The word grace is a short, simple word. But understanding the biblical depth and meaning of grace can take a lifetime of study and application. It's almost a shame that a word describing suppleness of movement or a short, quick prayer before a meal is the same word we use to describe God's unfathomable love for sinners. Nevertheless, it is grace that moves Him to offer us the free gift of salvation and forgiveness.
Grace is what compelled the Apostle Paul to write of a mystery never understood before (1 Corinthians 2:7-13). Grace is also what allows us to relax into another's accepting embrace as he or she gives us the freedom to discover our unique journey laid out by God. So relax as we journey together down the path toward freedom and the wonderment of the surpassing riches of God's grace!
Receive encouragement from Pastor Chuck Swindoll as he walks through 1 Peter 1:1–12. Like your brothers and sisters in Christ from long ago, you can faithfully endure suffering and receive eternal hope through Jesus Christ.
Verbal restraint is a virtue, which applies to both men and women. If you struggle with this quality consider the three-second pause. Waiting before speaking gives you time to think about your words—are they true? Are they kind? Are they necessary?
At the end of the Apostle Peter’s dynamic life, he penned a letter to a group of suffering Christians, 1 Peter, to urge them to lift their eyes to Jesus and renew their hope in Him. Get acquainted with this fisherman-turned-apostle as Pastor Chuck Swindoll teaches timeless truth from Peter’s life on failure, healing, and hope.
When you imagine God’s face...what do you see? If you visualize anger, you’re wrong. All God’s anger at sin was poured on Christ at the cross. This means if you’re in Christ, you’re free from God’s wrath because of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Whether it’s your family, friends, job, or home, everything you have is from God. Look within—are you more enamoured with the gifts God gives you than with God Himself?
Being under grace beings being free in Christ and no longer a slave to sin. However, this doesn’t mean you’re free to do whatever you please. It means you do what pleases Christ.
Many of us are programmed to have “corrective theology,” where grace is used as a tool to justify sin or take away the pain of consequences. Grace is not a cure-all and there are always consequences for sin.
We’ve all heard the old spiritual “It’s me, O Lord, Standin’ in the need of prayer.” But how many of us live this way? Judging others is a job best left to God. He alone knows our hearts and our motives; He alone is qualified to judge.
Just like you can’t unscramble an egg that’s been broken, we all have a dark side we can’t quite shake. We have a root problem with sin, which sounds pretty hopeless until we remember God, in His mercy, doesn’t leave us there. Through His Son He provided a way out of our brokenness and despair.
“Whose slave are you?” It’s a great question. Are you a slave to work? Possessions? People’s opinions? Bad habits? The good news is you don’t have to be chained to any of these. As a child of God, you’re free.
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