The Grace of Godby Pastor Joe Marquez

10/27/2014

The Word of Grace Devotion for The Week of October 27, 2014

The Grace of God

Titus 2:11-14, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Beloved, there are some Christians who may be confused concerning the grace of God. Confused to the extent that God’s grace does not change their lives. However, the above passage clearly illustrates that God’s grace does not give us license to sin (licentiousness) but rather God’s Grace drives us to live godly lives.

Because we are saved by grace through faith; it is this grace, which trains “us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

Beloved, because God’s Grace has been lavished on us so profusely, the only response we have in gratitude is to live a godly life. Grace leads to righteousness and not to licentiousness.

In fact it is God’s Grace, which trains us, like a parent trains his child, to become godly. This training is conducted all the while we wait, “for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” All of this because Jesus, “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Beloved, we need to permit the Grace of God, His unmerited favor, to lead us to live for Christ as Galatians 2:21 says, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” Beloved, the simple theme of this week’s devotion is that we need to act out God’s Grace through godly living!

I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you! Look up, for your redemption draws near!

In Christ,

Pastor Joe

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Senior Pastor
Joe Marquez

Beloved, we are soon to once again celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the human Son of man and the divine Son of God. He is one hundred percent human and one hundred percent God.

While there were many people instrumental in the birth of Christ, this morning we will look at His birth through the eyes of Joseph, His legal father. There is not too much known about the man who would care for Christ as He grew up. We know that Joseph was possibly a carpenter but most importantly we know that he was a righteous man who did the right thing.

When others would have ran away from a responsibility that was not even their own, Joseph stood steadfast and remained faithful to the end. We can learn much from his character and apply his attributes of faithfulness, purity, and perseverance to our own lives.

May you have a Blessed Christmas week and may Christ always be at the center of your lives!

P.S. Come back this evening as we look at the birth of Christ through the Gospel of Luke!