Monthly Archives: November 2011

Confessions of a Christian Wife

>Christmas Struggles

>Yes, I must confess that I am the woman whose stomach starts churning and dreading the coming too soon Christmas season around October…

Why?

The whole money issue.

Yes, I am a woman who hates spending money… shocking as it may sound. There are some women who do not fall into the shopaholics anonymous category. I even refuse to stop at a gas station that won’t allow me to pay at the pump because I do not want to be tempted to buy cokes and bags of chips along with my gas.

I feel guilty for every dime I spend on me. I hate to shop… so I only go when I am in actual desperate need of something.

When at the beach earlier this month it was colder than I had packed for and so I needed to pick up a warm outfit. We went to an outlet mall and I found a fleece sweatsuit that was on sale for %60 off, yet I still walked around the store for an hour, yes literally an hour, trying to decide whether or not my conscience was good with making the purchase. I was praying for the okay from God as I was trying to decide if I was under conviction or condemnation.

Does anyone else do this?

So now Christmas is here, the purchasing must be done…
Now once the shopping actually begins I usually get excited because I get caught up in the joy of actually buying things that my loved ones will really be excited to receive… so I am not a complete scrooge 🙂

Now our first purchase from our Christmas budget was for our home, we have some repairs that need to be done, and I have been wanting a new chandelier since we purchased our home over five years ago (I got a gift card to pick one out with last year, but the vacuum cleaner broke, so I got a vacuum cleaner instead) and we picked one up when we purchased the material to do the repairs. Then the day before yesterday I made my first Christmas purchases for our girls and I was excited and ready to shop some more… bring on the Christmas cheer!

Then that night about 10:30pm we open the laundry room door to discover the catch-pan under the hot water heater two inches deep in water.

Great. 

My first thought was…
Yep this is my punishment for shopping,
I knew I spent too much,
And we shouldn’t have bought that chandelier, we should take it back.
Hello, Murphy! I knew you wouldn’t stay gone for long…

(pout, pout, frown, sigh)

Then I remembered that my God was Jehovah-jireh, our Provider.
I remembered that we had prepared our budget and saved all year to make these purchases.
I remembered that God was sovereign over even hot water heater issues and I would not pout, frown, or sigh in doubt or frustration.
I would trust Him to meet our needs.
Murphy would not steal my joy.

And guess what…
God was faithful.
Imagine that 🙂

I will enjoy Christmas this year.
I will enjoy the time shopping with my husband as we buy gifts for our loved ones.
And maybe, just maybe, next Christmas I will not even experience that stomach churning dread of the coming Christmas season.

So how about you?
Do you want to throw up the first time you see the “so many days until Christmas” sign?
Or are you the one who starts counting the days down in overwhelming excitement at the first sign of the season?

Proven Path Ministries

>Under the Ban

>We are slaves to rebellion even when we know it will only lead to the death of our dreams.  Even when we know that ALL we have to do is bend a knee and we’ll get all the grace we  so desperately want, we can’t bring ourselves to do it.

Crazy rebellious humans.

But our rebellion can’t erase our soul’s memories of another world.  We were made to need approval from an Authority.  We were made to fear the disapproval of that Authority.  No matter how much we try to convince ourselves that we don’t care, that need and fear is knit into the deepest parts of our soul’s by our Maker.  The tears betray us. ~ fabs

I read this post by fabs and it reminded me of one of the Scripture cross-references we looked at in the lesson in our spiritual gifts class last week as we discussed the gift of mercy.

Nothing from that which is put under the ban
shall cling to your hand,
in order that the LORD may turn from His burning anger
and show mercy to you,
and have compassion on you
and make you increase,
just as He has sworn to your fathers,
Deuteronomy 13:17
 
Our Creator is a God of mercy. He patiently waits to pour out His mercy upon us. But to receive this mercy we must let go of those things that are under the ban. We are to cling to Him and only Him. Yet for some reason we find ourselves clinging to the things that are only destroying us and keeping us from the mercy we so deeply desire and yet feel so unworthy to receive or even request.
 
