Thanks to John Newton the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of grace is "amazing." Perhaps I would have come to that conclusion on my own. I trust I would have, but it was sure wonderful to have a preacher of grace teach me and have it passed down hundreds of years through that wonderful song, "Amazing Grace."

Yes, we sing of "amazing grace," "wonderful grace," "matchless grace," "wondrous grace," and "infinite grace." God's Word talks about "great grace," "abundant grace," "exceeding grace," "all grace," "manifold grace," and "true grace." But of all the descriptive words we could use to enlarge our appreciation and understanding of God's grace, I love "My grace."

When Paul went to God about his problem, his "thorn in the flesh," God's response was "My grace is sufficient for thee." (I can hear you all shouting AMEN!) "My" is a personal pronoun. God works with us personally and wants us to experience His grace in a personal way. The grace of God was sufficient for Paul, and it is also sufficient for us. Do you have any problems or challenges? His grace is more than enough. (That phrase "His grace" occurs nine times in the KJV NT.) "My and "his" are not only personal pronouns; they are "possessive" pronouns. This grace of which we are speaking belongs to God, and He bestows it freely, as He wills.

People so concerned about their works, see their sin as the biggest stumbling block in their relationship with God. Sin is not a stumbling block anymore. At least it shouldn't be. The sin problem has been conquered. We are victorious and more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

Romans 5:20,21:
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. When we accept the grace of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, sin no longer reigns-grace does. God's super-abounding grace replaces the reign of sin. There was a time when we were bound by sin so-sin reigned. There was a time when we were bound by death-so death reigned. Now that we are no longer bound by sin and death-grace can reign.

I think we all, like Paul, have asked, "Who is sufficient for these things?" I'm glad he answers the question a few verses later.

II Corinthians 3:3-6:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Our sufficiency is of God. His grace is sufficient. It is more than enough. We are not sufficient in ourselves or our own ability, but we are sufficient when we recognize His sufficiency. God is willing and able to work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. We never earn his grace; by definition it is unmerited favor. H. A. Ironside said, "Grace is the very opposite of merit. It is not only undeserved favor, but it is favor shown to the one who has deserved the very opposite." So quit trying to earn it. If you don't, sin will reign. If you do, grace will reign and so will you.

In his book "The Grace Awakening" Charles Swindoll makes a great statement about our orientation and relationship to God. He said the most dangerous heresy on earth is, "The emphasis on what we do for God, instead of what God has done for us." Emphasizing the former allows sin to reign, and emphasizing the latter allows grace to reign.

For grace to reign, it must be present. Matthew says, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Without experiencing God's grace on a daily basis we will never be sufficient to handle what comes our way. Yesterday's grace will not suffice. To handle the challenges of today we need to draw from the riches of His grace, today. God wants us to reign in life with Christ Jesus. Let's come boldly to the throne of grace and find our sufficiency is of God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.