November 16th, 2022
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Grace
By: Melissa Beauvais
“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. (Acts 4:33-34a NIV)”
The word grace appears over 150 times in the New Testament. The Greek word is charis; interestingly, this word is a noun, not a verb. The literal translation of charis is a divine gift given to a person’s heart transformed by the power of God. That grace is then manifested in the believer’s life as a reflection of the One who gives.
In Acts 4, the Jewish believers have recently received the Holy Spirit and were living out the grace received by those around them. Their lives were the living testimony and reflection of the resurrection of Jesus that they were testifying to all people. In other words, they walked the walk and talked the talk.
We, today, have this same grace dwelling within us. We, too, have our responsibility, not out of obligation but out of transformation, to live out and extend grace to those in need.
“In need” can and does mean those who are less fortunate, but it also means those who live on the margins, those who are held down by systems that oppress, those who are foreigners in a land not their own, and those who are spiritually dead.
When extended to someone outside your circle, the grace that is living and dwelling within you may be the mustard seed that is planted for the Holy Spirit to grow. Grace upon grace God is the gift God freely gives that works so powerfully in us that the gift is then shared with others.
Grace
By: Melissa Beauvais
“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. (Acts 4:33-34a NIV)”
The word grace appears over 150 times in the New Testament. The Greek word is charis; interestingly, this word is a noun, not a verb. The literal translation of charis is a divine gift given to a person’s heart transformed by the power of God. That grace is then manifested in the believer’s life as a reflection of the One who gives.
In Acts 4, the Jewish believers have recently received the Holy Spirit and were living out the grace received by those around them. Their lives were the living testimony and reflection of the resurrection of Jesus that they were testifying to all people. In other words, they walked the walk and talked the talk.
We, today, have this same grace dwelling within us. We, too, have our responsibility, not out of obligation but out of transformation, to live out and extend grace to those in need.
“In need” can and does mean those who are less fortunate, but it also means those who live on the margins, those who are held down by systems that oppress, those who are foreigners in a land not their own, and those who are spiritually dead.
When extended to someone outside your circle, the grace that is living and dwelling within you may be the mustard seed that is planted for the Holy Spirit to grow. Grace upon grace God is the gift God freely gives that works so powerfully in us that the gift is then shared with others.
Posted in Living in Wisdom
Recent
Archive
2024
January
New Year, Fresh StartA Good Plan for the New YearCall on MeHope Has a NameHolidays in Rear ViewHolinessHow to Have our Mind TransformedNew Year, New YouA Pattern of RenewalVictory in JesusFear Knot? Fear Not.Seek the LORDBetterWhere to Place your TrustRadical GraceGenerosity God's WayThe Poor and NeedyThe Open Hand ConceptA Need that Burdens your HeartHow's Your Heart?Who Are You?Testing in the Wilderness
February
CallingDon't HideWhere You AreJust the Two of UsInvesting in the Kingdom of GodThe Golden RuleAgainst the GrainUnexplainable JoyThe Power of God's WordFollow MeThe God of the ImpossibleOut on a LimbWe All Face ItTrue JusticeGatherGood SoilDon't Put God in a BoxBe BraveCulture CheckFeed His Sheep. Love His People.Jesus Revealed
March
Jesus in His GloryNot QuantityHow Much God Loves ChildrenWhere Two or Three are GatheredLike Little ChildrenFocusAmazing GraceBeing Confronted By JesusKingdom FruitWedding AttireCome with a Hungry HeartLive and Lead Like HimTough LoveBe on your GuardKeep WatchTalentsSlow DownBeing Led by the SpiritKingdom WatchThey Are Us. We Are Them.Jesus Gave His All For UsHe is Risen, Indeed
April
The Most Important Question Ever AskedExchanging Death for a Better LifeThe Space BetweenHe's got the KeysI want to know HimJoy of the LordNeverthelessFullness of JoyFavorites"Try it, you'll like it."He Created MeHe Chose to Die for MeGod's Love for UsAn Eternal LoveNothing will SeparateThe Salt ShakerThe Word Brings HopeMeditate on God's WordA Well Lit PathEverything Wears OutEnjoy itModeration found in Contentment
Categories
Tags
no tags
No Comments