed at first. Grace is that patient teacher that lovingly picks me up after a failure and heads me in the right direction again. Where would I be without the grace of God today? I dont know, but I do know that I would be hopelessly miserable, stuck with the constant reminder of my failures. Gods grace and mercy give me a fresh start every day as long as I clean up any wreckage that I might have left behind from yesterday. When I become responsible for my own life then God will help me by doing what I cannot do for myself JRE
Share with me what the Life Recovery Bible has to say on these verses ..
When we realize how much God loves us and that he provides the power for us to live a godly life, we are motivated to entrust our life to him and seek his will. The proper response to Gods grace is right conduct. The Bible never considered guilt and fear appropriate motivations for righteousness. We obey God because he loves us and desires to help us succeed. Seeing God as accepting, gracious, and compassionate instead of harsh, condemning and punitive is critical for our spiritual growth. We dont need to fear God because of our sins. He still loves us and will help us rebuild our life when we admit our failures to him. This can give us hope as we work through recovery.
Life Recovery Bible page 1482
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. (Titus 2:11-12 NKJ)
The idea of grace being a teacher in my life is something I havent given much thought to. I have always considered grace from God as working as a safety net. I know that it is much more than that, but from my experiences, the mental image I get of Gods grace is one of getting a second chance, of being caught and held safe before I spiritually bounce off the floor. When I first became a Christian, grace was explained to me as unmerited favor. Something that I receive that I could have never been able to afford or even pay for by the good things that I might do. How the grace of God has worked in my life is by God giving me a second chance, and a third and fourth and on and on. When ever I have strayed from Gods will for my life and I realize that I have walked away on my own. When I honestly desire a change and I come back to God with my head hung down. Then God always has accepted me back with loving arms that wrap around me like no human can do. That was grace to me, when I deserved punishment, but received love instead. What a different concept of grace the apostle Paul has given me today, that of grace being a teacher. Come to think of it, some of the best teachers that I had were the ones who gave me second chances. The teachers that were patient with me and let me learn by experience were the ones that made the difference. I may learn something from a book, and know it well, but until I apply it to my life it is just knowledge. Some of the best lessons that I have learned from life have been the ones that I failed at first. Grace is that patient teacher that lovingly picks me up after a failure and heads me in the right direction again. Where would I be without the grace of God today? I dont know, but I do know that I would be hopelessly miserable, stuck with the constant reminder of my failures. Gods grace and mercy give me a fresh start every day as long as I clean up any wreckage that I might have left behind from yesterday. When I become responsible for my own life then God will help me by doing what I cannot do for myself JRE
Share with me what the Life Recovery Bible has to say on these verses ..
When we realize how much God loves us and that he provides the power for us to live a godly life, we are motivated to entrust our life to him and seek his will. The proper response to Gods grace is right conduct. The Bible never considered guilt and fear appropriate motivations for righteousness. We obey God because he loves us and desires to help us succeed. Seeing God as accepting, gracious, and compassionate instead of harsh, condemning and punitive is critical for our spiritual growth. We dont need to fear God because of our sins. He still loves us and will help us rebuild our life when we admit our failures to him. This can give us hope as we work through recovery.
Life Recovery Bible page 1482