Hey Everybody!! I hope everyone is doing well! It has been a while, but I’m so thankful for all that God has done in my life lately! How’s your journey? Again, I am so honored that you would allow me to be on this journey with you! We are stronger, wiser, and better when we do life together! I BELIEVE IN YOU! I have something amazing I want to share with you today!

Let’s start by asking the question, What is God’s grace? Typically, grace is defined as “God’s unmerited (undeserved) favor.” Favor meaning kindness. We can’t do anything to earn or deserve God’s kindness towards us. Another definition of grace is “God’s divine influence upon the heart, and it is reflected through our lives. My favorite definition of grace is “to lean towards to extend a benefit or a gift.”

The beauty of grace is that God leans towards us to extend to us things we don’t even deserve. BENEFITS! Speaking of benefits, Psalm 103:1-6 says,

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and FORGET NOT ALL his BENEFITS:

Who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases;

Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.”

Even though God leans towards us to give, it’s up to us to receive what God is extending to us.

**note** “Anything God gives, he gives by GRACE, we receive by FAITH!”

Most people talk about the hard sayings of Jesus, but most of the hard sayings of Jesus communicated “the hard stuff” to do. Things like “turn the other cheek,” “love your enemies,” “bless them that curse you”, “do not repay evil for evil,” “forgive," "be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” “do not lust in your heart,” “go the extra mile,” and so many more found in the gospels!

Well, what does this have to do with grace, you may ask.. I was reading Matthew 5:23-26 today where it says, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.”

When I read this, the Holy Spirit immediately began to speak to me and say “it takes HUMILITY to initiate reconciliation with a fellow brother or sister.” My mind immediately went to James 4:6, “God RESISTS the proud, but he gives GRACE to the humble.” Then my mind went to 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My STRENGTH is made perfect in weakness.” The grace of God IS the strength of God! Pride makes us grace RESISTANT. God will never ask us to do anything that doesn’t require us to humble ourselves and become dependent on his grace to empower us to do the HARD STUFF! God’s graces is for our empowerment! It empowers us to do the hard stuff, the things that truth calls us to! God’s grace gives us the courage to confront things that should be addressed and corrected. Let grace empower you to love, to forgive, and to reconcile today! God is ever leaning towards you to extend the benefit of his strength! On this journey, God will ask us to do hard things, it may not be easy, but GRACE makes it doable!

Are you ready? Let’s take another step! Repeat after me: “According to Romans 5:2, I access the grace that I need by faith! I need grace to do the hard stuff! I receive grace to do the hard stuff! I will not exalt my opinion and how I feel above truth, but I humble myself and allow God’s grace to empower me to live up to the standards of God’s word!”

Check out next week's blog as we take another step on "The Journey!"