Day #3: Grace is a Gift

God's way of allowing us to reign in life is to live a life of "receiving", not achieving.

So often we think we need to rely on self-efforts to "make things work". but the fact is the power to succeed comes from His work on the Cross. Which means you don't need to labour for salvation, forgiveness and blessings anymore! In Hebrews 10: 11 -14 it says, 

"... for by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified."

who are THOSE who are being sanctified? it's all of us! We've been perfected FOREVER by Jesus on the Cross. Isn't that an amazing revelation?

Moreover, we've been made to sit and reign together with Jesus. Just checkout Ephesians 2:4-6 which says, "... and made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

I like it when the Bible says "heavenly places". Christ didn't just save those who were living in Beverly Hills, Mont Kiara, Bandar Utama... neither did the Bible said that we were saved and God "made us to sit together at the last row of seats in the halls of heaven far, far away from Christ Jesus."

The point i'm striving to put across today is, when we were saved from our old selves, Christ offered a hand and said, "come on! Sit here, right next to me!" It gives me the same tingling feeling that I used to feel when I walked around in the school canteen looking for a friend to sit with and someone spots you and calls your name and waves crazily while pushing the rest to squash closer to each other so that you could sit down there.

Imagine, if there was an angel there, Jesus would have said, "move over, he's coming to sit with me.. make space la!"

isn't that cool? we're sitting together with our best friend, and not only just sitting and watching what He does, Jesus wants us to reign together WITH Him. Means, we do things together, no longer are we bystanders of His power, we partake and participate in using the power of God to empower our lives and even others!

sometimes, as humans... we tend to look at our imperfection and wonder why in the world would God even bother to save us. one of it i believe is that God wanted to restore His truth and grace upon the world. That's why the verse says in John 1: 17,

"... but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

so often we think that the TRUTH stands with righteousness and judgement. That the grace of God is unlimited. Not true, the grace of God stands together with the truth... and the truth is that there is unlimited possibility when we place our faith in God. That all we need to do is receive the forgiveness that was already present at Calvary more than 2000 years ago. The only things is to receive it. To just open your hands and receive it gladly into your life.

grace is a gift. but a gift is only a gift if you open the box and not only that... you need to reach in and own it.

do you own the grace that God has given to you? or is it just an ornament you use to decorate  our speech when you talk with your churchmates or christian friends? don't wear grace as a decoration. it's not a pendant you hang around your neck.

it's not. grace is SO not a fashion statement.

grace is a gift:

a gift is meant to be received.

a gift is meant to be owned.

a gift is meant to be used.

receive grace, own grace and use the grace in your life. 

it makes a difference.

try it and you will know the difference ; )