Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

People Of Grace In Order To Give Grace

1 PETER 5:10 – And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

THEME OF THE DAY. PEOPLE OF GRACE IN ORDER TO GIVE GRACE. Today’s scripture must be one of the “Mount Everest” texts in our Bibles. It reaches great heights of encouragement and strength for the battle-weary Christian. Not only do we read what God will do for us – restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us – but it gives us the source by which He will do these marvelous works; grace coming from the God of all grace.

When it comes to being Christians, we are a people all of grace. We are chosen from the foundation of the world by grace. We are saved in time and space by grace. We are conformed into the image of Christ by grace. We are sustained through the trials of life by grace. We are forgiven for our many failings and sins by grace. We are strengthened to obey God by grace. We will be received into heaven by grace. As people all of God’s grace, we are not to be hoarders of His grace. We are to be dispensers of God’s grace in relationships, conversations, and interactions with all people. This means we are a people putting forth the grace of forgiveness when sinned against; offering the grace of edifying speech for the building up of God’s people; and displaying the grace of patience in the many times people disappoint us through failed expectations and actions. And the greatest display of this grace is in the exercise of patience with all people. That doesn’t mean we look past sin, but it does mean we show patience with all people bathed in a love that bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and believes all things. And this patience is not of human origin. It is developed by the Spirit of God who reminds God’s children how patient He is with them. When we recall all the times the Lord has been patient in our lives through our many fumblings, bumblings, and stumblings, we are quick to respond in like manner to people in their fumblings, bumblings and stumblings. Remember the God of all grace is also the God of all patience. Aren’t we glad the Lord doesn’t cast us off in our wanderings and backslidings? And why doesn’t he? Because He is the God of all grace who demonstrates all patience!

A way to close today’s nugget is from a quote by J.C. Ryle. By the way, read anything he wrote. All are pure gold! Ryle said this concerning the grace of patience we receive from the Lord, “Our Lord has many weak children in His family, many dull pupils in His school, many raw soldiers in His army, many lame sheep in His flock. Yet He bears with them all, and casts none away! Happy is that Christian who has learned to deal likewise with his brethren.” How good is that and worthy of modeling?

PRAYER: “Father, help me to see that I am to be a grace-giver not a grace-hoarder.”
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QUOTE: “Patience with one another is the one of the greatest displays of grace.”