From: Beverly French [frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us]
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 7:31 PM
To: Ted & Laura Enke
Subject: Fw: Joyous Blessings

Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 6:35 AM
Subject: Joyous Blessings

 "...Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus  Christ."  Romans 1:7

 This is apart of the Apostle Paul's greeting in his epistles to the saints.  He closes them all with a statement such as the following:  "...The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."  Romans 16:20 or  "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit."  Philippians 4:23  or "Grace be with you all" Titus 3:15

 Divine grace: unmerited favor, spiritual blessing; freely given.

 Paul speaks much of grace in his letters.  For the murderous breathing Saul  became the great Apostle Paul by the manifold grace of God.  He speaks  experientially because he KNOWS God's grace.

 "All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has  been doing among you since the day your heard it and understood God's  grace in all its truth." Colossians 1:6  NIV Bible  The Amplified Bible includes in Colossians 1:6, "...[You came to know the  grace or undeserved favor of God in reality, deeply and clearly and  thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it.]"

 It is His grace, bestowed in Christ Jesus, that we can and are filled with  the knowledge of His will as we see in Colossians 1:9-10,  "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped  praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will  through all spiritual wisdom and understanding...in order that you may live  a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way..."  (Read all of the Apostle Paul's prayer, Vs 9-12)

 Concerning grace:
 It was given freely:
 "...The Lord gives grace and glory;
  No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly."  Psalm 84:11

 It empowers men for service:
 "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master  builder I laid a foundation and another is building upon it..."  1 Corinthians 3:10  "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not  prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the  grace of God with me.  1 Corinthians 15:10

 It enables the Believer to be in this world, but to live godly lives:  "Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted  ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the  holiness and sincerity that are from God.  We have done so not according  to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace."  2 Corinthians 1:12

 It is promised to the humble:
 "...Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed  to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  1 Peter 5:5

 It is sufficient for all human needs:
 "And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you for power is  perfected in weakness..."  2 Corinthians 12:9

 These are positive aspects, but there are some warnings also.  Divine grace may be rendered ineffectual:  In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul says,  "For through the Law I died to the Law, that I might live to God." 2:19 and  then "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness come through  the Law, then Christ died needlessly." 2:21  (I am sure you can all quote  Vs 20 -- that wonderful verse that is sandwiched between these two.  It is  every born anew believer's life.)

 It is not given for selfish use:
 "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another,  as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."  1 Peter 4:10

 Grace, grace. wonderful grace, that sweet fragrance that fills our hearts  and minds as we live unto and out from Christ Jesus our Lord!

 I would like to close with these two wonderful verses of blessing:  "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all  sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed."  2 Corinthians 9:8  "You therefore. my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."  2 Timothy 2:1