Many of us love the idea of “grace” but I don’t think we understand all the different aspects of it and what it truly means. If we look at the traditional definition, we see in Webster’s New World Dictionary that grace is defined as:

1. Beauty and charm of form
2. goodwill; favor
3. a delay granted for payment of an obligation
4. A short prayer of thanks for a meal
5. A title of an archbishop, duke or duchess
6. the love and favor of God toward human beings

While I find it disturbing that God is not mentioned until the last definition, it really shouldn’t surprise me. As a generic, non-biblical definition, it’s not bad but then there is so much more to it that that. Even most Christians think of grace only in terms of salvation,

“For by grace are you saved through faith…” Ephesians 2:8

I was this way as well until I really studied the meaning. In God’s dictionary, grace means a lot more,

“Unmerited favor – An exception to the rules we do not deserve.”

As we reflect back on salvation, we see how that all works. We were sinners incapable of saving ourselves, undeserving and unable to do anything to fix it. Christ died for us, opening the door. When we receive, through faith, this grace, repenting and giving ourselves to Christ, (heart, mind, body and soul), we are saved. But then, I found a verse that added a dimension that I had yet to consider,

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord,” 2 Peter 1:2

This very same grace, that is the gift that saved us, has even more in store for us than I first understood. So the question naturally arose, “What does that mean?” “How do we get ‘grace multiplied’?”

By going back to the original definition of grace – unmerited favor – an exception to the rules we don’t deserve, the thought that this same grace that saved us could be multiplied in our lives is almost too much to take in. As I explore this, I begin to see that this could mean that we could experience doors opening for us that we couldn’t open on our own.

I was reading a story by Chuck Colson when he had gotten out of Federal Prison that applies here. God had put a burden on his heart to serve the men he had left behind. During a discussion at Fellowship House in Washington D.C. with Senator Harold Hughes, he laid out a plan that would require the cooperation of the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, Norman Carlson. Senator Hughes had his secretary call the director to set an appointment.

She asked him, “What was the stated purpose of the meeting? His assistant will demand to know.”

The Senator said, “Tell him that Colson wants to bring Jesus Christ to the Bureau of Prisons.”

Well she made the call and to everyone’s surprise, they not only got an appointment but were put on the schedule for the very next day. This was unheard of in any Washington Bureaucracy. When they arrived and the normal pleasantries were exchanged, they got quickly down to business. Chuck shared their plan, which was unheard of in the prison circles, and would require a miracle.

When he was done, Director Carlson shared a story about a tour of a prison in California with his wife. While they were there, they attended a Sunday Morning service in the chapel. The service was going along as normal when the Chaplain asked the men if they wanted to pray or had any special prayer requests. One of the inmates stood up and began to pray for Director Carlson and his wife. This shook the Director to his core. He didn’t understand why any inmate would pray for the person who was responsible for keeping them locked up.

He looked up at Chuck and asked, “Why would he do that? He didn’t ask for anything for himself – just for me and my wife’s welfare and peace.”

Chuck explained, “Director Carlson, as a Christian we are called to love because we were loved so much that Jesus died for us. That man was expressing his love for you that God had placed in his heart.”

Colson and Senator Hughes were dumbfounded by what happened next. “Let’s do this – whatever you need to accomplish this plan, you got it.” were the words of Director Carlson.

That was the beginning of what is known today as Prison Fellowship. This is also a great display of grace multiplied. Chuck Colson had not done anything to deserve an appointment with the Director of the Bureau of Prisons, much less to open those doors the way it all happened. Only God and His grace being multiplied in the lives of believers could do that.

So the next question is, “How do we get this ‘grace multiplied’ in our lives?”

Well the verse in 2 Peter explains it, “through the knowledge of, and of Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

Peter is telling us that grace is multiplied (i.e., imparted to us), as we grow in our walk with Christ. The word for knowledge in Greek is “Epignosis” and it means “recognition, full discernment, acknowledgement and knowledge” according to Strong’s Greek Dictionary.

