Weekly Grace

God’s grace is a gift He freely gives to all, yet not everyone chooses to receive it. Jesus, who is grace in human form, came to offer salvation to the world; sadly, many reject Him even today. The decision to accept or reject Him impacts every area of our lives. For true transformation, we must receive grace by faith.

Jesus initially came to His own people, but they refused to receive Him. As many as did receive Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God. Christ came for the whole world. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all people.

The Mosaic Law was given to reveal our need for a Savior, not for it to be a substitute for Him. In the Old Testament, the people chose to rely on their own ability to keep the law, rejecting the help God offered. This mindset still exists today, but it leads to frustration and self-righteousness.

The world still sees God from an Old-Testament perspective. Back then, there were boundaries between God and people, and whoever touched the mountain where He lived would be put to death. In the New Testament, Paul wrote to the Romans that those who were ignorant of God’s righteousness had not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.

Grace can never be earned—we receive it through belief. Our response to God’s gift is faith, not performance. Believing in Jesus allows us to receive everything He came to give.

When the people asked Jesus what they could do to work the works of faith, He answered and explained to them that the work of God was that they believed on Him and on whom He had sent. The promise, therefore, is received by faith and given as a free gift. God’s grace is already available. All that remains is for us to accept it with open hearts and trust in Him who gave it.

Prayer:

God, we’re thankful that we no longer have to work hard to earn Your favor. We can now receive it simply by believing in Your Son and what He did for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

John 1:11, 12

Titus 2:11

Exodus 19:12

Romans 10:3

John 6:29

Romans 4:16, NLT

Fear is a powerful emotion, and as human beings, we’re no stranger to it. However, it has no place in the life of a believer who understands God’s love. Our world is filled with threats and uncertainty, but we’re not called to live in fear. Instead, we’re called to rest in the assurance of God’s protection and grace.

God’s love casts out fear and replaces it with peace. He hasn’t given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. There’s no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment.

Fear isn’t from God; it’s a tool of the enemy to keep us in bondage. Jesus came to set us free from this bondage and to give us life more abundantly. One of His finished works was to deliver those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Satan—the thief—comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came so that all might have life.

God’s protection isn’t earned but received by faith. We’re safe not because of what we do, but because of who He is. His promises are our shield, and His presence is our refuge.

We’re established in righteousness and far from oppression; terror can’t come near us, because God has commanded it so. We’re “Psalm 91” protected. He covers us with His feathers and shelters us with his wings. His faithful promises are our armor and protection.

It’s okay to be afraid occasionally, as long as we don’t let this emotion dominate us. Because of what Jesus did, it no longer controls us. God’s favor toward us gives us peace like nothing else can.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for releasing us from the yoke of fear and replacing it with Your love. We can now live free, the way You want us to. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

2 Timothy 1:7
1 John 4:18
Hebrews 2:15
John 10:10
Isaiah 54:14
Psalm 91:4, NLT

As born-again believers, having the right mindset is crucial to successful living. Many Christians still struggle under the weight of guilt, shame, and condemnation, unaware that the cross of Christ has already lifted that burden. The law demanded perfection, but grace offers us righteousness as a gift. Jesus’ finished work on the cross marked the end of the old covenant and ushered in a new, better one—based not on our performance, but on our faith in Him.

The law reminded us of our sins, but grace reminds us of our forgiveness. With a single offering, Christ forever perfected those who are sanctified. Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all—no more striving, no more guilt. Believing this lightens the load we feel like we must drag through life.

Under the law, even unintentional sin brought punishment. By contrast, the person to whom God won’t impute sin is truly blessed. This is the power of grace: God no longer counts our sins against us. This is a radical departure from before the cross.

Not only are we forgiven, but we’re also made new. Adam’s offense brought judgment and condemnation to all mankind, but because of Jesus’ righteousness everyone received the free gift of justification. This gift of righteousness empowers us to reign in life.

We now have bold access to God. We can boldly approach the throne of grace, obtain mercy, and find His grace to help us in time of need. There’s now no more fear—only confidence in His love.

God’s grace has changed everything. He redeemed us from the curse of the law, so that the blessing of Abraham could come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. We’ redeemed, blessed, and free. Accepting this transforms how we live.

Prayer:
Father, thank You for the cross. We receive Your grace, walk in Your righteousness, and live free from condemnation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:
Hebrews 10:14
Leviticus 5:17
Romans 4:8
Romans 5:18
Hebrews 4:16
Galatians 3:13, 14

When life feels dry and progress seems distant, God’s grace invites us to rest, not strive. Jesus calls to us come to Him, get away with Him, and recover our lives. He teaches us the unforced rhythms of grace. God’s favor isn’t earned but received. When we need it the most, it transforms us from the inside out.

