His Grace is Sufficient!

I know that when we think of grace, we automatically think of 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” when Paul pleaded with the Lord about his thorn, and Romans 6:14, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” I know people like to quote Romans about we’re not under the law but under grace, but do we all really know what that mean? What is grace?? By the end of this post, we will have that answer!

Let’s begin with the children of Israel. All through Exodus, the tribes of Israel face Pharaoh to escape captivity with the help of Moses who is led by the one, true, living God. They escape Egypt and are travelling through the wilderness to reach the Promised Land that God has for them. As they go through the wilderness, in chapter 16 of Exodus, the children of Israel complain of being hungry.  They want to return to Egypt because in their minds, they will at least have something to eat. God told Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you.” The next morning, “when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what is was.” (Exodus 16:14-15) The people gathered this bread for six days. The sixth day they were commanded to gather twice as much so that they had plenty to eat on the seventh day, the Sabbath. They then called the bread “manna”. Those that gathered a lot never any leftover and those that gather little never had a lack. There was just enough for everyone’s needs, whether they ate a lot or ate little.

Shortly after, the Ten Commandments were given, along with all of the laws to abide by the takes up the rest of Exodus through Leviticus. These laws say what God’s people should and should not do, how things should be done and how things should be governed. These laws give the consequences for not following each law. This is how we know how to observe the Sabbath, what to eat, what is sexual immorality, how to treat others and tons of other things to follow in order to please God and be a pleasing people. If you want to know how God feels about something, referring to the law will help you understand. For example, Leviticus 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.” An abomination means it is an extreme disgust to God. He detests it greatly. The same for lying with animals. It’s perversion, or not normal, not okay. Just before these, we know how God feels about abortion in verse 21: “You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.” People would sacrifice their children through passing them through fire in the name of Molech, a false god. That’s all abortion is, sacrificing your child.

So we have the manna and we have the law. What do these have to do with one another? Why bring up the law when we’re not under it anymore? Let’s find out!

Romans 2:13 says, “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.” Just before that it says, “For all who have sinned without the law will perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.” Keep this in mind. Also, what is sin? 1 John 3:4 simply says, “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” And it goes on discussing how sin is not of God. And this is why. It is lawlessness. Going against the law is committing a sin. So, if we are not to follow the law anymore, then there is no more sin. There’s no more right or wrong. So that means I can kill people if I want…it’s no longer a sin because sin is lawlessness but we’re not under the law so…

You get where I’m going with this!

Let’s talk more about this law. The Law (notice the capitalization), or the God-given Instructions, refers to the first 5 books of the Bible. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These together make up the Torah, the Instructions. This is where we refer to learn about the do’s and don’ts, the consequences, the blessing for obedience, how to have faith, how to be obedient, how we have dominion, how to properly honor God. We examples from Adam to Joshua on how to please God and what makes Him angry. Our do’s and don’ts are not just in the many laws in Leviticus, but throughout those entire stories from Genesis to Deuteronomy. And they all point to one, Jesus.

How do I know? I’m glad you asked!

First, the stories in the Torah have little nuggets or previews to Jesus. For example, sacrificing the lambs for sins.  We no longer need to use scapegoats rid ourselves of the guilt of sins.  Jesus is the Lamb. The ultimate sacrifice. Do you see where I’m going with this? Let’s keep going!

If you study the feasts, you will notice that they all align with the purposes of Jesus! Refer to my post on the feasts!

Also, if you go to Matthew 5:17, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” The Law is not done away with.  Jesus came to fulfill it. I mentioned Romans 2:13 earlier and to keep it in mind. If you read further, verse 16 says, “on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” Sinning under the law will be judged by the law, will be judged through Christ Jesus.  Jesus is the law! We won’t get stoned as in the law of that land, but we are still to follow the law through Jesus!

This leads to grace. People think that grace is simply not dying right then in your sins. But if you know that law and don’t follow it, you will be judged accordingly through Christ. Grace gives you that time to get it right. That time to repent and go back to living righteously with all your might. Not time to kick back and think, “oh I will ask for forgiveness later, I got time, I’m under grace.” But what IS grace? Let’s go back to Exodus…

Another example of how the Torah points to Jesus is the manna in Exodus. The bread was sent from heaven to fulfill the people’s hunger. Those who gathered had just enough for hunger needs, whether it was a lot or little. If you go to John 6:31, it reads,

“Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written (the Torah, the Law), ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”” (verses 31-35)

Jesus is grace! He came down from heaven to fulfill the law, therefore, he is the law. And in fulfilling the law, he died on the cross for our sins, giving us grace. This is why we shouldn’t have any worries or anxieties. He paid for it already. Jesus is our bread. Jesus is our manna. The manna is always enough to get through. His grace is sufficient!!! His power is made perfect in your weakness!!! His suffering, his dying on the cross is enough for anything you can possibly go through!!!

