“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and  his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

For the past two months, our studies have revolved around the word  “grace” and events in the life of the apostle Peter. For this carry over week, let’s look at other Scriptures about grace.

I hope your testimony is similar to these words from the apostle Paul. I really like what The Living Bible says about today’s verse. “But whatever I am now it is all because God poured out such kindness and grace upon me—and not without results: for I have worked harder than all the other apostles, yet actually I wasn’t doing it, but God working in me, to bless me.”

The chorus of a wonderful song by the group Gold City goes well with today’s verse:

By your grace; for your glory

I am here to tell the story

Of all the doors you’ve opened for me

That I might give, I might love, I might live

By your grace; for your glory.


Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Remember FWBIM staff and personnel today as they reflect on last week’s NAFWB Convention and post convention missions meetings. Pray each one who attended comes away encouraged and refreshed by His grace.

“And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises.  He has promised that you will escape the decadence around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.  So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life.  Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence…”  (2 Peter 1:4-5 NLT).

The Ben-Gay in my medicine cabinet does my aching back no good at all until I apply it to the sore muscles.

Calamine lotion on the top shelf does little to soothe the poison ivy, unless I uncap the bottle and smear it on.

Antacids, aspirins and sinus meds are all great inventions, symptom relievers and wonder-workers, but only if I take them as prescribed…and not just allow them to sit and collect dust behind the mirrors of my bathroom cabinet.

The same is true of God’s promises.

Apply His power to your life.  Rub into your sore, tired and aching muscles His promises of strength and endurance.  Take a dose of the life-changing balm His Word provides us.  Don’t allow all He’s given to us to sit in the medicine cabinet of your heart. Use it to produce a life that points people to Him. 

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Free Will Baptist workers ministering to Muslim peoples during this month of Ramadan. Pray not only for their safety as the month concludes, but for their encouragement as this is typically a time when many “seekers,” even individuals pondering a decision for Christ, return to their Islamic roots.

“Everything is meaningless…It has all been done before…And in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now”  (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 9, 11 NLT).
 
Solomon, the richest ruler in the world, must have been a homemaker.  Oh, some say he’s a he-man, showered with affection by the hundreds of his wives, waited upon hand and foot by his many servants, a scholar extraordinaire.  But who else could complete understand and give honor to the words in the verses above?

Yes, as a wife, mother, housekeeper, cook, taxi driver, laundress, farmer and work-outside-the-home executive, those are the same—the very same words I’ve said repeatedly, several times today in fact.

But he’s right—everything is meaningless, unless done to glorify God.

It has all been done before—and He’ll allow me the strength and might to do it all again, if I decide to lean on Him again.

And if I do it the right way, with His love glowing in every deed, future generations might not remember what I did—but they’ll have come in contact with the One for whom I did it.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for homemakers in your church today, asking God to help them see worth in household duties and allow these to bring honor to God.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

If we take this verse to heart, we will always be a ready witness.  We will use every opportunity to share our testimony and the gospel.  We should continue sharing with the zeal we had when we were first saved and wanted to tell everyone that we had found God’s grace.  God turned the mess of our lives into a message.  Shouldn’t we be more than willing to show and tell the world. Max Lucado reminds us, “Nothing fosters courage like a clear grasp of grace.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for workers in Muslim lands as Ramadan continues and both Islamic loyalties and anti-Christian sentiments rise.

“Honour all men, Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king” (1 Peter 2:17).

Within this verse we find a summary of Christian duty. The Living Bible states “Show respect for everyone. Love Christians everywhere. Fear God and honor the government. By performing our duties we are reflecting God’s grace to the world.  The world will see what Christ means to us in case we may be the only Bible they may ever read.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that conventioneers would reflect God’s grace to the world as they travel home today and tomorrow from the NAFWB Convention in Tampa, Florida.

“As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16).

I chose to use the words of our study writer concerning today’s verse.  “Grace grants us freedom—from sin, judgment and the world’s mold  Yet 1 Peter 2:16 cautions believers not to play their freedom card for sinful or self-driven purposes. Grace enables us to submit and to serve.  Our actions and choices matter to God and others.”

As we live in this present world, we wield some measure of influence on others.  Are we sharing grace with the world or hiding our light under a bushel?

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for the final missionary service at the NAFWB Convention in Tampa this evening, asking God to help attendees gain a greater burden for the needs of the world and trengthen their willingness to work in His harvest fields.

“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme”  (1 Peter 2:13).

We Christians possess dual citizenship. Citizenship in our present world requires that we submit to those in authority and obey the laws of our land. Submission involves “showing grace through compliance to the will of God,” our study writer notes. It’s also “the way to silence adversaries.”

The NIV Study Bible states, “Peter urges that Christians submit to all legitimate authorities,whether or not the persons exercising authority are believers.  The recognition of properly constituted authority is necessary for the greatest good of the largest number of people, and it is necessary to best fulfill the will of God in the world.”

With that in mind, we must willingly submit to those in authority.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Cover this WNAC Convention day in prayer, asking God to speak through and to Women Active for Christ as they attend the various sessions.