Basildon Healing Mission
(Eastside World Outreach Ministries)
Reg Charity 1115487
Grace
There is a wonderful gift from God God’s grace, I am overwhelmed when I think of all that my God has done for me lets share God’s word.
Luke 7:36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, and He went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Luke 7:37 And behold, a woman of the town who was an especially wicked sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment (perfume).
Luke 7:38 And standing behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with [her] tears; and she wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet [affectionately] and anointed them with the ointment (perfume).
Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw it, he said to himself, If this Man were a prophet, He would surely know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him--for she is a notorious sinner (a social outcast, devoted to sin).
Luke 7:40 And Jesus, replying, said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he answered, Teacher, say it.
Luke 7:41 A certain lender of money [at interest] had two debtors: one owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
Luke 7:42 When they had no means of paying, he freely forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?
Luke 7:43 Simon answered, The one, I take it, for whom he forgave {and} cancelled more. And Jesus said to him, You have decided correctly.
Luke 7:44 Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Luke 7:45 You gave Me no kiss, but she from the moment I came in has not ceased [intermittently] to kiss My feet tenderly {and} caressingly.
Luke 7:46 You did not anoint My head with [cheap, ordinary] oil, but she has anointed My feet with [costly, rare] perfume.
Luke 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, many [as they are], are forgiven her--because she has loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little.
Luke 7:48 And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven!
The people who were around that table were not looking as Jesus was looking, to them this was a black and white situation the woman was a sinner and therefore was condemned in their eyes how blind they were, did they niot expect God to judge them in the same way they judged others. How could they say if this man was a prophet he would know what kind of woman this was. Kind of woman a labelled woman because of circumstance they could not see beyond the moment Jesus could see the potential, they were blind.
How often have we judged others merely on sight we look at them and before they have even opened there mouth we have come to the conclusion we really do not like them. How easy is it to miss trust and hate, how hard is it to love.
God does not judge us this way but we do what was the warning ‘ forgive others as our heavenly father forgives us’. How sad it would have been for all of us if Jesus was to judge the woman as the others did what hope would there be one mistake and that was it. Yes for those living under the law but God has called us to live under grace.
What is Grace think about it for a moment!
When you were offered the olive branch what had you done to deserve it had you earned your way into favour had you pleased God in such a way that God felt compelled to call you righteous or was it nothing to do with you but all down to God?
God’s Grace is when we can truly look to someone and say ‘ I do not care what you have done, where you have been, who you are, but I am going to love you as if you never did any wrong and are perfect. Infact it does not matter what you do from this moment forward I am going to love you as if you are perfect. I will never change my mind and there is nothing you can do to change it. I am going to forget you every wrong and I will remember your Sins no more, and as God is not a liar nor can He ever lie we can take this word as true.
When the woman came into the room she was convicted of her sin, she had heard Jesus was inside and had bought herself perfume in a alabaster box. We know it was expensive and it probably cost her all she had. But she knew Jesus was special, a lot of people do not realise but in her tears she was repentant and in her kisses she worshiped Him, Jesus saw her heart and knew that through her love which she poured out to Him, He was able to give her grace. The others were blind they lived under the law, but we live under grace Jesus is our Lord, lets be graceful as He was.
God’s grace is irrevocable what does that mean, it means It was unearned and can never be changed, because where sin abounds grace is greater.
We who are saved are saved for ever there is nothing we can do to change that fact, God is great is He not?
God loves us with an eternal love which will not change!
We need to relax and operate in the power of His grace remember that there is nothing you had to do to earn this so do not make that demand of others but learn to be a child of grace.
No sooner as we realise and grasp the grace we are living under then we are able to extend that grace to others.
For only when we receive that forgiveness can we forgive others
Only when we receive the love of God into hearts can we freely share that love with others.
Without Grace operating in our lives we are just a clanging cymbal as Paul says.
We cannot preach about grace until we have received it ourselves.
Salvation does not come by works but by faith, and we need to be free to live in that freedom that Jesus has purchased for us without being bound in a works theology.
How will we grow if we are not free to do so.
For those the son has set free are free indeed, lets practice our grace today with others and open the door for God to work through you in a miraculous way.
God bless
Bishops Tony and Marilyn.
More on Grace:-
What is Grace? Receiving Grace Grace in Giving Grace in Marriage