Needing more peace in your
life right now? If so, just think about the fact that peace is part of God's
grace (His unmerited favor) available for you! According to 2 Peter 3:18, we
can increase or grow in grace. How can you get more grace, so that you have
more peace?
If you have a minute right
now, follow me on a little study of grace...
James 4:6-7 "But He
gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud but gives grace to
the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from
you."
In prayer the other day,
The Lord gave me these words: "Grace doesn't take the place of salvation
or sanctification. Grace is a tool God uses to lead people to salvation and
sanctification."
In other words, if a
believer doesn't pursue sanctification (obedience to God's Word and separation
from the sins of the world) they will never walk into all the promises and
goodness God has planned for them by grace alone. There is a Blessing given for
willingness and obedience to God's Word and His ways. His ways aren't always easy
to follow - but always worth it in the long run!
Notice James 4:6 is
preceded by verses talking about the temptations to act like friends with the
world instead of friends of God and to lust after things thinking only about
ourselves. There is no peace in this kind of life, seeking self- gratification
above God's commands and others needs. Even though we are still saved, God can
be resisting us if we reject His commands. (James wrote these things to
believers). When a person gets into self-gratification, they lose their peace
because they are actually rejecting His available grace to overcome sin. They
become impatient and quick to raise their voice and yell at others, thinking
their problems are all someone else's fault.
If you are lacking peace,
be quick to humble yourself before God, and resist the ways and works of the
devil in your life and your family's life. His grace is available for you to
overcome any temptation! We have His promise that when we humble ourselves and
accept His grace, He will lift us up out of any pit we are in.