Video Devotionals
Friday, July 27, 2018
Grace That Shows
| 1:16 min read |
God gives us his grace and expects us to share it with others. We are called to be agents of God’s grace in our world. Today we are looking at the practical implications of being a gracious person.
In Matthew 10:7, 8 Jesus gave His disciples a set of instructions to follow as He sent them out on a mission, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
With this statement, Jesus was saying: “You have already received wonderful blessings and benefits by my grace. Grace has been imparted to you. Make sure you go out and be a distributor of My grace to others. Let the grace I have given to you show and flow through you to others.”
This is the challenge and responsibility we all have as recipients of the grace of God. Grace-full people show grace in every aspect of their life.
How do we show God’s grace? Here’s an acrostic:
G = Give generously.
R = Release forgiveness freely.
A = Act benevolently. Show grace by the good things you do.
C = Communicate carefully.
E = Expand consistently. God’s grace makes us big people!
Show grace to others, just as you have received it from the Lord!
Pastor Dale
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Sustaining Grace
| 1:19 min read |
It’s been said that two things are inevitable in life—death and taxes. We can add to the list—problems! Problems come in all shapes and sizes. They come in a variety of styles—financial, relational, emotional, etc.
In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NIV) we find the Apostle Paul describing a particular problem he faced in his life, “…I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”
What was Paul’s problem? He was being battered, spiritually. He struggled with a spiritual assault that regularly plagued him. He had a major problem. He was hurting. The Lord didn’t immediately take Paul’s problem away, but He did promise him sustaining grace. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 we read, “My grace is sufficient for you…”
The same promise has been given to us also. God’s promise, when facing a problem, is that He will solve it or He will give sustaining grace to help you work and walk through it.
We all need the sustaining grace of God, just as the Apostle Paul did. We need God’s grace to sustain us along times of temptation or spiritual attack; times of sickness, transitions, losses or loneliness; seasons of disappointment and delays; rough relationships, or the failure and frustrations we face in life.
No matter what problem has come your way, trust His sustaining grace!
Pastor Dale
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Gifting Grace
| 1:28 min read |
Nothing tells us more about a person than their giving habits. People are often described as stingy or generous, based on their approach to giving. When someone gives largely and consistently it reflects their heart—their character—their nature. Today we’re looking at another expression of God’s grace—His gifting grace.
In the Bible, giving is always associated with grace. Because God is gracious, He gives. What are some of the gifts God has given to us through Jesus Christ?
- Forgiveness of our sins.
- Eternal life.
- The Holy Spirit.
- Peace of mind and heart.
- His Word.
- Spiritual gifts.
- A spiritual family.
- His favor.
To grow in grace we must acknowledge and appreciate God’s gifts. One of the ways we appreciate a gift is by using it. Notice what the Bible says about this in 2 Corinthians 6:1 (NIV), “As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.” Most of God’s giftings come in raw form. God places us in situations and puts us around people He wants to use to help us develop our gifts.
Whatever gifts God gives to us are ultimately not meant for us only. They are meant to be shared. The greatest fulfillment we can have in life is to become someone who passes on the blessings God has given to us to others.
Becoming a giver is one of the ways God builds His gracious nature in us. When we learn to give, we are learning one of the most valuable lessons in life, and in God’s Kingdom. We are learning the lessons of grace!
Pastor Dale
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Empowering Grace
| 1:13 min read |
God’s plan for our lives involves much more than getting us to heaven. He wants to teach us how to live a strong and successful life here on earth. He wants us to have the power to accomplish His purposes.
The Bible tells us that God’s grace is a source of strength and power. Look at 2 Timothy 2:1 (TEV), “As for you, my son, be strong through the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus.” In Jesus we discover and experience empowering grace. The same grace that saves, heals, restores and protects us also gives us the power to be whole and holy.
God’s grace changes us from sinners to saints—from people who, by nature, do what is wrong, to people who do what is right! How does this happen?
When we come to know Jesus Christ, His power comes into our lives. He begins to change the affections of our heart. By His grace, we begin to love things we never loved before, and we begin to hate the bad things we used to love.
His power is greater than the power of sin, and it gives us the strength we need to resist temptation. In our own strength we are powerless, but because of the grace of God, we have supernatural strength to handle our weaknesses, overcome them and become mature followers of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Dale
Monday, July 23, 2018
Protective Grace
| 58 sec read |
The world we live in is an unpredictable, dangerous place. Because of this, we can feel very vulnerable, anxious, afraid and unprotected. The good news is, Jesus invites us to come under the covering of His protective grace.
God’s protective grace comes to those who have made a decision to trust in Him. The Psalmist says in Psalm 91:14 (NLT), “The LORD says, ‘I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name.’” God’s protective grace provides us with a sense of security, peace, courage, and confidence.
The key to God’s peace is trust. We must believe that God is involved in our lives guiding our steps, managing our circumstances, influencing decisions and directing events that affect us.
God wants you to live confidently under the covering of His protective grace. Pray for it, plea the protection of Jesus’ shed blood and proclaim the promises of His protection over your life and over the lives of your loved ones!
Pastor Dale
Friday, July 20, 2018
Grace that Restores
| 55 sec read |
There are times when the problems and pressures of life bring us to a point of brokenness. Because we live in a broken world, and we’re broken ourselves, we need God’s restorative grace.
Here are some things that break us:
1. Bad decisions—Bad decisions can set our life on a painful path.
2. Disobedience to God’s Word and will.
3. Damage—Our lives can be shattered by trauma, loss or injustice.
When these things happen, our hope needs to be restored. We need to know that our mistakes can be redeemed by God. We need restoration.
The Psalmist David went through some difficult things in his life. But David knew something about God. He knew that God is merciful and gracious. He came to know the Lord as his restorer. Look at these words in Psalm 23:3 (NKJV), “… He restores my soul.”
Are you experiencing brokenness? God loves to put broken lives back together. Ask Him to restore you by His grace!
Pastor Dale