Skip to main content

Excel In The Act Of Grace

“But as you excel in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you, see that you excel in this act of grace also.” -2 Corinthians 8:7

Grace is something we (the disciple of Christ) have taken for granted most of the time and is being neglected in the ministry where we belong. We thought that as we have been called to God’s Kingdom, we are in no way be recipient of grace from our fellow brethren,  of which we are the least to do wrong or to make a wrong decision to hurt us.

Though Apostle Paul is referring to the act of giving, he explicitly qualifies that in variation it is an act of grace as well. This simply means that Grace is indeed a Gift. Any form of giving is a form of grace, just like Jesus when given to us is also the Grace of God for those who freely received it. 

Having legalistic view of many organised processes, acceptable practices, and forceful doctrinal beliefs; threatens (if not avoiding) the value of grace. We increase vertically in areas of spiritual maturity, but spiralling downward in the act of grace which in this Paul’s exhortation, talks about giving. 

Giving is indeed one form of Gift from the Holy  Spirit according to His Grace. Let this act of Grace ALSO abounds in us and within us. Let this Act of Grace satisfy our thirst to Give generously for the glory of God alone!

Romans 12:8-12
6In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.



Comments

Explore The Most Read Post for the past year

Put Our Hope In God, not in uncertainties

(Midweek Devotions, 1 Timothy 6:17-21 - 25 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:17-20 17  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  18  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  19  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 20  Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,  21  which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. We are in the final last 5 verses in book of First Timothy, an important pastoral letter which is very helpful for any man of God...

Respect - To Serve Them Even Better

(Midweek Devotion, 1st Timothy 6:1-2, 27 Sept 2023) 1st Timothy 6:1-2 1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. One of the great things about the Sacred Scriptures is that, it does not talk about God alone but also talks about His creatures behaviour, particularly human being, more specificallly those who are His people. 1st Timothy 6 gave us an idea of how both one who are UNDER authority and one who are IN authority should behave as bearers of the name of God. The Bible clearly values authority and how important one should submit to an authority over him. The Bible itself claims authority for Truth, thus, no wonder tha...

Sanctified - A Pleasing Servant of Christ

(Midweek Devotion - 1st Timothy 5:22-25, 13 Sept 2023) 1 Timothy 5:22-25 22  Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.  23  (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)  24  The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.  25  So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. After we have been reminded of Paul's apostolic instruction to give honour due to our elders, especially those who work in preaching and teaching; Paul is now giving us warnings of the continuing influences of sins to each and every believers. He warn us of three things: (1) do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, (2) taking part in the sins of others, (3) and keeping ourselves pure. Laying on of hands is particularly referring to the o...

Paul's Description Of A False Teacher

(Midweek Devotion, 1 Timothy 6:3-5 - 04 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:3-5 3  If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4  he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5  and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. The bible is quite vocal in its warning against (1) a false prophet or false teachers, and (2) a false teaching or false doctrine. Jesus’ ministry had repeatedly criticise the Jewish religious leaders in their time and keep on correcting them in many occasions or warning the crowds or the Jewish people who follow their teachings. Paul in this part of his epistle to Timothy is similarly giving some warning to his child in faith and dealing...

Know, Knew, and Known in Christ

(Midweek Devotions - 1st Timothy) 1 Timothy 1:1-2      1  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,      2  To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Today we are starting a new devotional series referencing an epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy. As this letter is personal, let us try to understand the intentions and purpose of Paul to his younger brethren in Christ and co-labourer in the vineyard of God. This first and second letters to Timothy gives us many apostolic teachings, instructions, exhortations, and encouragement in individuals walk of faith in Christ. As the common format of Paul’s letter, he always make a careful introduction and addressing appropriately to whom a letter is intended for. I am always astonishing the way Paul gives introductions and addresses as it reminds us some ethical standards of h...