John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another, and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned,undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
Paul admonishes the Church in Colossi ans 1:9-10 (Amplified) saying, "For this reason (because of the love they showed) we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make special request for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, and clear knowledge of His will in all Spiritual Wisdom in comprehensive insight into the ways and the purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment of Spiritual things That you may walk, live and conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God, with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance and recognition."
Hebrews 11:6 (Amplified) says, "But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must necessarily believe that God exists and that He is the Rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out."
Many of the things I teach in these lessons, aren't required to "go to Heaven,"but are only to be pleasing to God and walk worthy of the Lord. Putting a guard on my mouth, so I don't transgress His Word is one example. Jesus perfectly pleased the Father and we find He did by speaking the Words of God, according to John 3:34 (Amplified) which tells us, "For since He Whom God has sent speaks the Words of God (proclaims God's Own Message). God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure but boundless is the Gift God makes of His Spirit."
Some would say it's foolishness to watch what we say, but we do so, in order to be pleasing to God and to honor His Word in our lives. We transgress with our mouths, when we confess "God uses sickness to teach us," while believing His Promise that "By His stripes we were healed." This isn't walking worthy of His Sacrifice. We are to proclaim His Own Message, just like Jesus did.
It cannot be pleasing to God (like some believe), when we're double-minded in His Promises and in His Sacrifice, but it's denying what Jesus came to free us from. Even though some are sick, doesn't mean God's Word isn't True any longer. Even though so many people remain unsaved, doesn't mean that God's will is that "He so Loved the world, He sent His Only Begotten Son so that all should be saved."
We are saved by Grace, through faith. When we put our faith into what God's grace has provided for us, we have what He has already made ours, in our lives. God has made all things available to us, if we will simply trust in His Grace and His Promise to us, in Jesus. Romans 4:10 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, inheriting the Promise is the outcome of faith and depends entirely on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of Grace."
It's been difficult for God's people to see themselves as the Father sees them. We continue seeing ourselves as "unworthy" and the old, "sinner saved by Grace," instead of seeing how awesome God's Grace is. All things are given to us by GRACE, as an act of faith or trusting God. We cannot get these things by our own merits and our good works, otherwise they would be things owed to us in exchange of our works. They come by God's Grace and cannot be earned by our own merits.
The Spiritual Gifts John writes about in John 1:16-17, aren't the Gifts of the Spirit found in 1Corinthians 12. Many of the Spiritual Gifts found in John 1:16-17 are things we don't associate with Spiritual Gifts, like Righteousness. Romans 5:17 (Amplified) says, "For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense), death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive God's overflowing Grace (unmerited favor), and the free Gift of Righteousness."
The free Gift of Righteousness is one of the Spiritual Gifts came to us in abundance. God's Grace makes all things available to us, by faith. Romans 5:1-2 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, since we are justified, acquitted, declared righteous and given a right standing with God through faith, let us grasp the fact that we have the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) Through Him also we have our access, entrance, introduction by faith into this Grace (state of God's favor in which we firmly stand). And let us rejoice and exalt in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the Glory of God."
Grace is the upmost importance to God, because even though God has given it us to freely, it cost the Father, His Son. Ignoring Grace and trying to achieve righteousness by any other way than Grace, is disdaining what God Paid to give it freely to us. Much has been said about men/women of faith, faith preachers and faith people. Some is misunderstood by those who try to misappropriate what our faith is for and why it's so important. It's only by faith, that we can come into the realm that Jesus came to bring us to. Our faith must be in Him and for what He has done for us and faith that God's Grace saves us.
Ignoring faith is rejecting Grace. The only way that Grace works, is by believing and having faith in God's Provision, otherwise we're on our own. Romans 4:21-24 (Amplified) says, "Fully satisfied and assured that God was Able and Mighty to keep His Word and do what He had Promised That is why [Abraham's] faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God) But the Words, it was credited to him, were written not for his sake alone But they were written for our sake too. Righteousness, standing acceptable to God, will be granted and credited to us also who believe in, trust in, adhere to, and rely on God Who raised Jesus from the dead."
The Blessing of Abraham comes on God's people, by faith in what He says and in His Ability to keep His Promise. We've been given the privilege of being able to come into God's Presence at any time (day or night), without sacrificing, cleansing, fasting or doing rituals, because Jesus Is and Was all that was need to come boldly before God's Throne of Grace. It must be by faith, that we enter. We cannot see "who we used to be" and feel righteous. We must see who God has made us to be and accept His Gift of Righteousness by faith in His Grace. Psalm 85:10-11 (Amplified) says, "Mercy and Loving-kindness and Truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth, And Righteousness shall look down from Heaven."
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