The things that were under the ban, were the things that were to be utterly destroyed, they were not for us to hang on to or to trust in. They were things that God had made clear would be destroyed and if we chose to hang on to them we would be destroyed with them.
 
That has not changed.
 
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
in which the heavens will pass away with a roar
and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat,
and the earth and its works will be burned up.
 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way,
what sort of people ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness, 
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,
 because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning,
and the elements will melt with intense heat!
2 Peter 3:10-12
 
This present world and the things of this world are under the ban. They will one day be utterly destroyed, yet today God waits with outstretched arms to freely give His mercy to any who would turn to Him and cling to Him instead of this world and the desires of this world.
 
He looks at us, and I imagine with deep eyes of understanding He shakes His head with loving frustration as He watches us desperately and ignorantly clinging to utterly worthless things…
like pride,
like hate,
like lust,
like money,
like opinions of man,
like emotions,
like feelings,
like jealousy,
like rebellion,
like unforgiveness,
like revenge,
like status,
like sin…
 
Why is it so hard to let go?
 
The crazy thing is that once we do let go and we look back we never cease to wonder why in the world we were fighting so hard to hang on to that in the first place…
 
Then we look up into the face of our merciful God and are overwhelmed with His patience and love for us that He was willing to wait on us to let go and show us mercy in His never ending, ever reaching grace.
 
So what are you clinging to that is keeping God from showing you mercy?
Do you know that He longingly waits to show you compassion?
 
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Isaiah 30:18
Gabby Mom Posts, Proven Path Ministries

>Organizing Happiness Review

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Dwelling on the problem doesn’t take you closer to the solution. If you eat candy all day, you’ll be sick. Likewise, if you put junk into your mind all day, you’ll be sick. If you want to be happier, feed your mind a happier diet. ~ Lorrie Flem

The above quote is just one little bite of the bite-size words of encouragement and tips for you to chew on as you read through Organizing Happiness by Lorrie Flem. This book is one that you can easily read in one sitting but it is filled with counsel that will be beneficial for a lifetime.

I read the title and was a little skeptical thinking how in the world can you “organize” happiness? Then after reading the book I saw the point of the title. So many times as a wife and mother my unhappiness comes from frustrations that are rooted in disorganization.

You know, “What do you mean you mean you can’t find your library book? It’s due back today!”  or “Are we not on our way to basketball practice? Why would you not need your basketball shoes for basketball practice?” and then there’s always the “Ugh, I can’t believe I forgot the… (fill in the blank)”

As a wife and mother the “to do list” is ever growing and never ending… so I will take all the help, and insight, and pointers I can get, and there were some pretty good tid bits in this book.

One of my favorites being “Never give up on your husband and children”

Yes I am guilty of the thought, “I quit! I am packing up and running away because all anyone will miss is the clean laundry”

So I don’t know about you, but I am always in need of encouragement and my eyes and ears are always open to good advice on how to be the best wife and mother that I can be in the grace of God. I also need that advice to be something that I can actually utilize in my life. I need it to be simple and practical because I am indeed a simple and practical kinda girl. 

So if you need some simple, practical, bite-size, and free of charge advice today I would recommend following this link on over to subscribe to the newsletter to get your own e-book download to Organizing Happiness.    

Remember that the book is free is with your free subscription to the newsletter for Eternal Encouragement magazine where Lorrie Flem, the author of Organizing Happiness, is also the Publisher. This is a magazine devoted to give Real Help by Real Moms.

May you be abundantly blessed in Christ!

 
Devotional Studies Through the Bible

>Rejoicing in the Fire

>

Because the Lord was with him;
and whatever he did,
the Lord made to prosper.
Genesis 39:23
 
Joseph, sold as a slave to the Ishmaelites and then to Potiphar in Egypt, now finds himself in the king’s prison. It appeared that everywhere Joseph went, the world was against him, but God was with him. If God is with us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?
 