We all need God to succeed, because no one is righteous on their own and we all fall short. Thankfully, through Christ, we’re made right with the Father. We no longer have to depend on ourselves to navigate life; we now live by the faith of the Son of God, whose perfect faith becomes our foundation. This is the kind of faith that carries us through dry seasons.

God gave each of us the same measure of faith. The difference lies in how we use it. When Peter walked on water, he succeeded until he focused on the storm. When Abraham faced a long season of waiting to have a son, he didn’t waver; he grew strong in faith, giving glory to God.

Faith is our response to Jesus, who is grace. We’re saved by grace through faith. Even when we feel weak, God assures us that His Word won’t return void; His promises are sure.

Under grace, what matters most to God is our mindset; this is where transformation begins. We’re exhorted to renew our thinking and present ourselves to God. His goodness leads us to repentance, not fear. He perfects us, even in our imperfections.

In every season, God’s undeserved, unmerited favor sustains us. We can boldly trust the one who lives in us and walks with us. He’s all we need.

Prayer: 

Father, thank You for the gift of grace and the faith of Jesus that lives in us. Help us to trust You in every season, knowing Your promises are true. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Matthew 11:28–30, MSG

Romans 3:10–19

Galatians 2:20

Romans 12:1-3

Matthew 14:27–31

Romans 4:19, 20

Ephesians 2:8

Isaiah 55:11

Romans 2:3, 4

Not enough can be said for a grateful attitude. Pausing in our daily lives to reflect on everything God has done for us—even sacrificing His own Son to die on our behalf to open heaven to us—makes it hard not to automatically give Him thanks. In a selfish world, thanking God keeps our focus where it should be. Setting our minds on things above, not on things of the earth, keeps us in the right mindset.

When Adam and Eve fell from grace in the garden of Eden, God had a plan to restore everything back. When Jesus eventually came, He humbled Himself and willingly became the perfect sacrifice needed to permanently cleanse mankind from sin. Jesus was human like us, by choice, yet He was also God. This perfect expression of the Father’s love for us has never been duplicated, and never will be.

God’s very nature is love. His desire is for everyone to live a victorious life on earth through Him, enter the gates of heaven, and stand in His presence when our lives here are finished. His will is eternal life for everyone. He made this possible through Jesus, who is the only way to receive it.

Most people don’t understand the nature of God’s unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor toward them. They can’t comprehend why God would send Jesus to endure what we deserve on our behalf and offer instead something we clearly don’t deserve. The world refuses to believe this grace. However, receiving it justifies us by faith.

Grace has always been around, even before Jesus was born on earth. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, and David were also recipients of God’s favor because of their faith in Him. He wants to shower us with His love, and show us the same kind of favor. Believing and receiving this brings us into gratitude and thanksgiving.

Prayer:

Father God, Christ made it possible for us to be completely cleansed of all sin and be as righteous and holy as You. Thank You for this. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Colossians 3:2, NKJV

Philippians 2:6-8, NKJV

Romans 5:1, 8

1 John 4:16

John 14:6

Genesis 12:2, 3

Genesis 39:4

Exodus 3:21

1 Samuel 16:10-13, 22

We live in a confused environment that fosters a love/hate relationship with work. The world lavishes attention on people who work hard to earn what they want in life, but we often see that the empires they spend so many years building crumble and collapse. There’s nothing wrong with working, but only if the mindset behind it is on God. True success comes when we rest in Jesus while we work.

The motivation behind what we do matters. Whatever we do, we’re encouraged to do it heartily, as to God and not to men. Paul exhorted the Ephesians to labor doing work with their hands, so they would have something to share with those in need. Minding our own business and working with our hands is pleasing to God.

On its own, there’s no profit in laboring under the sun. It’s all vanity; one generation passes away and another one comes. We accomplish far less laboring in our own works with fretful, anxious minds than if we rested in God’s grace and let Him do the work. Too many people worry constantly because of the pressure to perform; grace is available to everyone, and there’s no rest without it.

For those who don’t know God, fear of the future is widespread. No one knows what’s going to happen tomorrow; this causes stress for many people. Turning over all our tomorrows to God and embracing an attitude of “I’ll do whatever He directs me to do” empowers us for success. It’s not up to us to direct our own steps in life.
God wants to work in us, through us, and for us. When we’re tired, worn out, and burned out on religion, Jesus wants to show us how to take a real rest. He wants to teach us the unforced rhythms of grace, so that we can live freely and lightly. Whatever work is involved in trusting Him is well worth the effort.

Prayer:

Lord, You want to be involved in all our daily work activities. This requires setting aside all fear, anxiety, and worry, and simply resting in You. Thank You for caring enough to show us how to do this through Your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Colossians 3:23

Ephesians 4:28

1 Thessalonians 4:11, NKJV

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 3

James 4:14, 15

Jeremiah 10:23

Matthew 11:28-30, MSG