which grace do you need right now?

2 corinthians 9.8 (niv), GOD is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

grace is the answer to all your needs. GOD says i will take care of all your needs by grace. the verse right before this one says GOD wants you to be gracious, generous, a giver. what you sow you reap. the more generous you are with others, the more you feel GOD's grace in your life.

the most important question i can ask you today is, which kind of grace do you need most in your life right now?

some of you need GOD's saving grace. you need to have your guilt removed. would you like everything you've ever done wrong to be completely forgiven and forgotten in eternal heaven? would you like to have a clear conscious? totally forgiven! it is available. you don't have to go any further. you've got GOD's gracious forgiveness on the basis of JESUS CHRIST.

if someone were to ask you, "if you were to die tonight and go to heaven and GOD asks you `why should i let you into heaven?' what would you say?" "i've been a nice guy... i went to church one sunday morning..."

maybe you've been operating under the wrong assumption for months or years... that you could earn your forgiveness, earn GOD's love, earn your way to heaven. you can't. you need to throw yourself on the grace of GOD and say, "GOD, i admit it. i could never earn my way to heaven. i've done too many things wrong to earn your forgiveness. but i want to accept your graciousness."

some of you need GOD's strengthening grace which reshapes your life. you're a CHRISTian but you've gotten off track. you're just not as close to GOD as you used to be. you have fallen away a little bit. you know that everything isn't all right. so as a result you're frustrated, defeated, under stress, there are tensions in your life. you know you're not living the way that is right. you think it's so hard to get back up to the place you used to be with GOD.

it is not hard at all. just say, "here i am, GOD." just turn around and say yes. your SPIRITual strength comes as a gift from GOD. HE'll bestow on you the power you need to make those changes.

for some of you, you need to get off the performance treadmill. you have subtlety, unconsciously, replaced your relationship with GOD for religious duties. go to church, read your bible, listen to CHRISTian radio, i do my thing and i'm bored and there is no joy. you need to get back to falling in love with the LORD again. focus on the relationship, not the rituals and rules.

just a thought from the front porch…