Sunday, 14 December 2008 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Grace

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men… 2 Timothy 2:1

Many scholars think this second letter to Timothy is the last letter Paul wrote before he was executed. This encouragement to Timothy therefore carries extra poignancy. When events threaten to overwhelm us we can find strength available for us in Jesus. This strength is sufficient not just to help us survive, but to actually keep us going – for Timothy this strength would help him continue teaching.

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Saturday, 13 December 2008 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Grace

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

How can you use your gifts to serve others? This is the question the New Testament letter writers are trying to train us to ask ourselves. It doesn’t come naturally does it this kind of thinking? We literally do need to train ourselves to think this way rather than going straight to our default position of using our gifts to promote ourselves, gain popularity and win over friends.

Friday, 12 December 2008 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Grace

Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace. 2 Corinthians 1:12

It can be hard living with godly integrity within our society. Paul says the only way he did it was by relying on God’s grace. Trying to be good and nice without relying on God’s grace is exhausting and causes us to live out of religious performance (a law-based Christianity). God’s not into that. He desires a relationship where he works with you on your integrity – are you up for this?

Thursday, 11 December 2008 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Grace

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Titus 2:11-12

Grace has so impacted our own lives that we choose to say no to ungodly living and we rein in our worldly desires for more and more stuff, sex, money and power… Grace teaches us to do this perhaps not in any conscious way but in a way where over time we come to view anything other than living (in) grace as being second best.

Wednesday, 10 December 2008 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Grace

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2

Knowing we can ask and receive forgiveness from God anytime we like doesn’t make this a reason to sin, however tempting it may sound. Grace is not something to cynically take advantage of. Grace is not like medicine we can take when we’re ill – grace is the cure! How is grace transforming the way you live?

Tuesday, 09 December 2008 00:00  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Grace

As God's co-workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1

“It is one thing to be saved. To believe in Jesus. It is another thing to be healed. It is possible to be saved and miserable. It is possible to be saved and not be a healthy, whole, life-giving person. It is possible for the cross to have done something for a person but not in them.”*

Don’t receive God’s grace in vain; let Jesus heal and transform you.

FOOTNOTE:
* Rob Bell, quoted from his book Velvet Elvis