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The Theological Rumpus Room: Is His Grace Sufficient

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorcarrollers
    • CommentTimeJan 13th 2010
     
    Is God's Grace sufficient?

    Of course, He says it is. But how do you get there? And what if HE has decided that is a lesson you need to absorb into every fibre of your being? What if he allows you, like Job, to lose every thing, so that even if you aren't at the point of death, you feel that death would be welcome?

    I'm not talking just hypothetical, though in a sense I am. If you lost a child, your children, your wife, all that you hold dear, the reasons you get up in the morning and the reasons you come home at night, could you sit back and thank HIM for sufficient grace?

    What if you lost those "reasons" not to a tragic accident, but to ugly circumstances? Or perhaps to another man?

    Would HIS grace be sufficient? How would you deal with it? I KNOW HOW YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH IT! But how would you, and most men you know, carry on?
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010 edited
     
    For me, this is not hypothetical. There was a time, not too many years ago, when I did lose my family. My wife left me to move in with another man, and my daughter and grandson moved with her. I knew nothing of this until I came home from work to find the house empty (of people, not stuff) and a note on my pillow.

    I'm not going to lie; I completely fell apart. My work performance dropped, I couldn't sleep more than about two hours a night (I don't function on less than seven), and I dropped out of almost everything that I was involved in. My life alternated around going to work, reluctantly coming home, then walking around town until the wee hours of the morning just because I didn't want to be in the house. I would drag myself to bed, totally exhausted, then toss and turn for the next two or three hours, only to fall into a restless sleep, get up two hours later, and do it all again. I hardly ate at all, and would occasionally remember to feed the dog. (poor dog!)

    I told myself that I would resume going to church, singing on the worship team, and participating in a small group "next week, when I feel better." The only problem is that next week, I felt worse!

    Finally, my wife told me the truth about why she left, and the truth hit me like a ton of bricks! My "secret sin" wasn't a secret after all, and she had arrived at the point where she couldn't take it anymore.

    Fortunately, the Holy Spirit used that revelation to get my attention. I returned to church and my small group, and a couple of weeks later, returned to the worship team. I started reading the Bible and books by godly men at night. I would love to say that everything returned to normal overnight, but it didn't. However, that was the first step, and I soon began to notice that I was feeling better. Day by day, God spoke to me, and little by little, reminded me that His grace IS sufficient, even though it didn't seem like it at the time.

    I am grateful to my Father that my family was eventually restored to me, after a few false starts. But there was a period when I was absolutely certain that was not going to be the outcome. I found that I had no choice but to hold onto God, because He was all that I had. I was so low that life had lost all meaning, and I was debating whether it was worth continuing to live. I honestly think that I would not be alive today if it were not for His sustaining grace. The things that got me through were God's grace, the love of my church family, and...this may sound stupid to you, but...my dog.
    •  
      CommentAuthorTribeDad
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010
     
    Praise God! Great question carrollers, and great answer dj!!

    Another living-color example of THE answer to every "what to do about it" question >>> repent of anything/everything that needs to be repented of (darkness), and run hard into Jesus arms (light)...and then keep running to Him everyday until it's your habit/life.

    Man, this blessed me!
    • CommentAuthorblsdw8
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010
     
    Amen brothers

    God is the answer, always has been, always will be. Thanks for the encouragement guys
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010 edited
     
    I can't actually paste the link here, since I cannot access this site from a government computer, but go to www.youtube.com and pull up "Then Came the Morning" as performed by Gloria Gather and Guy Penrod. Very powerful message, especially Gloria's monologue.

    Psalm 23 (NLT)
    1 The LORD is my shepherd;
    I have everything I need.

    2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.

    3 He renews my strength.
    He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.

    4 Even when I walk
    through the dark valley of death,
    I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
    Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.

    5 You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
    You welcome me as a guest,
    anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.

    6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
    and I will live in the house of the LORD
    forever.

    Romans 8:18-39 (NLT)

    The Future Glory

    18Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. 19For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse. 21All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, F34 including the new bodies he has promised us. 24Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. 25But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.

    26And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. 28And we know that God causes everything to work together F35 for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. 30And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory.

    Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love

    31What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?

    33Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. 34Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.

    35Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? 36(Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." F36 ) 37No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

    38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010
     
    I know what it's like to not even be able to form the words to pray, but to just cry out to God and trust that the Holy Spirit is interceding for me before the Father, as Romans 8 says. The Shepherd has led me through grean meadows and peaceful streams, and the Shepherd has led me through the dark valley of death. At the time, I felt alone, but looking back, the Shepherd was always there.

    I can't remember the source of this quote, so I'll just plagerize it: "I've read the last page of the Bible, and guess what...we win!"
    • CommentAuthorspilo
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010
     
    I have to be honest. If it were to happen to me today, I don't know that I would turn to God at all. Intellectually I know that God's grace is sufficient, however I still struggle with that on an emotional level. It is something He has been working on in me for a little while now, and He has always proved himself, but for whatever reason I still struggle.

