God's grace

Scripture for the week:
⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8,9 NLT

Tuesday reading:
Ephesians 2

key verse (s): Eph 2:8,9

observations & questions:
We are saved by Grace, so what is grace ?

word is charis; one defintion says - God’s attitude toward human beings kindness, grace, favor, helpfulness

Being saved is not a reward for the good things we have done or do, so grace is not earned by us.

our access to grace is through faith. Rom 5:2

God is able to make all grace abound to us, so we may abound in every good work. 2 cor 9:8

grace is GIVEN, we get in the stores of grace by entering through the door of faith.

application or concept:
I can not in my own efforts save myself and even continue growing in God apart from His grace.
My application today is to stay fellowshiping with God and not try to earn his favor or earn my way to being a better Christian.

prayer:
Lord, thank you for your grace. I know I would not be able to grow, to be in fellowship with you, to have hope if it were not for your grace.

Learning Agenda:

Leadership from bloggers from Perry Nobles blog

You and I are called to preach the Gospel every single day.
How we treat the waiter or waitress this weekend is preaching a message!
How we react when someone cuts us off in traffic is preaching a message (and our kids are on the front row!)

How we talk about our spouse is preaching a message!

What we are willing to say about others when they are not around is preaching a message!

Everything we do preaches a message…our lifestyle openly declares whether or not we love Jesus…or merely just the idea of Jesus! If we claim to love Jesus but are not living for Him then we are nothing more than, as Craig Groeschel would say, a practical atheist!

Being a Christian is NOT about simply what we KNOW (none of us will ever know more than satan!) It’s what we DO with what we know!

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for your grace upon our lives. God I recognize I can not in my own efforts solve problems or change behaviors or make things happen. It is your power, your strength, your grace that directs life. Help me to live that out. Stop me when I am trying to do things in my own effort and redirect me to yourself.

Lord, help us in dealing with our previous company situation. We look to you for provision, for wisdom, and for grace.

Thanks you for providing for our daily needs, Lord continue to do that.

Father, thank you for your presence at prayer last night. I pray you continue to direct us. Would you bring people to help with prayer in every facet. Will you take away anyone who would be a detriment to what you are doing. Let any wolves dressed in sheep's clothing be exposed.