5 Minutes of Hope

Before reaching the age of thirty, I was honored, blessed, and privileged to teach at Shore Christian Academy.

It was a wonderful Christian school housed at First Assembly of God in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.

I taught the 4th through 6th graders in one room and 7 through 12 in another.

It wasn’t for the money.

It wasn’t for the hours.

It MUST have been for the benefits.

Oh, the many rewards of a teacher!

Hello friend and welcome to 5 Minutes of Hope.

Today’s topic is: Grace.

Are there any teachers in the audience?

How about those long hours of preparation?

What about those endless nights grading papers?

Hey, WHAT can compare with CONNECTING with your students?

WHAT is more exhilarating and satisfying than when … they … “GET IT?”

The “LIGHT” comes on! Their frustrating frown melts away under the power of the revelation! They gain an understanding of the concept you’ve been feverishly striving to teach them.

TEACHER, you’ve REACHED them.

They’re CHANGED.

Well, dear friend … the apostle Paul CAUGHT it then TAUGHT it.

GRACE.

Grace: an undeserved favor or gift; the undeserved forgiveness, kindness and mercy that God gives us.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

It’s HIM!

It’s GOD!

It’s ALL HIM!

HIS grace!

HIS forgiveness!

HIS gift!

We cannot earn it, buy it, or deserve it.

A gift is accepted.

A gift is received.

Your part? My part? Believe. It is THROUGH faith!

Philip Yancey stated: “There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.”

If our teacher, the Holy Spirit, can cause us to grasp this concept, “get” this revelation, for the “light” to be turned on, WE will be the student changed!

Paul, never one to mince words, includes in his teaching that when true grace is received … true grace is lived out and gived out. (is gived a word?)

Counselor David Seamands summed up his career this way: Many years ago I was driven to the conclusion that the two major causes of most emotional problems among evangelical Christians are these: the failure to understand, receive, and live out God‘s unconditional grace and forgiveness; and the failure to give out that unconditional love, forgiveness, and grace to other people.

GOD, help us “GET IT” and God help us “GIVE IT”!

What’s so amazing about amazing grace?

Here’s what’s amazing: God entered the human race.

Christ paid for my sins when He took my place.

That’s what’s so amazing about amazing grace!

♫ Amazing grace how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! (can you remember your condition? The dread, the guilt of sin, then Jesus came in and changed us. If not, today is your day). I once was lost but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

– John Newton

Oh friend, let’s bask in His grace and in His love today!

Mighty God, WHERE would we be without Your grace in our lives? You love us UNCONDITIONALLY! May we receive Your loving grace and gladly give it out to all those we meet. In the matchless name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we pray. Amen

Friend, may you be FILLED with hope today and share it with others.