Activate Grace

Many Christians when asked about Grace will quote that grace is the unmerited favor of God. They would be right. However, God's grace is more than just unmerited favor. Let's begin here:

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Cor 12:9 (NIV)

This is a very common scripture we use ( or i should say I use) when things seem to be beyond my power. when things seem to be going wrong or I can't get over something. You know the trials that come to make us strong. But what if my brothers and sisters God wanted more for us. What if there is more to this grace that we have not uncovered. Well about 2% of the Christian world have. They understand that grace is God's power for us to live above what we could ever hope, dream or imagine. Let's go to another scripture help you see what I mean.

"Because of all that the Son is, we have been given one blessing after another." John 1:16 (CEV)

Now this says because we are connected to the Son, we get the unmerited favor. This unmerited favor is blessing one after another. Now that sounds good but how does that help me to live and make it through this world. In a world where trouble comes without warning and it shows no prejudice? I need more than unmerited favor... I mean don't get me wrong the blessings are wonderful and come just in the nick of time. But as John Bever states we are to live extraordinary lives. Not just blessed lives. So, we need more than unmerited favor from God, We need the power to live right, and power to do right, power to believe the unimaginable. we need to be empowered by God to live our purpose and destiny. So now let's go to second base.

All through the book of acts we read that the disciples did miracles, signs and wonders...even though they were being persecuted. Don't take my word for it read Acts 5:13, Acts 10:26, Acts 14:11-15, Acts 17:6, and Acts 28:6. These were men and women, just like us, but they lived full of power just like Acts 1:8 said. We can live in that power too. For God is no respecter of persons, if He did it for Peter, James, John, Paul and Mary...He will do it for you and me too.

Read 2 Cor 12:9 again, it says:

"But he replied, "My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak." So if Christ keeps giving me his power, I will gladly brag about how weak I am." (CEV)

So instead of thinking about this grace as unmerited favor, which it is, but it is more than that too. It's Charis (grace) It is the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in our lives. It's a gift, favor, a benefit and gracious liberality. Grace is God's empowerment to us.

So what great thing are you trying to accomplish but are having great difficulties. It states when we are weak, God's grace, HIS power is sufficient for us. It is strong. It is able to give us what we need to live as we ought to. Read this:

"Who were chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated (sanctified, made holy) by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and to be sprinkled with [His] blood: May grace (spiritual blessing) and peace be given you in increasing abundance [that spiritual peace to be [a]realized in and through Christ, [b]freedom from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts]. Praised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [Born anew] into an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change and decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, Who are being guarded (garrisoned) by God's power through [your] faith [till you fully inherit that [c]final] salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time." 2 Peter 1:2-5 (AMP)

I don't know about you, but that scripture makes me what to shout, "Devil, you messed up now! you are messing with the wrong one." See as long as he can make us think we are to live this life by our own power we don't call upon the power that was given to us by Jesus. We continue to live beneath our means and experience a vapor of what God really has in store for us. I thank God for equipping us with Grace. Unmerited favor YES! but he has given us the power to do all the things he has called us to do. He gave it to us when we said yes to Him. He did not leave us to fight the good fight on our own. Maybe we know this but are we living by it. Use the grace that God has given you not just for the blessings but for the abundant power to live the life you were meant to live. I end with this scripture:

"And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!" Ephesians 3:8-10 (MSG)

So what are you giving the angels to talk about?


You are Bound No More. 

Pastor Linda Hillman 
(c) 2015 LAH Ministries International 
Booklinda@gmail.com 

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Guest Blogger: At the Altar by Dr. Ephraim John Udofia

The altar usually may be a place of sacrifice to spiritual entities. To a Christian an altar may be a place of brokenness, submission and thanksgiving. The important part in the Christian religion is the building of an altar. this might be during a designated house of worship or a deserved place put aside specifically to hunt the living God. it is not the physical components of the altar that matters a lot of to the Lord however the state of our hearts. the essential activities at the altar reveal an individual spiritual standing with God.

An altar may be a very essential holy place during a person's life and warrants regular visit to attach with the Holy God in heaven. In our society these days the word altar may be a taboo, however movie theaters, strip centers, beer joints and sport arenas gain a lot of prominence. people run with passion and generally with the angle of worship to these places while ignoring the $64000 altars where lasting transformation occurs.

Abraham in the previous Testament is the prime example of a person who designed altars regularly whenever God looked as if it would him or blessed him. His angle won him the label of being known as, "the friend of God". At the altar where ever that may be that you've set apart as holy to hunt the Lord, you will find peace in troubled times.

In churches, several Christians have forsaken the altar, may be they need not been taught on the facility of transformation that may take place. Altar has continually been a vital phenomenon in the lives of godly people throughout the pages of the Holy Bible and history. The church altar is the focus purpose of spiritual services. Divers miracles have been recorded from people who stepped forward from the pew to the altar.