Every attempt by the world and the evil one to knock him down or remove him only placed him right where God needed him to be. Joseph’s situations did not catch God by surprise. As persecution and lies rose against him, God was right there with him. Everywhere he went, whether as slave or prisoner, God caused all he did to prosper.
 
I believe the enemy notices when God causes the works of our hands to prosper, and he wants to stop it. He knows by our prospering that God is up to something. However, I believe he has no knowledge as to what that something is. If the enemy had a clue, he would never have pushed so strongly to get Christ on that cross, and he would never have tempted Potiphar’s wife to bring this accusation against Joseph.
 
In 1 Peter 4:12–13 we read,
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,
which comes upon you for your testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you;
but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ,
keep on rejoicing,
so that also at the revelation of His glory
you may rejoice with exultation.
 
My precious one, can you look at the fiery ordeal that you are now in and rejoice?
Do you see it as an opportunity for you to share in the sufferings of your Christ?
Do you understand that there is more to this ordeal than you can presently see?
 
Joseph’s situation, from the outside, seemed horrible, but it was only placing him in the position to be the savior and redeemer of his loved ones. Even the savior of his brothers, who had sold him into slavery in the first place.
 
Oh, what a picture of our beautiful one, our Savior, our Redeemer, our glorious Jesus Christ!
 
Oh Father,
 
That I would be one who trusts in You even through persecution and lies brought against me. Oh Father, that I would stand firm, as Joseph stood firm, and know that as long as You are with me, I will at all times and in every situation rejoice. You tell us to be strong and courageous, for You are with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9). Momentary light affliction in this world produces in us the fruit of righteousness and perfects us and brings us to spiritual maturity. Oh Father, mold me into a mighty servant soldier of Your kingdom. Oh, that I would trust in You at all times. My Jesus, thank You for Your eternal presence.
 
It’s in Your name I pray,
Amen.
Names of God Series

Names of God – El Shaddai

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Okay ready for another post in our Names of God series?

So far we have looked at three names of God, Elohim which reveals God as our Creator God, El Elyon which reveals God as God Most High and El Roi which reveals God as the God who sees. Just the revelation of these names alone are enough to jump up and shout over, don’t you think?

Today we are going to discover our God as El Shaddai, God Almighty.

We first discover this name of God in Genesis.

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old,
 the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him,
   “I am God Almighty;
Walk before Me, and be blameless.
“I will establish My covenant between Me and you,
And I will multiply you exceedingly.” 
Genesis 17:1-2
We must always remember our context. Remember that Abram was seventy-five years old when he first was promised descendants. Then after waiting for a while and having no child, Sarai comes up with a plan and Abram goes into Hagar, Sarai’s hand-maid. And yes a child is conceived… but this is not the promised child. This is a child of fleshly efforts, not faith and divine power.
Now thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, the LORD appears to Abram again. Abram is ninety-nine years old. Ninety-nine. Which means Sarai is eighty-nine. Yes, eighty-nine years old. And now God appears to Abram and says, Abram, it’s time to do this thing. 
God then changes Abram and Sarai’s names to Abraham and Sarah.
How does Abram respond?
 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed,
and said in his heart,
“Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old?
And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 
And Abraham said to God,
“Oh that Ishmael might live before You!”
Genesis 17:17-18
Abraham is belly rolling and says something like, Oh yeh God, that’s a good one! Then Abraham has a bright idea, God, just let Ishmael be the one, I mean really have you forgotten how old Sarah is? Hello, our stuff don’t even work anymore!
But God says
“No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son,
and you shall call his name Isaac;
and I will establish My covenant with him
for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
Genesis 17:19
You see God had just introduced Himself to Abram as El Shaddai, God Almighty. God did not need any help from Abraham and Sarah’s physical and fleshly efforts. He is the All-Powerful, All-Sufficient, Almighty God. God is never in need of our ability. He supplies our ability, He just asks for our availability.
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. 
Therefore I am well content with weaknesses,
with insults,
with distresses,
with persecutions,
with difficulties,
for Christ’s sake;
for when I am weak, then I am strong
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
God would display His glory and His might and perfect plan in the not only weak Abraham and Sarah, but dead. There bodies were dead to the ability to conceive, but death has never stopped our God. There is no weakness that we carry, no struggle that we have, that God’s power cannot be perfected in and through. He is God Almighty.
For the material they had was sufficient
and more than enough for all the work, to perform it. 
Exodus 36:7
You see whatever God has called you to do, whatever you have, where ever you are, it will be more than enough to perform what He has called you to do. The power is not yours, it was never in you to begin with, it’s His and it’s in and through Him…
Not that I speak from want,
for I have learned to be content
in whatever circumstances I am. 
I know how to get along with humble means,
and I also know how to live in prosperity;
in any and every circumstance
I have learned the secret of being filled
and going hungry,
both of having abundance
and suffering need. 
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13
Book Reviews, Proven Path Ministries

