Growing in Grace

I am so thankful for the grace of God in my life. Although I often fail and blow it, God is always there to pick me up. I think about His grace alot...How we all were born into this fallen world as sinners but have the opportunity to accept His free gift of forgiveness. Perhaps the most amazing thought for me is the fact that when He died on the cross, He died for my past, present and future sins. It's just an amazing thought to me!

I believe that grace also GROWS within the heart of the believer...the more we see of God, the more vividly we see of our sinfulness and desperation for Him. I believe there is a depth to grace that keeps going deeper and deeper within the soul to those who truly believe in grace and allow grace to take its full effect. For me personally, I believe I have just barely tasted of this kind of grace.

Grace is not given just to the sinner who repents but to the seasoned Christian who often messes up. Perhaps God's grace is much deeper and profound than we realize. It does indeed cover our sins and the sins of others, correct? So why do we judge one another when we fall? Is grace not strong enough to pick us back up again and use us in an even greater capacity because we have been humbled?

Remember the verses in Luke 22:31-34? "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."

WOW...what a loaded passage on God's Future Grace and Mission!!! Can you imagine being there and overhearing this dialogue between Peter and the Jesus? Basically, Jesus is telling Peter that he is going to blow it by denying Him even though Peter was so eager to go with Him everywhere, even if that meant death! After Jesus predicts Peter's denial of Him, He tells Peter that when he comes back to Him to strengthen his brothers. In other words, although you are so eager and earnest about following Me, you are going to deny me but when your eyes are opened and you realize what you've done, you will return to me and when that happens, I have a plan for you...STRENGTHEN the Brethren! God still desired to use Peter even though he DENIED Him! WOW! Now, that's growing in grace! God, take us deeper...may we receive Your grace and be grace givers!