Who Said You Deserved God’s Grace?

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” (2Timothy 2:1)

     Timothy was the pastor of one of the really famous churches of the world and the largest church of that time. Paul started this church at Ephesus and among its members were the apostle John along with Mary, the mother of Jesus. There would never be another churchquite like it.

     What a privilege it was for Timothy. He was a young man who had been laboring along with Paul and now finds himself the pastor of this great church. By the time Paul wrote this second letter to Timothy sin was growing in the city of Ephesus. Things were not going well. Because of Nero’s increasing persecution church members were deserting the Lord in order to save their lives. Leaders in the church were waging war with each other over doctrinal issues; others didn’t like Timothy and consequently rebelled against his leadership. This young pastor had a real mess on his hands. Here he was pastoring the world’s largest church and its members were fighting among themselves. Feeling above his head and needing a supernatural touch from God, he receives these words from his spiritual father in the faith “My son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

     You see, the supernatural strengthening you need doesn’t come because you deserve it, it comes free from Christ Jesus! Paul is saying to Timothy and to you and me to be strong by means of the grace that is in Christ Jesus. God’s grace never runs out! His power is available to anyone who releases their faith to receive it. Because Jesus died for you and washed you with His blood, you are a candidate for everything that God possesses!

     So quit beating yourself over the head, telling yourself how bad you are and how terribly you’ve failed. If you really did mess up the assignment God gave you, just repent! Then open your heart and ask the Lord to give you a new touch of power so you can get up and start moving again! It’s the devils lie that says you do not deserve God’s attention. Get up, lay hold of the steady current of God’s power that is always there as a result of His grace coming through Christ Jesus.

     “Lord, I receive Your grace and its empowerment knowing it’s free for my faith to take because Jesus paid for it all in giving His life and blood for me. Amen.”