    I pray I don't need proof the way Job did. I pray that God forgives and helps my unbelief.
    • CommentAuthorcarrollers
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010
     
    Thank you so much for a powerful testimony. Thank you, Spilo, for your transparency. I hope you never have to find out just how "well" you would do.
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeJan 14th 2010
     
    I saw an awesome poster on OneNewsNow's website; tried to copy the poster over, but I'm not smart enough to do that, so here's the web address:

    http://action.afa.net/Blogs/BlogPost.aspx?id=2147491119
    • CommentAuthorsolafide
    • CommentTimeJan 15th 2010
     
    spilo... I think I fall more inline with you at this point. I pray for my faith to increase but of course that usually means trials! Have a love / hate with those :-)
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeJan 15th 2010
     
    I think often of Christians who have been tortured and murdered for their faith in God (and it's still happening). I've often wondered what I would do in their shoes...would I remain faithful until death, or would I give in. I'd like to say that I would never give up my faith, no matter the cost, but to be totally honest, I don't know what I would do in that case. I hope and pray that I never have to find out!

    The chapter in my life described above was the darkest chapter yet. Were it my choice, I would never have chosen that path. If I have the choice, I will never walk that path again. However, the character that God has built in me, the lessons I have learned, and the assurance that I have that He will never leave me are priceless.
    •  
      CommentAuthorTribeDad
    • CommentTimeJan 17th 2010
     
    Muscles grow from facing adversity, being stretched, and healing; and our faith can only be grown by enduring trials. No one likes them, but like a good soldier, we endure the training for the vision of being a warrior.

    Vision gives purpose to pain.
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeJan 17th 2010
     
    Good point TribeDad...you know, God never promised that "all things would be good." Instead He promised that He would work THROUGH all things to bring about our good. So even when "all things" are terrible, we need to trust our Father!
    • CommentAuthorblsdw8
    • CommentTimeJan 18th 2010
     
    Amen brothers. By definition whatever God does is for good.
  15.  
    He's told us we'd have troubles and trials in this world. He told us the world hated Him and would hate us, too. He also told us He'd never leave us and would be with us until the end of the world.

    I'd bet each of us agrees with that and that our faith in Christ allows us to feel confident in that.

    So, does that mean we KNOW His grace is sufficient? I think we KNOW it. But, do we rest comfortably in that knowledge? Is it past our head, where most of us seem to have it, to our heart and soul? I think at times yes, and perhaps at times, No.

    He's proven Himself faithful to me over the years, so why would I expect Him to not be faithful now? I do expect Him to be faithful. However, I am nervous, anxious and apprehensive at times. He tells us to be anxious for nothing but by prayer to bring everything to Him. I do pray, but are my prayers not deep enough in touch with my heart need? Why do I offer those prayers and still have feelings of nervousness? Is it that I doubt Him? No. I have no doubt God will come through. Is my faith weak? Perhaps it has become that way in some areas and I'm going through this now to get stronger.

    Why should I be concerned about financial issues in this life when He has settled my spiritual matters for all eternity? I can't answer because I do not know why I experience turmoil within. I pray, I cry, I let the Holy Spirit give me the words to say when there is absolutely nothing left within me as I cry during my prayers and I have no more words. Am I comforted? Perhaps, but for how long?

    When we ask Him to help our unbelief, is this how He does it? By letting us go through deeper and more scary and painful trials?

    Why am I like Peter at times? I focus on Christ and can walk through the storms, but as soon as I let my focus drift and see the waves I start to sink and have to cry out again and again and again, Lord, Save Me! He does, but why do I keep letting my focus drift? I don't know and it pains me to my very soul.

    My Lord loves me. He gave His life for me. He took my punishment because I couldn't. If He's willing to settle my sin debt once and forever, why can't I get this feeling of concern about this life and its needs to go away once and forever? I don't know.

    Is His grace sufficient? Absolutely. Now then, we just have to get that understanding to drop 14-18 inches south from our minds to our hearts. When we do, our anxiety and concerns for this life should cease.

    May our blessed Saviour help each and everyone of us reach that level of assurance in our hearts.

    Lord bless each of you my brothers.
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeJan 21st 2010
     
    m's

    Well said, and powerful. You could have been writing about me!

    Why do I keep flirting with sin, when I know that, through Christ, I have the power to overcome any temptation? God is always faithful to me; why am I so often unfaithful to Him? I know that choosing God's path will lead to peace, even in the middle of ths storm. I know that choosing sin will lead to guilt and shame, and feeling disconnected from my Father. Why do I so often make the wrong choice?
  17.  
    Is His grace sufficient? A thousand times yes!!! I saw it today!

    I had the unpleasant task of attending a funeral today (Thursday) for the 8 year old daughter of a friend. She was a preemie when born. Weighed in at 1 pound 7 ounces and 13 inches in length. Wasn't supposed to survive the first week. She had severe epilepsy, cerebral palsy and autism. She spent way too much time in emergency rooms and hospitals during her life and had way too many siezures. She endured more than anyone should have to.

    During the service (church was packed) my friend was standing by himself during the singing, arms raised high, singing and praising God for who He is and what He has done. It broke my heart but showed me His grace is sufficient to get this man and his family through the death of their daughter, that my friend knew and had that knowledge of sufficient grace in his heart not just in his head

    That humbled me and blessed me. I hope and pray that I can remain as assured as my friend and his family

    His grace is sufficient. I saw it and experienced it today
    • CommentAuthordjlemley
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010
     
    To my brothers who are currently in the midst of great trials:

    Today's devotional from Dr. David Jeremiah really encouraged me. I hope that it encourages you as well!

    http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/magazine.aspx?id=5082
  19.  
    Just remember to ONLY RELY ON GOD, AND GOD WILL HELP YOU THROUGH any trial that you may go through.
    He will help you through just follow in His foot steps and His Holy Spirit Guide will You through.

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