So those thorns (problems) you have in your side, you have enough grace from Jesus to make it through. You have that time to repent and keep going. I mentioned in my last post about God’s peace through storms and this is EXACTLY why we have peace through those tough times! Jesus is our manna. Jesus is our bread. Jesus is grace. His grace is sufficient in those times of bills piling up! His grace is sufficient in those times sickness! His grace is sufficient in those times of lose of loved ones! His grace is sufficient in those times of failures. His grace is sufficient in those times of depression! His grace is sufficient in those times of low self-esteem! You are still alive because his grace is sufficient! HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!!!

We have enough manna to get through it ALL! THIS is why Jesus is the ONLY way!!! Jesus is the law. Jesus is grace. Jesus is love. Jesus is peace. Jesus is everything God wants us to be! Jesus is God’s living example of the Torah! Our living example of the law! HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!!!

I am so blessed by this!! In closing, remember our daily bread is our daily relationship with Jesus.

(The Lord’s Prayer-Matthew 6:9-13)

With Peace Comes JOY

We all go through hard times. Many of us pray to God to rid us of our troubles or to get rid of the pain or to make things better. Sometimes we pray for God to help get us through our tough times. But rarely do we pray for His peace through hard times. We want so badly to be rid of the bad situations and be rid of the pain. But rarely do we want the peace to maintain through the bad situations and through the pain.

I recently went through a really hard time where I felt like giving up on being a good person, giving up on hope, and giving up on faith. I’ve always tried my best to be a good person and do things the right way. But when things suddenly didn’t work out the way I had thought they would, despite my faith and good works, I was left in disappointment and honestly, feeling selfish because I felt like the situation wasn’t fair. I felt like since I was working to please God, things should be easy and all smiles. But I had a hard lesson to learn. Having faith means even though you do what you are suppose to do, things will still get hard and that’s when you have to keep your faith in God despite of it all.

I felt like the bad situation was happening for reason. I didn’t want to ask God why because that sounds like “why me?” and that’s pouty. I didn’t want to get angry because I knew some kind of blessing was going to come out of it all. I didn’t want to ask what was the good that was going to come out of the bad situation because that would take away from me being patient. So, while in prayer, I just gave God all of my cares (1 Peter 5:7). I told him I wouldn’t worry anymore, and I handed it all to him. I let him know that I understood that he sent Jesus to die on the cross that I wouldn’t have to suffer. I could hand over my worries, my sadness, my hurt, and my depression to him because he already paid for it ALL. I handed it all over and asked God to give me peace through this storm. I remembered that God did not remove the thorn from Paul’s side because his grace was sufficient. So I knew with God’s grace I could make it through. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

I began to give God the glory and praise for getting me through the bad time, even though I was still in it because I knew it was only by him that I would make it anyway. I asked for his peace so that I may endure to the end. Shortly thereafter, I was blessed with his peace. Even though things around you look awful and may be falling apart, that God-given peace is indescribable. Having a calmness and joy inside despite it all because you know God himself has you at the palm of his hand.

Imagine there is a horrible storm outside. You know how we (especially us in the country) start to turn everything off and everyone is balled up with blankets, nervous, and trembling at every crack of thunder or flash of lightening? That’s how we are through spiritual storms. When we go through things, we’re ready to shut down and we let fear and worry overcome us. We get scared it’s going to be so bad we won’t make it through.

But imagine that same storm is going on outside, but this time you have your worship music playing inside and you’re relaxed on the couch with a book or a warm bowl of soup. You’re aware of the storm outside, but you have PEACE because you know you have God’s protection and He’s holding your hand through it all. John 16:33 says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We will go through trying times, but Jesus has already overcome the world. So be at peace.

I found with peace, there’s a joy that comes with it. When people see you going through, but you’re smiling and just taking everything in stride, they don’t understand. At one of the places I worked, the environment was definitely not ideal. It was stressful, we were mistreated and underpaid. I had one particular co-worker that just could not understand how I was always happy even though we worked at the most awful place under the most awful conditions. It was almost like she was upset with me. She was struggling to keep up on the job and still didn’t know how her bills were going to all get paid and here I am walking around like everything is just so wonderful. And honestly, it was! She couldn’t take it anymore and came to my door and asked me, “How do you stay so happy with all of this going on?” I simply replied, “Jesus”.  I went on the explain how I knew that Jesus was going to take care of me. I knew I was ALREADY taken care of. So, I did my best at that job, and it turned out to be my best year teaching, my bills were paid, AND I bought my first house, and made it through a summer without pay and ALL of my bills STILL got paid! I trusted God COMPLETELY and therefore, I had peace and my happiness came after. I was excited about how God was going to get me through that situation AND use me as an example to others around me of just how good and powerful He is.

I found that in the Bible, peace and joy seems to go together. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” We have hope because we believe in God’s power and with that peace and joy, our hope is even stronger! Proverbs 12:20 says, “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.” With peace, you have joy.

Also, Galatians 5:22 tells us the fruits of the Spirit and what do you think they include? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”.

So, keep in mind that when you are going through, be patient, have hope, trust in God, believe Jesus paid it all, know you are covered and protected, continue to do good and be righteous, give your worries and stresses to Jesus, and you shall have peace, and joy comes in the morning!

(Romans 5:1-11) Peace with God through Faith and Rejoice!