>Living in Love Book Review

>

This is my first official book review… so bear with me. I only hope I am able to do the book justice and some how encourage you to pick it up and read it. Trust me it will not be wasted time.

I finally finished reading Living in Love by James & Betty Robison. I say “finally” because it was so full of wonderful information that I would stop and take notes, then read over it again, and then stop again and take time to reflect on what I had read and evaluate where I was in light of what I had just learned. If you could see my copy, you would see that it is full of post-it notes marking things I want to go back over and over again.

This book was full of practical counsel. It was also full of hope. There was truth in every page. James and Betty openly shared their hearts. They shared where they had struggled in their marriage and where and how they began walking in victory.

The book is an easy read (an excerpt). It is broken up into manageable sections and chapters. Even someone who is not particularly found of reading would be able to make it through this book. The book is written in such a personal tone that I felt that I was sitting there talking with James and Betty instead of simply reading a book. At the end of each chapter is a few questions to hopefully kick-start you in the personal evaluation and application process, but for me it was easy to begin the evaluating as I read because of the way the book was so practically and conversationally written.     

I would go so far as to recommend that every married couple and every couple engaged to be married by two copies and two hi-liters. Then both read through it and hi-lite the things that spoke to their own heart. Then trade books and see what the other saw as important and sit down and talk about the why’s. But don’t take just my word, there are videos and another sneak peak into the pages of Living in Love to encourage you even further to seek out the benefits of reading this book.

I would give my hind-tooth to have been at a place in my life to have read this book before I ever entered into my marriage. I cannot even begin to imagine the struggles and hurts that could have been diverted or at the very least lessened and shortened had I known the information that is in this book beforehand. However, I can start today to apply what I have learned to the life of my marriage. One of my favorite quotes in the book, “No pit is too deep or too dark that God cannot rescue you from it, if you’re willing.” No matter where you think you are in your marriage God can use this book to reach you where you are and build up and strengthen your marriage.   

I must share a word of caution to any married person who reads this book, please remember that James and Betty have been on this journey for many years. I have walked the marriage journey only a short twelve years. I can’t compare my marriage to theirs. I can’t compare my spouse to them. I can’t read this book in a spirit that only marks where I see my spouse has failed or is failing. I have to read this book in a spirit that is focused on me and God. Allowing God to show me where I need work, where I need change, then trust God to move in my marriage. It is after all His design. He more than anyone wants to see us living in love.

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FTC disclaimer
“I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”

Devotional Studies Through the Bible

>A Time to Run

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How then could I do this great evil
and sin against God?
Genesis 39:9
 
We return now to the life of Joseph, sold into slavery and bought by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh. Now Potiphar saw that Joseph was someone special. He recognized that the Lord was with him. He recognized that he had begun to prosper since Joseph had come into his charge.
 
