Thursday, 9^th March 2023

Andrews Ampomah

TOPIC: THE GRACE OF OUR LORD

THEME SCRIPTURE: “and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” -  1 Timothy 1:14

 

PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:

1. What is grace?
2. How has grace affected your life

 

We find in the focus scripture the reason for which Paul gave thanks to God for his call into the ministry of service. He lists who he was before he experienced salvation. He describes his past life as one who was a blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent opponent. We are very much aware of how Paul in his previous life as Saul acquired letters to move from city to city in search of Christians. He sought to persecute Christians by putting them in prison and to some consenting to their death.

Indeed, he was present and consented when Steven was martyred.

We note how, on the road to Damascus and in his encounter with Christ Jesus, he became a new man. He acknowledges that “…the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” As the worst of sinners, he acknowledges the mission of Christ to save sinners like him. When he encountered the grace of our Lord, he experienced regeneration and his heart was changed. Indeed, if anyone is in Christ that person assumes a new nature in Christ Jesus; the old passes away and everything about his/her heart becomes new.

Paul experienced a conversion to Christianity because Christ Jesus in his mercy bestowed on him his faith and love.

Beloved in Christ, we note throughout Paul’s life how quick he was to attribute who he was to the grace of our Lord Jesus. He acknowledges that it is by grace any man is saved lest one should boast that it was by works that salvation was attained. As one chosen before the foundation of the world, it is purely the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration that changes the heart from a sinful nature to a new one in Christ Jesus.

As you go through this devotional, it is time to cry out for mercy to Jesus if you know very well you are not saved; and to trust that He is able to extend the same mercy he extended to Paul to you as well.

God is still calling people into the kingdom of his dear Son.

Let praise emanate from your heart if by grace you have experienced salvation. Knowing very well that it is by the overflowing grace of our Lord Jesus that brought about your salvation. It takes God alone to redeem us from our sinful nature and make us a changed people. It is never by works that we are saved but by God’s grace.

FURTHER READING – Ephesians 2:8-9

 

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:

1. What does it mean for you to be saved by grace?

 

CONFESSION

Heavenly Father, I am grateful that you bestowed faith and love on me through the overflowing grace of Christ Jesus to save me from the sinful nature and to plant me into the kingdom of your dear Son. I affirm that there is no condemnation against me because I am in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! Amen

1-Year Bible Reading Plan

Leviticus 16; Psalm 119:1-40; 2 Corinthians 12; 2 Corinthians 13