Power of Running Out Of Grace

Out of Grace

Key Scripture: “Grace be unto you and peace from our Father.” Colossians 4:2

Power Point: 

Anyone who has ever ridden in a car with three children in the back seat knows what it's like to run out of grace.  “He touched me!”  “But she said …!” “M-O-M! Yes. Things can get testy. That’s about the time when mom or dad say, “I told you to leave your sister alone! Sit there quietly and do not say another word!” Mom’s can run out of grace.

This morning I was praying for someone. They’ve been in my life for a very long time and during that time they’ve made horrible choices that have affected someone I love very much. They refuse to win. They refuse to think of anyone but themselves. I could go on but I won’t. The thing is as I was praying about that situation this morning I said, “Lord, I have simply run out of grace for them. Have You?” Things got very quiet.  Then I was reminded of King David who also made some really bad choices but was called a “man after God’s own heart”.  And Judas, who betrayed Jesus and yet on the cross I’m quite sure he was included in Jesus request to the Father to “Forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”  And what about Pharaoh?  He could have had grace too if He’d asked for it but his heart was too hard. And I guess he is a perfect example of someone who refuses grace. The person I’m acquainted with definitely has a hard heart. He’s been given every opportunity to be a winner but he chooses to remain on the losing side. He always chooses destruction, never life.

Your job is to place them on the altar and ask for God to do what He needs to do to bring His wisdom into their lives. Pray FOR them and not against them. Do all that in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God. You remain in the place where His presence can continually bring peace. (There really is such a place.) Even if they are not doing the right thing you can do the right things that brings heaven to earth in that situation.

What I understand about God is that He never runs out of grace. His cup of grace is always brimming over. He doesn’t want anyone to fall short of it, or fall out of it or miss it entirely so He patiently allows the “Pharaohs” in our lives to make their choices and then ultimately receive the results of those choices. But even at the last moment grace is still available. It follows them every day. It’s there when they take that drink or when they refuse to provide for their own children or they wound someone that you love. It’s always there. I would probably handle it differently than God.  I am a recovering “fixer” after all.  It’s been a challenge to learn to “let go and let God”, but in the times I’ve needed grace from Him I have always received it. That helps me to offer it to others as I’ve learned what an amazing gift it is.

When your “cup of grace” is on empty, as mine was this morning, ask Holy Spirit to lend you some of His. He is called the “Spirit of Grace” for a reason, you know. Fill up on His grace and then trust Him to bring grace to that “someone” who needs it so badly, beginning with you.

Power Thought:

XOXOXOXOXO

Grace was there for you when you woke up this morning. It will be there when you go to sleep tonight no matter what happened in between. Be amazed by it.  Grace is a kiss from God.