I’ve been touched by a gospel story this week. In some ways, it captures what I’ve been trying to learn to convey to you. Grace is sufficient and the only way to heaven. So it’s finally time to stop trying to earn it (or run from it). He [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and…
Do you ever wonder if you’re getting into heaven by accident or, at least, not by your own merit but somebody else’s? Congratulations are in order if you realize it is Jesus’ merits that get you into heaven. Not yours on anybody else’s. So relax, all is done. There’s no hurry in grace. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9, ESV)…
Sometimes we think that our lack of certain qualities would bar us from God’s love and acceptance. But we could not be further from the truth. Really. We might even be embarrassed by our faults yet they are ways grace gets in us. Yes, that’s right. Because we need and want Christ, we get grace upon grace. And because we are broken, God’s light gets in us. In that sense, our faults pave away for grace to come. When we…
When I am at my weakest, God comes through powerfully. Like yesterday, I was preparing and teaching a class on the goodness of God’s grace with a sore throat. During the evening, it felt like God had given an extra measure of grace for us and we were all blessed even though I truly was not at the top of my game. Today I’m even weaker. The flue has got a hold of me. I’m weak like a kitty and…
Have you been hurt badly? Do you think the offence should not be pardoned? Do you think God should not extend grace to your offender? I hear you. It is hard to understand why God would offer grace for all sinners. But he does. Because he loves us. TheBible tells us: And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because…
I never thought that I would be blogging about President Obama giving eulogy. But life does surprise us, doesn’t it? And this one was a very pleasant surprise. I truly liked what President Obama said in eulogy for Reverend Clementa Pinckney last Friday in Charleston, South Carolina. Who would have thought that Obama’s theology echoes Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Or St. Paul? For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift…
I experienced grace this morning. I go to a group gym every Monday and Friday. This time I had forgotten to reserve my place. There I was ready to exercise and my name was not on the list. Somehow I had not even realized I had forgotten it. Needless to say I felt frustrated and stupid. But the trainer extended me grace and allowed me in without reservation. It felt very, very good. It was undeserved grace, pure and simple….
How knowledgeable are you about grace? Grace is not complicated. Grace is simple yet powerful. There are four essential things you need to know about grace. Here’s grace 101 for you. First of all, we are saved by grace through faith. God’s grace is a free gift to us. All we need to do is to turn to God in repentance and ask to receive grace upon grace. Everything is ready for us. There’s nothing for us to do but…
Do you need healing balm? Lucky you, there’s plenty of it available. It’s called grace. It is meant for all people. And there are no other qualifications than sinfulness. Hence, I think, we all qualify. There’s no one without sin. Also none of us have a monopoly on grace. We are all just happy receivers and meant to pass it on with love. Because we all need it. One of the reasons why I love Kurt Bubna‘s new book is…
Are you in a place where hope is in short supply? Are you about to lose your way? Are you struggling to survive? Take a deep breath. No matter how dark your future looks like… No matter how rough the wilderness around you is… No matter how desperate you feel… There’s always grace. Even in the wilderness. You might doubt it, especially when the circumstances speak otherwise. But with God anything is possible. With God we do find grace even…