If you've no altar for seeking God, build one these days, not essentially a cloth construction however an area that you deemed holy to supply prayers to the Lord.

Hindrances to approaching the Altar:

• Pride- stemming from wealth, power, education, position etc...
• Lack of knowledge of the divine acts of God.
• Sinful lifestyle with no want to alter
• Not being thankful and being self-centered

Any home without a family altar is destitute of God's presence. An altar may be a constant reminder of God's presence in our homes. At the altar burdens are lifted and yokes are destroyed. The altar should be the center of a true believer's life.

• Abraham designed altars to God
• Noah designed an altar unto the Lord. See Genesis 8:20
• Moses designed an altar and known as on the Lord. See Exodus 12:15
• Jacob wrestled with the Lord during a make-shift altar and prevailed.

They all learned that at the altar, the Lord will meet them. We read, "The sacrifices of God are broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psalms 51: seventeen, KJV). If you humble yourself and build an altar, God will send the rain of his presence.

Since the Lord is gift everywhere, you'll be able to build an altar to hunt him as your need arises. you don't essentially have to be compelled to find a church to run to at that moment.

At the altar is refreshing, an area of new strength, deliverance and all you want. It's there at the altar by religion in the name of Jesus.

Dr. Ephraim John Udofia is the founder and Presiding Bishop of Living religion Apostolic Ministries. International Mission-intensive ministry, both in foreign and residential missions with currently over six churches in 3 countries. Dr.Udofia is the author of over seven life-changing books. he is passionately involved in church planting, crusades, conferences and ministers' coaching since the seventies. Dr.Udofia holds a Bsc. in Management, minor in accounting, an MBA, and Doctorate in Ministry (Dmin) with major in Missions. he is a former CEO of Precious Jewels Inc. for 19 years. additionally a former banker and security representative holding both State and Federal licences. A money counselor, motivational speaker, mentor, marriage counsellor and an excellent dedicated family man. he is happily married with 5 grown youngsters.

Self Talk: Words of Faith by Guest Blogger David Stoop

Words, said either in the privacy of the mind or spoken aloud, are powerful. Written across the pages of history are phrases uttered at crucial moments that turned the course of world events. At the beginning of World War II, Winston Churchill told the British people that even thought all of Europe might fall, ‘We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end—we shall fight on the seas and oceans—we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.’ And the free world rallied to the task.

Look back through the pages of the Old Testament. David as a young man, affirms his faith to King Saul and then to the giant Goliath. He tells the king, ‘The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’ (1 Sam. 17:37). Then, as David goes out to meet the giant, Goliath curses him. And David responds with powerful words; ‘I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand’ (vv.45-46). And history records the results.

Now that is not to say that the words in and of themselves are miracle workers. They are the reflections of what is in the heart and mind of David. And they release within David’s life the power of God. They are an extension of his Self-Talk during the years prior to that event. They are an expression of his faith.

Words Release Faith

Most of us think of faith as being trust in some positive benevolent deity. But faith is a process of life. No one is faithless. It is not a question of whether we possess faith or not. It is rather a question of where we place our faith. And our Faith is a process that works in releasing life-changing power in either a positive or negative direction.

For example, have you ever noticed how much more tired you feel after yawning and saying, ‘I’m so tired?’ You feel more tired because your Self-Talk has just released power in the direction of tiredness.

In the same way, recent studies have shown that people who begin to talk about the possibility of divorce often find themselves proceeding inevitably in the direction of divorce. Later they comment on how they felt trapped by their words. Things were not that bad, but talking about divorce gave power to that possibility.

All these examples illustrate the importance of our Self-Talk. We all talk to ourselves, sometimes out loud, but most of the time in the privacy of our minds. The result is always the same–the things we say determine the way we live our lives.

What are you in the habit of saying? What kinds of expressions would your family or friends recognize as being typical of you? You may have simply passed off some of these remarks as not being serious or even as jokes. But what you say and think is a very important indicator of where you are placing your faith.

Take some time now to make a list of the kinds of Self-Talk you usually make. What kinds of things do you say out loud? What kinds of statements do you make about yourself in your thoughts? For example, do you say or think things like:

“I can’t do this job; its too hard.”
“I’m always late. Guess I’ll be late for my wedding, even.”
“I’m so shy, I couldn’t talk to him.”
“I can’t lose weight. Nothing I do will help”

Write down some of the statements you make.

Now make another list, writing sown some of the statements you want to begin to make about yourself. For example you could change the above statements to read;

“I don’t like this job, but step by step I can do it.”
“I’ve had a habit of being late, but I can change my schedule and be on time.”
“I can lose weight, and I will find how I need to do it for me.”