TEXT: Ephesians 1:2
"Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."
GRACE AND PEACE, TWIN BLESSINGS FROM GOD.
Paul in almost all his epistles to the body of Christ always begins his writings with the salutatuon: "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil 1:2). What is so important about these twin blessings from God?
THE GRACE OF GOD
Grace is the divine favour of God at work in the lives of humans. We cannot work for grace, it is a gift from God. Romabs 9:15-16 says: "For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy." We enjoy the grace of God according to the measure Christ apportions to us (Eph 4:7).
When God pours his grace upon a man, doors open and ability to accomplish tasks becomes evident in the life of such a fellow. Grace is therefore, the instrument God uses to lift men. The Lord will pour his grace upon your life today in Jesus name. The grace of God will lift you to your place of destiny in Jesus name.
Noah enjoyed a wonderful dose of God's grace. His family was singled out for preservation when God destroyed the earth by flood (Gen 6:8).
Paul achieved so much in ministry because of the copious grace he enjoyed from God. He declared in 1 Cor 15:10 (NLT):
"But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace."
Jesus was the epitome of God's grace (John 1:14). He carried so much grace that people were stunned by the miracles he performed.
God will locate you by grace and use you to advertise his glory, power and majesty on earth in Jesus name.
Grace is God's instrument of salvation for mankind through Jesus Christ. It is the vehicle of the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-19). Jesus died on the cross of calvary to redeem mankind from the wages of sin and death. "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God" (Eph 2:8 NLT). Jesus made God's saving grace (salvation) available to all mankind.
THE PEACE OF GOD
Peace is described as the absence of strife or war, but the peace that comes from God is much more than that. It is serenity that envelopes the receiver even in the presence of strife and conflict. It is simply beyond human comprehension.
This peace of God comes through Jesus Christ, the son of God and Prince of peace. Jesus told his disciples: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).
Philippians 4:6-7, tells us how to access the peace of God: "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
The peace of God enables a man to sleep in prison even when bound with fetters and chains. Peter slept so soundly in prison that the angel that came to rescue him had to strike him before he woke up (Acts 12:6-7).
Armed with the peace of God, a believer can walk through the fiercest storm. Jesus was asleep in the midst of a raging storm, his disciples had to wake him up for fear of sinking in the sea. The Prince of peace rose up and declared: "Peace, be still," and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39).
Prov 16:7 says: "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Righteous living attracts the peace of God which produces rest of mind within and harmony without.
The same Bible says: "There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked" (Isa 48:22).
CONCLUSION:
Jesus is the Prince of Peace
(Isa 9:6), the stiller of storms and rebuker of tempests; he will still every storm in your life in Jesus name.
The grace of God is available in Christ, you only need to believe in him to receive his saving grace. As you grow in faith, he multiplies his grace upon your life and helps you to do more for him. The grace of God will not be in vain in your life in Jesus name. You will not frustrate his enabling grace in your life in Jesus name.
PRAYER:
Father, I receive your peace: let every agitation in my heart cease. Multiply your grace in my life in Jesus name.
CONFESSION:
I will not frustrate the grace of God in my life. The Prince of peace dwells in my heart.
God bless you. Shalom.
