Epaggelia

Grace indeed, is the greatest word in the greatest book, the Bible. If not for God’s grace, we would know nothing of His love for us personally, nor would we ever have even heard about the blood of Jesus. Without God’s grace, there would be no Jesus, no New Testament and no hope of salvation. Our world would be a horrific place in which to live without the grace of God. Read Mark 2:1-12, Did the man DESERVE God’s power to be healed because of his faith, or did God heal him because of his faith in God’s gracious power?

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Does our faith EVOKE God’s blessings, or make demands on Him?

The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Grace, Hebrews 10:29.

The apostle Paul instructs us to be strong in God’s grace, 2^nd Tim. 2:1.

Paul believed that Christians stand in the grace of God, Romans 5:2.

The grace of God causes salvation to appear to all of us, Titus 2:11.

By grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is

the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8-9

…as God has dealt to each person a measure of  faith. Romans 12:3

What does God’s grace teach us?  See Titus 2:11-14.  Can we see God’s grace?  See Acts 11:23.  When we do see God’s grace, do we call it grace, or ignore the giver of all good and perfect gifts, James 1:17.  If we use the word “grace’, as the Bible uses it, we will grow strong in His grace and stand in it firmly. This is good news, it is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!  Do you have those Riches?

It takes time to become a soldier. If you are recruited by the Department of Defense, it will take MONTHS to get your first active post. Before you become a fully fledged soldier, you must first be qualified, taking an oath.  Secondly you must be trained in basic protocol.  Thirdly, you must be educated in your particular assignment.  Fourthly you must be transported to your first base of operation.  Then your able to be a soldier and help defend the freedoms and liberties of the Nation you serve.  Christians are enlisted into an Army, which has Jesus Christ as our Captain. His Spirit gives Christians nourishment and training to become an active soldier, to help defend His fellow citizens in the Kingdom of God. Why? To accomplish the mission of saving souls from the schemes of Satan, our arch enemy in this life, helping them become members of God’s secure eternal city, the New Jerusalem. Christians have their own citizenship in Heaven,(Philippians 3:20). 

Now where is your oath? Jesus said if you confess me before men, I will confess you before my Father in Heaven.  (Matthew 10:32)

Where is your training & education? The word of God. Sharpen your sword and exercise it’s use daily, (Ephesians 6:17)

Where is your base of operation? Wherever God gives you the opportunity to share or show the good news of Christ! Therein lay the power to be a fully fledged soldier of Christ, do not get entangled in the affairs of this world and it’s distractions away from the good news of Christ. Keep growing in His grace and knowledge, so that we can continue to keep sharing our faith, which is a shield to protect us from all the fiery darts of temptation that are fired against us every day.  Fight the good fight of overcoming evil with the good you can do, and you will taste the victory over temptation in your daily life, while helping someone else get recruited into the most glorious and victorious Army ever built. (Romans 12:21). One of the best tactics of the Army of Christ, is that we never kill the soldiers of the evil one, we simply attempt to recruit them, but at the end of every day, it’s up to them to volunteer or not. Our Captain is the Lord of love and it’s hard to kick against the goads of Christ, no matter how vicious an enemy we face. We win in Him!