Potiphar made Joseph his personal servant and placed him as overseer of his house and all that he owned. Potiphar could trust in Joseph, and so he worried about nothing while Joseph was in charge.
 
Potiphar had a wife, and his wife took quite a liking to Joseph and she pursued him. Joseph, however, would not return Potiphar’s wife’s advances. Day after day, she pursued him, and day after day, he refused her. He replied that Potiphar was his master, he trusted him, and he would not violate this trust. Even more, Joseph professed that he would not go into Potiphar’s wife and commit this great evil and sin against God.
 
This adulteress female did not want to accept Joseph’s no, so she grabbed his garment and commanded that he lie with her. Joseph ran, leaving his garment in her tightly gripped hand. In 2 Timothy 2:22 we read, “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
 
Joseph did just that; he fled!
 
When this woman, in her rejected anger, went to her husband and demanded that Joseph be killed because he violated her, I believe her husband knew the truth because he knew his wife and he knew Joseph. The Scripture says that “his anger burned” (Genesis 39:19).
 
I believed it burned not against Joseph, but against his wife, who had forced him into this situation. He had to address the charge, and he could not place the word of a slave over his wife. I believe Potipher’s belief in Joseph’s innocence is made evident in the fact that instead of killing Joseph, he placed him in the king’s prison.
 
Joseph knew that all sin was against God. He also knew that he could not hide himself from God. Joseph did not want to be the kind of person who would need to hide from God. He did not desire to be a man who could not look his master in the eyes.
 
Are you living your life today fleeing from youthful lust?
Are you able to call on the Lord from a pure heart?
Today, could you look your master in the eyes?
 
Oh Father,
 
Sometimes doing the right thing does not always give us the result we expect. Yet the right thing is still the right thing. Oh Father, that I would know, as Joseph knew, that all sin is against You. I pray that I will always have the strength of conviction to turn away from sin, to run away if need be. Oh Father, how I desire to be true to You. My Jesus, may I always be able to look You in the eyes. The seductions of this world might grab me with tightly gripped hands, but my feet are shod with the glorious gospel, and you will my clear my way as I turn from the grip and run toward You. Your grace will be sufficient, and You will always have a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
 
My Jesus, I love You, and it is in Your name I pray,
Amen.
Devotional Studies Through the Bible

>Throwing Stones

>

When Judah saw her,
he thought she was a harlot,
for she had covered her face.
Genesis 38:15
 
We will discover in our journey through Genesis that God has chosen for the scepter to never depart from Judah, yet at this point in history, Judah has no clue about this prophecy. He has not demonstrated Godly leadership thus far in his life.
 
We see in Genesis 38:2 that Judah takes for himself a Canaanite woman. We know from Genesis 9:25 that the Canaanite is cursed. We also know from Genesis 27:46–28:1 that Rebekah was not pleased with Esau’s Canaanite wives and that Isaac and Jacob were commanded by their father not to take a Canaanite wife. I believe this runs much deeper than just personal preference. I believe this had to do with the promised seed.
 
This Canaanite woman boreJudahthree sons. When he was of age,Judahchose for his firstborn, Er, a wife; her name was Tamar. Now Tamar was not a Canaanite woman. Er did evil and died without a son, soJudahgave Tamar, as was the custom, to his next born, Onan. Onan also did evil, and he died without a son.
 
Judahsent Tamar to live with her family as a widow until his third son would be of age for her. However,Judahhad no intentions of giving her to his third son, for he thought Tamar was the curse.
 
He did not see the evil in his sons.
 
Judahdid not keep his word and did not give Tamar to his third son. Tamar knew she had been dishonored as a woman, and so she took matters into her own hands. She had heard thatJudah’s wife had died and that he was visiting in her home town, so she portrayed herself as a prostitute, andJudahwent into her.
 
 Tamar conceived.
 
