Celebrating God’s power and grace

Posted by on November 10, 2010 at 11:27 am in Local News

ARTICLE BY: DR. PETER KAYODE

As the year 2010 is fast coming to an end, let us begin to take stock of our relationship with God, our achievements, challenges as well as our future plans.

As you ruminate over your present position, you will realise that there is the need to celebrate God’s power and grace because it is God’s power and His grace which sustain you in all aspects of your life.

Power

The Bible says that the kingdom of God is not a matter of talking but of power. Power is the supernatural enablement which God gives to those who are truly born again. It constitutes the divine ability to accomplish God’s purpose and plan for his children. It also enables the recipient to operate above the natural, in order to overcome the evil forces of darkness that also operate in the negative spiritual realms. This power comes from above. It cannot be adulterated nor corrupted because God Himself is the source.

Earthly powers

Attractive POSITIONS, WEALTH, RICHES, POLITICAL, CHIEFTANCY, ACADEMICS can only give temporary power. The power and authority which follow these positions are so transient, ephemeral and limited. They do not have power over life and death. BUT THE POWER WHICH COMES FROM GOD SURPASSES LIFE AND DEATH SUCH THAT EVEN WHEN YOU DIE IN CHRIST, YOU SHALL RESSURECT WITH HIM. Jesus told his disciples in Acts of Apostles 1 verse 8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

We can deduce from the above Bible verse that the source of our power as Christians is the HOLY SPIRIT, which gave us power to trample on snakes and scorpions of the world and shut the mouth of lions which try to devour us?

NO HOLY SPIRIT, NO POWER TO OVERCOME THE WORLD. The Bible also stresses in Mathew 18 verse 18: “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” These abilities are the divine inheritance of all believers, including you the reader and myself. The secret of our lives is the power which comes from Jesus Christ. He gave us victory, healed our infirmities, delivered us from Satan, and always provides our needs. This calls for celebration, for his mercies endure forever.

Grace

Grace constitutes the blessings of goodwill, promotion, victory healthy living and every good thing God gives to us which we do not deserve or merit. Amongst the good things which constitute Grace include POWER to overcome the world. “He saved us not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercies. He saved us by renewing us through the HOLY SPIRIT, which he poured on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

My dear reader, you can see that whatever position you find yourself today, rich and influential, head of a company, bank director, president of nations, minister, pastor, bishop, successful businessmen and women, doctor, lawyer, and politician, could not have been made possible without God’s power and grace. Therefore, let us appreciate his mercies, love and faithfulness by worshipping him in spirit and in truth.

Let us humble ourselves before God. From today, start celebrating his power and grace both in your office, home and everywhere. Share the good news of grace to your friends. Let everyone know that you are a product of God’s power and grace in your giving, kindness, worship, praises and other activities in your church. Ensure that you enlist in a group to serve as a soul-winner and Christ Ambassador. GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU!

One Response to “Celebrating God’s power and grace”

  1. Michael Gormley said:

    WHAT YOU MUST DO TO BE SAVED

    Best of all, the promise of eternal life is a gift, freely offered to us by God (CCC 1727).

    The Catholic Church teaches what the apostles taught and what the Bible teaches: We are saved by grace alone, but not by faith alone (which is what “Bible Christians” teach; see James. 2:24).

    When we come to God and are justified (that is, enter a right relationship with God), nothing preceding justification, whether faith or good works, earns grace.

    But then God plants his love in our hearts, and we should live out our faith by doing acts of love (Galatians 6:2).

    Even though only God’s grace enables us to love others, these acts of love please him, and he promises to reward them with eternal life (Romans 2:6–7, Galatians 6:6–10).

    Thus good works are meritorious. When we first come to God in faith, we have nothing in our hands to offer him.

    Then he gives us grace to obey his commandments in love, and he rewards us with salvation when we offer these acts of love back to him (Romans 2:6–11, Galatians 6:6–10, Matthew 25:34–40).

    15 Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.

    16 Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5: 15-16)

    Jesus said it is not enough to have faith in him; we also must obey his commandments. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do the things I command?” (Luke 6:46, Matthew 7:21–23, 19:16–21).

    We do not “earn” our salvation through good works (Ephesians 2:8–9, Romans 9:16), but our faith in Christ puts us in a special grace-filled relationship with God so that our obedience and love, combined with our faith, will be rewarded with eternal life (Romans 2:7, Galatians 6:8–9).

    Paul said, “God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work” (Philippians 2:13).

    John explained that “the way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3–4, 3:19–24, 5:3–4).

    Since no gift can be forced on the recipient—gifts always can be rejected—even after we become justified, we can throw away the gift of salvation.

    We throw it away through grave (mortal) sin (John 15:5–6, Romans 11:22–23, 1 Corinthians 15:1–2; CCC 1854–1863). Paul tells us, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

    Read his letters and see how often Paul warned Christians against sin! He would not have felt compelled to do so if their sins could not exclude them from heaven (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, Galatians 5:19–21).

    Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that God “will repay everyone according to his works: eternal life for those who seek glory, honour, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness” (Romans 2:6–8).

    Sins are nothing but evil works (CCC 1849–1850). We can avoid sins by habitually performing good works.

    Every saint has known that the best way to keep free from sins is to embrace regular prayer, the sacraments (the Eucharist first of all), and charitable acts.

    on November 12th, 2010 at 9:29 am

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