PROMISE FOR THE NEW YEAR 2010
"My grace is sufficient for you,"
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
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Greetings from the Senior Pastor
And He said to me, “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (New King James Version)
As we enter the New Year, I'm sure you would be wondering at, what the year 2010 would usher in. When the world keeps God away from being the centre of all events, as God's people we are supposed to give God the rightful place in our lives everyday. As the Lord gave me the promise that HIS GRACE is sufficient, it would be ideal to acknowledge that God Himself is going to manifest His power in this New Year.
While we love to see the work of the Lord, we should remember that God would not automatically do. There are certain things that He expects us to do and certain things that we should not do. If we can know this part of His will, would be obedient to Him and experience His power.
First of all, we need to acknowledge that the grace of God is upon His children who have Jesus in their lives. Where the weakness of man is, there the strength of God is manifested. This is what 'Grace' means. It requires man to empty himself before God. In 1 Peter 5:5, we read that "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Like we see in the life of Jesus, the humility was to empty Himself and be born as a man. You see the men of God whom God used. Either they emptied their lives or they were made to empty themselves. Before God it is easy to lift shepherd David to become King David. And equally easy to empty Moses from the position of Prince of Egypt to shepherd. Another example is King Nebuchadnezzar, who was king, was sent to jungle for 7 years because of pride and then was called back to be the king of Babylon after he humbled himself.
It applies to the family too. When a person receives the grace of God, his family too enjoys the benefit. Take the example of same David. He was promised the lineage where Jesus was born. God spoke to Moses and the Israelites in Deuteronomy 5:10, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Here the word 'mercy' is used as an alternative word for 'grace.' It'll be shown to thousand generations.
In the New Testament, we see that the grace came through Jesus as in John 1:16-18, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. This is not only for individuals or for families but to His church. In Ephesians 4:7, 11-16 we see how God gives gifts to men and thus calls them to become a blessing to His body. In all these, though God wants to partner with man to establish His kingdom, grace plays a vital role in giving glory to God. Man doesn't have to pay anything to attain that grace. All that he accomplishes are the deeds of God. In Isaiah 26:12, NIV we read "LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us."
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