Grace and Peace

My heart is overwhelmed today as it has been these last few weeks. Do you know why? It is because I am amazed by God’s grace.

I have been reading the letters of Paul, who was the apostle to the Gentiles (non Jews) – who probably most of us also are. In each of the letters from Romans to Philemon, Paul greets the believers in Jesus Christ - or saints as he also calls them - with these words:
Grace and peace to you from God the Father
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

After reading each of the letters my heart is literally pounding with the thrill of knowing this to be true! Because of the lavish grace God has extended to us through Jesus Christ - through his death, resurrection and ascension - we have peace with God and peace in our hearts. Wow!

Let the following verses thrill your hearts and give you assurance and peace. Catch how it's all about the grace of God and not about us! Catch what is ours through Jesus Christ!

Romans 3:21-25a
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.

1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Ephesians 1:3-14
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory

Philippians 3:8-9
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

1 Thessalonians 1:10
…and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Now...
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Thessalonians 3:16-17