This requires that we do more than just study. We must get to know Him. This requires that we seek Him for who he is and not just for what he can do for us. Jesus has already told us this same message when He said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and it’s righteousness and ….” Matt 6:33

Jesus is telling us the secret to living a life where grace is multiplied in our lives. Chuck Colson was actively seeking what God wanted for his life and would accept nothing less. This was not easy and there are plenty of other offers pulling at him but the eternal rewards are so incalculably great, the argument had long been settled. Now the angels are singing everyday in Prisons throughout the world as lives are changed by the power of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Do you want your life to be characterized by “Grace Multiplied”? Begin today by simply asking God, “What do you have for me to do today, Lord? I want to serve you, regardless of what it may be. I want to be the saint you created me to be.”

Then, I want you to seek an opportunity to serve in some capacity. Keep asking and seeking and grace will open the doors which you never know even existed.

 

Is Real Change Possible?

I asked this question last week along with some other really challenging questions.
Today, I promised to share some of my story. So, here we go…

I come from a broken home as a child. Alcoholism was prevalent and destructive along with a number of other “ism’s”. I could never seem to settle down. I went to several different colleges and jobs came and went. My longest job was with the United States Navy as an Air Traffic Controller, of which I am the most proud of. But even that, after a while, lost its appeal.

I began working in commercial tire sales and it was a good job but …. Well, let’s just say the pattern continued. During this time, I suffered the tragic loss of my wife and little girl in a car accident. What stability I had was instantly gone and I began to spiral.

I made some very bad choices that culminated into…. To make a long story short, I broke the law and went to jail.

So my question to you is, “Is real change possible?” My life had become a wreck but even before that, it was never right. I can relate to the question because I have to answer this question in my own life but I know that I am not alone.

I see men everyday who have repeated the same crime again & again. They don’t know what to do differently – they have no training to do anything commercially viable. They have never had a job. What would your recommendation be to a man or woman who had never had a job, spent half their life in jail and had no skills and no hope of it getting any better? What would your recommendation be to me?

What about the bully who is beating people up?
What about the one who is constantly being bullied?
What about the abused that can’t seem to leave?
What about the child that is being physically, sexually or emotionally abused?

Where is the hope for them?

What about the alcoholic, drug addict or dealer, morbidly obese, gambler, liar, sex addict or …..

FILL IN THE BLANK FOR YOURSELF

_________________________________________________________________

I ask again – IS REAL CHANGE POSSIBLE FOR ANY OF US?

My very simple answer is – yes.

1. Mr. C.I. Scofield was a destroyed alcoholic. Now he is referred to as Dr. C.I. Scofield and he became one of the greatest theologians of his time. He created the Scofield Study Bible that is still in use today – 100 years later.
2. Ed Scott was a violent repeat drug offender given a 100 year sentence at Angola State Prison in Louisiana. Now he is Rev. Ed Scott, a respected Baptist Minister and author.
3. Joyce Meyer, as a child, was sexually abused by her father and then by other men in her family. She is now the head of Joyce Meyer ministries that preaches and teaches all over the world and is broadcast on TV daily. She also has a mission that helps women escape the sex trafficking industry. She is known as a woman of God and a best selling author.
4. Ben Carson grew up in an economically disadvantaged home with a single mom and he was a poor student who hated school. Now, he is Dr. Ben Carson who graduated from some of the most prestigious medical schools in the world and is a brain surgeon, professor and is soon to be running for President of the United States.

This is a very short list of people who had overwhelming challenges in their lives. Many people in their situations don’t make it out alive or even sane, productive people. But these people thrived. WHY? The answer is the same for them all –

THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE LIFE OF A SOLD-BELIEVER !!!

My life has radically changed as well but before we hear more of my story, I want to read these passages:

“For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourself – it is the gift of God.” Eph 2:8

“You are God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus for the good works He had planned for you from the beginning of time.” Eph 2:10 NLT

God is in the Transformation Business. He takes the ashes of our burned-out lives, when we give these over to Him and exchanges them for beauty – His Beauty – Himself!

Think about it. I want to hear your stories as well. Until next time…

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these thing will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

Praise Him!
Cliff
2 Timothy 4:2,5

Do We Really Love Ourselves?

Jesus tells us that we are to – “love our neighbors as ourselves.” This is a quote from Leviticus 19:18b in the Old Testament.

While we all know the story of the Good Samaritan that defines who our neighbor is, my question is, “How much do you love yourself?”