When word came toJudahthat Tamar was pregnant, he was ready to have her stoned, yet Tamar was not an ignorant woman. She had askedJudahto leave her a pledge for his promised coming payment—his staff, his seal, and his cord—which he did. These items at this point and time in history were as good as DNA testing, so when Tamar laid these items at Judah’s feet in his answer as to whom she had conceived by, he knew she was more righteous than he.
 
“He who is without sin among you,
let him be the first to throw a stone at her”
(John 8:7).
 
ThroughJudahwould come Christ, but not through a Canaanite wife; through Tamar.
 
What I love about this twisted story is how it somehow retains its goodness in the fact that Judahnever laid with Tamar again. He took her in as his family, as an independent woman, and cared for her and his sons. He did not sin against God or Tamar again, but confessed his sin and repented and walked in righteousness before God and before her. I believe that it was at this point that God began an awesome work in the life of Judah, the son of Jacob.
 
Oh Father,
 
It never ceases to amaze me how You can take our worst mistakes and make them glorious. In You all things become good. You are sovereign even over sin. There is nothing that escapes Your mighty hand. No matter what we have done, when we bring it before You, You can heal and restore and make new. We may suffer consequences, but all consequences and circumstances are bearable if we are in right fellowship with You.
 
My Jesus, it’s in Your name I pray,
Amen.
Confessions of a Christian Wife

>Not Afraid Anymore

2 Comments

>Our youngest is deathly afraid of fire ants… for good cause. She got in her first bed when she was still in diapers while playing at the park. Oh it was terrifying for me and her. There is nothing like being covered with what seems like thousands of little flesh eating creatures that you can’t get off of you fast enough…

Yesterday this same child got into a bed of fire ants again. Her Aunt got to her before I did and tried to immediately strip her down but she would have no part of being stripped in the yard. So they ran to the bathroom, where I caught up to find out what in the world was going on…

Oh me ants in the pants, in the socks, in the shirt…

Now stripped down.
Panic over.
And all ants dead… I wrapped her up in my sweater and handed her to her Daddy while we got all the dead ants out of the floor.

Then I took her upstairs to calm her and look her over really good and get her back dressed. While upstairs the tears begin to fall again and she cries, “Why did this have to happen on Thanksgiving!” 

(Ohhh me, can you say mom with broke heart)

Well today we discovered a huge fire ant bed in our yard and she would have nothing but Daddy getting out there and putting some poison on them things, like now. So due to her recent traumatic experience Daddy complied and went out to poison the ants.

Tonight we are cleaning her room and she pulls out a Highlights magazine that just so happens to have an article in it about fire ants. She says, “I’m going to go read this and learn about them fire ants”

About half an hour later she comes running up to me, “Momma! Momma! I’m not afraid of fire ants anymore! They eat wasps!”

So how did this article on fire ants relieve her of her fear?

I believe because of two reasons:
1) Knowledge
2) Purpose

Through reading the article she learned more about the ant. The more she understood about who and what this ant was, her fears lessened.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Hosea 4:6
 
For this reason also,
since the day we heard of it,
we have not ceased to pray for you
and to ask that you may be filled
with the knowledge of His will
 in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Colossians 1:9

Through her gained knowledge she realized that even this fire ant had a purpose. It had a reason to exist. God had created it and it wasn’t as evil as she thought it to be in her fear and ignorance. It had value.

The LORD has made everything for its own purpose,
Proverbs 16:4
 
 
So what are you afraid?
What causes fear to rise up within you?
 
Maybe try studying a little about it and see if, like my Bekah, once you have gained knowledge and discovered a purpose, maybe just maybe, you too can shout, “I’m not afraid anymore!”
Proven Path Ministries, Uncategorized

>God’s Amazing Grace

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One of the things I am most thankful for is the grace of my God. If not for it… well, there is nothing… no good thing… no hope… nothing. So in honor of Thanksgiving I have pulled out a study I did on the grace of God to share with you all. May it be a blessing.
God bless the study of His Word.
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The first use of the word grace in the Bible is in Genesis 6:8.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

This word favor in Hebrew is chen -it means favor, grace, kindness, beauty, precious. It comes from the word chanan –which means to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to have mercy on or to have pity on.

