Last night I had the privilege of preaching the Gospel behind bars. The message the Lord gave me to share was entitled, “What are you going to do with God’s grace?” The Lord had me to ask the inmates directly, “What are you going to do with the grace I am giving you?” It was an amazing time. The power of God moved through the room and lives were changed for God’s glory. This morning I feel led to share a quick recap of the message with you.
The Apostle Paul was an amazing man. He spent his early years tirelessly dedicated to a cause he thought was right, but he later found out that he was on the wrong side of God. He spent years earnestly pursuing something he later found to be futile. But the Lord did not chastise Paul for the error of his ways. The Lord extended Paul grace and Paul was determined to ensure God’s grace would not wasted on him. That is why Paul ran so hard. Paul lived the rest of his life with tireless zeal, pursuing the things of God, because He did not want God’s grace to be in vain.
Like Paul I spent many years working hard and pursuing things my way. I thought I was a good person and I thought I was on the right path. But at the age of 23 I came to know Jesus in an intimate way. God did not convict me of my past. He did not point His finger in my face and tell me all the things I did wrong. No, God extended to me His grace and He spoke to me about the life He planned for me to have. That’s why I have been running so hard these past 20 years. I get up early, I go to bed late, I preach the gospel everywhere I go, and I will never stop, because I don’t want God’s grace to be wasted on me. I am determined, like Paul, to make the most of the grace God has given me.
My wife Isabella is equally determined. She just got back from Haiti, where she saw 29 children come to Jesus (glory to God). She will soon head to Mexico to minister to children as well. She homeschools our children, she preaches the Gospel, and she is dedicated to missions. Why? Because she is determined not to waste God’s grace.
Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well one day. Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, but Jesus was there for a divine appointment. Jesus did not judge the woman for having been divorced five times, nor for shacking-up with her current boyfriend. Jesus chose this woman, a promiscuous outcast, to become the first person He revealed His true identity to. Jesus let this woman know that He was the Messiah and she appreciated that grace. So much so that without a clergy collar, without a seminary degree, without a righteous past, this woman became the first evangelist. She preached Christ in her home town. She started a revival. Why? Because she was determined not to waste God’s grace towards her.
I could give more examples, but I will stop here. I believe the message is clear. Paul said, “The grace God gave me was not in vain, it was not wasted. I worked harder than all the other apostles. But then again, I was not really the one working. It was the grace of God with me.” That’s the type of determination we must have.
So what does this mean to you today? Two things.
1. God extends to you His grace.
a) The Law was given to us through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).
b) The Law was focused on man working for God. Grace is focused on God working for, in, with and through man. Under the covenant of grace human effort and power are not the issue, because God provides all the power. The main issue under grace is cooperation. For God to fully operate in your life He needs you to cooperate with Him. He will not force you to fulfill your purpose.
c) The Old Covenant was based on rules, to prove to man that we could never be good enough. The purpose of the Old Covenant was to get man to the “end of himself”. Under the New Covenant the Lord does not approach us with rules, He approaches us with grace. He is not focused on our performance or our past, He is focused on His performance and our future.
2. You get to decide what you are going to do with the grace God has bestowed upon you.
a) Paul was determined to work hard because He did not want God’s grace towards him to be wasted.
b) Once you have accepted Jesus as Lord, and you know God’s grace is on you to fulfill your divine purpose, God still requires you to ‘die to self’ to the point where He can make the most of the grace He has given you. If you fight the process, or if you are simply lazy, you will waste God’s grace.
c) God’s grace does not come BY work, but it surely comes FOR work!
d) If you embrace God’s grace and you allow Him to flow through you, you will find yourself working harder than you have ever worked, but without getting frustrated, disillusioned or stressed-out.
e) The grace of God comes to empower you to do what God called you to do from the foundations of the world.
*** What are you going to do with the grace God has given you? Only you can answer that question.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. You do all You do for me by grace. You then expect me to do all I do for and with You by faith. When I came to You for salvation You could have easily focused on all the wrong I had done. But instead of focusing on my performance and my past, You were focused on Your performance and my future. I was not good enough, but Jesus was good enough for me. I was not qualified, but Jesus was qualified for me. I was not righteous, but Jesus was righteous for me. And You freely offered me everything You provided for me through Your Son, Christ Jesus, who is now my Lord. Now that I have accepted Your grace, I am determined to make the most of it. Your grace towards me shall not be in vain. I will work hard, I will run long and strong, I will accomplish all I was born to accomplish, and I will do all these things knowing it’s not me doing it, but rather the grace of God through me. I can’t work FOR grace, but I shall work BY grace, all the days of my life! You grace on me Father shall not be wasted! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
