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Dear Christian Believers, God bless
you abundantly in Christ Jesus.
Wayne Clapp and I are reading a book written by Charles
Swindoll titled, "The Grace Awakening."
Charlie Quillen had shared some detail Out of this book
during a teaching he did in Rockford, Illinois last November.
Wayne and I enjoyed Charlie's teaching and decided to
read Swindoll's book for ourselves.
Charles Swindoll exhorts the Church to awaken to God's
grace so that it doesn't restrain or limit the dynamics
of Christian living. I believe the exhortation of his
book is very timely, in that there has been a rise of
legalism among many groups over these past years and the
"grace of God" has been forgotten, not
understood, or pushed aside purposefully to control and
run the lives of others.
The word "awake," means ... "to
become conscious or aware of something, to make active
again." Unless the Christian believer awakens
to grace living - the "new" creature
or creation in Christ of II Corinthians 5:17 sleeps
or remains subdued.
Ezra 9:8(a)
"And now for a little space grace hath been shewd
from the Lord our God..."
Our "little space of grace"
that we've been given is the administration of grace,
"The Age of Grace." God has given us
time and space, (room) to grow, a time to develop and
manifest the Christ in us so all things might become new.
When Martin Luther awakened to grace ... the "Reformation
was on". The "grace" of God
has been given to us to use, NOT abuse. God's grace
is fertile ground to grow in, to be productive for God
and ourselves, to manifest fruit that remains, and thus
glorify our heavenly Father.
Legalists or "grace killers," as Swindoll
refers to them, deny the greatness of God's grace.
Legalism binds the believer's freedom and liberty in Christ,
and it short-circuits God working within him to do of
His good will and pleasure. "Grace" is
"unmerited (unearned) divine favor; it is to extend
favor or kindness to one who does not deceive it and could
not earn it."
Another problem that surfaces is, the
"given to license," boys, those who accept
"grace" and it's liberty, but
not it's responsibility. They say, "I'm saved by
grace so I can do whatever I want," using it for
an occasion to the flesh.
Galatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only
use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love
serve one another,
Through God's grace we have
freedom and liberty in Christ to grow in him, and to love
and serve one another. It's not an excuse to just do as
you please, being self-serving. In our country we have freedom
and liberty too, but with it comes responsibility. It's
the same thing with God's grace. Grace allows us
to make mistakes as we endeavor to grow up in Christ. The
legalist and the given to license boys are both wrong
and are the enemies of grace. Let us not be fooled by either
system, but rather use our "space of grace" to
grow up in Christ and be no more children tossed to and
fro by the systems of the world that are of no profit to
God or us. 2002 has begun and God has given us everything
we need, to live, to give and to enjoy. So live, give, and
enjoy this New Year, abounding in God's grace.
Abounding in God's grace with
you,
John
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