The last time the word grace is used in the Old Testament is in the book of Zechariah.

Then he said to me,
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying,
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
says the LORD of hosts. 
‘What are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain;
and he will bring forth the top stone
with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
Zechariah 4:6-7
 
and
 
 “I will pour out on the house of David
and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the Spirit of grace and of supplication,
so that they will look on Me
whom they have pierced;
and they will mourn for Him,
as one mourns for an only son,
and they will weep bitterly over Him
like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
Zechariah 12:10

 In all of these uses grace is equated with salvation and our beautiful Savior.

In 1 Peter we read of how God’s grace was prophesied through the prophets. We also saw how this amazing grace was longed to be looked upon even by the angels!

As to this salvation,
the prophets who prophesied of the grace
that would come to you
made careful searches and inquiries,
 seeking to know what person
or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating
as He predicted the sufferings of Christ
and the glories to follow. 
It was revealed to them
that they were not serving themselves, but you,
in these things which now have been announced to you
through those who preached the gospel to you
by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—
things into which angels long to look.
1 Peter 1:10-12

The first time that the word grace is used in the New Testament is in Luke 2:40

The Child continued to grow
and become strong,
increasing in wisdom;
and the grace of God was upon Him.

Once again it is in a verse that is teaching of our Savior. In the Greek, the word grace is charis –which means gratifying, of manner or act, the divine influence upon the heart and it’s reflection in the life.


The next mention is in John 1:14-17. We read of how grace and truth were realized in Jesus. In the KJV this verse (Jn 1:17) reads “grace and truth came” by Jesus. The word “came” in this verse is ginomai –and means to cause to be generate, to be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, grow, be kept, be married, be ordained to be, partake, be performed.

What we see from this is beautiful!
The Law is indeed truth, but it came with no grace.
Yet in Christ grace and truth are married, they are one.
Grace and truth are finished in Christ, they are performed in Christ.
They are brought to life in our lives in, through, and by Christ.

As we move through the New Testament and continue our study of the grace of our God we can discover beautiful truths:

*We discover that grace is free – Eph 1:6, Rom 4:4
*We discover it is by God’s free gift of grace that we are saved – Rom 3:24, Rom 5:1-8, Eph 2:5-8
*We discover that not only is it by grace that Christ offers Himself but it is by grace that God even accepts this as propitiation for our sins – Heb 2:9, Rom 5:15-17
*We discover that it is grace that calls us to salvation –Gal 1:6
*We discover that it is grace that covers our sins – Rom 5:20-21, 1 Tim 1:13-14
*We discover that all that we are in Christ is by grace – 1 Corin 15:10

So what effect should this amazing grace have in our daily lives?
Remember that it is “the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life.” (look at Acts 4:33, 2 Corin 9:8)

*Grace should be recognized in you by others – Acts 11:23, 2 Corin 1:12, Gal 12:9
*Grace should be shared with other – Act 20:24, Eph 3:2, Eph 4:29 (with believers), Col 4:6 (with unbelievers)
*Grace should empower you – Titus 2:11-14
*Grace should build you up – Acts 20:32

God also gives us warnings concerning His grace:

*We are not to receive it in vain – 2 Corin 6:1
*We are not to fall from it – Gal 5:4
*We are not to insult it – Heb 10:29
*We are not to come short of it – Heb12:15
*We are not to turn it into licentiousness – Jude 4

God also gives us commands concerning His grace:

*We are to be strong in it – 2 Tim 2:1
*We are to run to it – Heb 4:16
*We are to fix our eyes on it – 1 Peter 1:13
*We are to stand firm in it – 1 Peter 5:12
*We are to grow in it – 2 Peter 3:18

The last mention of the word grace is the Bible is in Revelation, the very last verse in the word of God.
 
“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”
Revelation 22:21

How great is our God and how abundant is His grace!