Many will say that, of course, I love myself and there are 100’s of cliches and platitudes that can go along with that but let me ask you some tough questions:

How can you say that you love yourself if you are –

1. Hung up on an addiction to alcohol and it’s destructive forces on your body and drugs;

2. Smoking, knowing that it is slowly but surely eating away at your lungs and hurting the people around you, either directly through second hand smoke or indirectly when they lose you or you lose your health and they have to take care of you;

3. Harboring bitterness, anger and unforgiveness? These are destructive forces in your life, much like a black mold underneath a house. Bitterness, anger and unforgiveness are like roots that destroy the foundation of a house and before you know it, you’re an angry and bitter old man or old woman no one wants to be around with. It destroys your health and …. Well, I could go on but I think I have made my point.

4. Continually allowing garbage in? This happens when we allow the destructive messages of negative TV shows, music or even remain in negative situation with negative people – those that have nothing good to say about anything or anyone. When we are constantly deluged with the “garbage”, we will begin to produce garbage ourselves.

5. Abusing your body? Eating disorders (too much or not enough) and physical inactivity is killing us.

6. Accepting physical, emotional or sexual abuse? I know there is an awful lot here and many things that are way beyond the control of the one who is abused and this is not meant to be critical at all. If this is you, you may not think you’re worthy of love, so you can’t imagine loving yourself. I want to tell you that you are worthy of love – God loves you, Jesus Christ loves you and the Holy Spirit loves you and will come into your life and bring healing if you will let Him in. There is help and you are not alone. I don’t know you but I love you too!

7. Accepting the unacceptable? Maybe that is sex out of marriage or a relationship outside of marriage. Maybe for you, it is a pornography addiction that you justify because you think your needs aren’t being met. Maybe it is a situation at work where someone is harassing you and you are afraid of losing your job.

8. Living in depression? There is help but to remain and not seek help is to refuse yourself the love you deserve.

9. Allowing yourself to be bullied, while you suffer quietly and say nothing? This is rampant in schools but there is a solution.

10. Feeling pressured into doing things that you know you’re not supposed to do? This could be a bully or it could be a boyfriend who wants you to go further than what you know is right. Love yourself enough to not only say no but to walk away if the pressure continues. You deserve better than that and God has more for you than any sexual experience or fling could ever offer.

11. ______________________________________ (There are so many other examples. Why don’t you insert yours in response to this and let’s talk about it?)

The bottom line is that if you don’t love yourself very much, you can’t love others very well either. So, how do we begin to change that? What we need is a change of perspective.

Jesus says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son…” John 3:16

So God loves you so much He sent His Son to die for you. That is one pretty good reason to believe that you are someone special when you have given your life to Him.

Jesus tells us some thing else about ourselves: “Ye are the salt of the earth…” Matthew 5:13a

Many people don’t get that message because salt has become something we throw away and that we are told if we have too much of it we will die. But if we look at it from the perspective of Jesus in those days, we see that what He is really saying is,
“You are the most important people in the world.” See, back then, salt was a rare and precious commodity. In some areas, it was traded equally with gold. Some countries actually used it as their currency. Jesus was telling you that you really need to love yourself so that you can love others and He began by telling you that you are the most special and precious people anywhere.

Next Jesus says, “Ye are the light of the world…”

The light of the world is the most powerful force known to man – the Sun. It is more powerful than nuclear reactors. It allows us to have seasons, food and oxygen. It provides safety and guidance. The list goes on and on but the truth is that He wants you and I to know that if we are His, then we are the most special people, who are specifically empowered to do a job that no one else can do. How is that for motivation to love yourself???

Well, if that’s not enough then try this one on for size:

Paul tells us that, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT

There are many other verses that call us “Child of the King, joint heirs with Christ, Kings and Royal Priests, a special people, chosen, called, gifted, healed, beautiful” …. and so much more. Armed with this information, you have every reason in the world to love yourself. You may have really messed up in your life but God can heal and transform the repentant heart and life unlike anything you can begin to imagine.

You may be asking yourself, “I’m not sure if I am His or not. How can I know that I am a child of the King?” If this is you, then write to me, either here by reply/comment or you can email me at drcliffrobertsonjr@gmail.com

If this has touched your heart and life, please share this with others. You can follow me on twitter @c_robertson_jr .

Stay tuned. The next post will coming soon…

Praise Him!
Cliff
2 Timothy 4:2,5