Word - Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

That Grace…It’s SO Amazing!

September 17, 2015 by Ellen 16 Comments

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB

One of the first things I learned as a Christian, is that I was saved by God’s grace. Grace is His unmerited favor given to me. Unmerited: I didn’t deserve it at all. I didn’t deserve the gift of Jesus’ death on the cross to pay for all MY sins. But God gave me His grace anyway.

As I have grown in my Christian walk, I’ve learned that His grace is amazing indeed! And it’s so much more than His undeserved gift. God’s grace is His supernatural power that equips me to overcome my shortcomings and serve Him.

Supernatural power. In me? Not just me, but to ALL who believe in Him.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:19-20 (NLT)

For the believer, this power is through God’s ability, not in our own strength (Strong’s 1411 dýnamis). The power of God’s grace, through Christ, is sufficient for all our needs. This grace empowers us in our time of need.

Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus called us by his glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3 (NCV)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB

Why did God do this – give us this supernatural gift of grace? Because of His great love for us. But don’t you think He also gives us that resurrection power so that, as we personally experience it, our faith in Him will grow? As our faith grows, our relationship with Him will grow, too. That’s exactly what He wants – a relationship with us.

When have you experienced God’s amazing grace in your life? When have you been weak, and His strength has carried you?

His resurrection power is perfected in our weakness. When we are weak, He is strong in us. When we are weak, His grace shines through us. When we have no power on our own, then we are strong – in the power of Christ and His grace that dwells in us. Others see His powerful grace working in us.

[tweetthis]His power becomes part of our story.[/tweetthis]

That grace…it’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?

Until next week,

Joining these lovely writers. Be sure to visit their pages, you’ll be encouraged!

Suzie Eller, Live Free Thursday

Kelly at Purposeful Faith

Holly at Testimony Tuesday

Crystal at Intentionally Pursuing the Heart of God

Winter at Words with Winter

Jennifer at Tell His Story

We Have the One Thing We Need

September 10, 2015 by Ellen 14 Comments

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you…” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Look at this! I need it. It would really help me. Oooh, look, if I had that I’d be set!

If I had the confidence (or brains, looks, opportunities, money, time, health) that she/he has, I could do so much. If I had this ONE thing. THE thing that would make life easier and better, I could soar like an eagle!

Imagine now if I had all that. The danger would be that I would think I was all that. Puffed up with pride, I would be walking around confident in my own strength and abilities. I would be “Miss Thang” in all her glory. I wouldn’t need help from anyone or anything. I would only need myself.

The apostle Paul had a “thorn in his flesh” that was so painful he called it a “messenger of Satan.” Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly what the thorn was, but it was a physical pain that caused Paul much distress. If he could just get rid of that one thing he would be healthy, pain free and able to continue his ministry. He begged Jesus three times for it to be removed.

“Please Lord, remove this pain! Please! Please!”

And Jesus simply told him “My grace is sufficient for you…”

What’s your One Thing? The one thing that never seems to come your way. The thing you can’t seem to grasp. What one thing would make the hard days bearable? What would your life be like if you had it? Easier? More productive? Would you be boldly confident in your own abilities?

As followers of Christ, we have the one thing we need. And that is His grace. It is sufficient for all our needs, all our trials and every difficult situation in which we find ourselves.

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines sufficient like this: enough to meet the needs of a situation or a proposed end.

His grace is sufficient to meet all our needs; it is sufficient for every situation; and it is sufficient to carry us through to His proposed outcome. His gracious power overcomes our every weakness.

When you are fearful, His grace will be your courage. When you don’t know, His grace will be your wisdom. When you are weak, His grace is your power. When you think you can’t take one more step, His grace will carry you.

I don’t naturally tend to rely on the grace of Christ, do you? I tend towards stubbornness, independence and self-sufficiency. But I have had trials and thorns in my flesh that bring me to the end of myself. That’s when I remember: His grace is sufficient.

Let’s bury this scriptural truth deep in our hearts and let it whisper to our souls:
His grace is sufficient…His grace is sufficient.

Rest in Jesus, The All Sufficient One. Walk confidently in the grace of Christ, knowing it is all you need.