PaulPrins.net

Grace, in greek is Charis.

There are staples in the Christian faith that everyone just assumes you live. Maybe assuming is a strong word. My point is that it was something I never understood growing up. How could someone live by grace as the bible calls us to.

?I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God?s grace given me through the working of his power.? ~Ephesians 3:7
That it?s solely by the grace of God that we are able to become his servants. When we submit ourselves to the work of this gospel God will pour upon us the power and strength we seek from Him to endure through the tasks he puts before us. That without that grace, we would simply fall flat on our faces.

?Are you foolish? After beginning with the spirit are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?? ~Galatians 3:3
We won?t be able to anything with the gospel if we try to go it alone, without Christ. That even starting something with God doesn?t mean it will become fruitful and complete, we must seek Him throughout the entire process. What does this have to do with receiving grace?

For us to be able to even start something for Christ, be it a change in ourselves or reaching out to the world, we must accept that there is nothing we can do to get there. No matter what skills and gifts you have, the only ones that will get you near and across the finish line come from God himself. You must ask for what you need in order to receive it, you must ask for grace to receive it.

?For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!? ~Romans 6:14
Our lives prior to accepting Christ were enslaved to sin and the pleasures associated with it. Living to quench the hunger that brought temporary satisfaction. When we accept the payment Jesus made for our sins he effectually bought us and became our new master. So that we are no longer bound by sin rather by our obedience and love of the Father whom paid for our death.

?With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.? ~2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
That he ?may be? glorified. We are but slaves to our master, we are his representation here on earth and we ought live our lives so that our Father will be glorified through us. That in Christ we will be glorified, just as he is through us. That we are to accept the grace of God and Jesus into who we are, and realize that we are also in God.

There is a calling for each of us, something set aside for us to do in our lifetime. His calling is for us to become like Christ by grace. That we would receive grace in us, and in him. That our solitude would be firm in him and the things which we need we would ask for in faith and believe that we have received that which we need for the tasks at hand.

Practically:
There is nothing we can do to earn grace aside from accepting it. In living a life for the Lord we must accept that which he has freely given us, his never-ending grace. We must find ourselves living because of grace rather then for or in spite of grace, something we could never earn.

Questions:
-What of your life enslaved to sin are you still hanging on to? Why haven?t you let go yet?
-What in your life are you scared you won?t succeed in? What parts of that have you not lifted completely to the Lord?
-We?re called to be like Christ, what attribute of Jesus do you desire the most? How would attaining that affect your life?

Seek the face of Christ,
~paul

Can you see them swooping from the heavens, swords in hands saving the world. As I peer from the window I see the battle blazing as my heart ceases to flutter. Before my eyes lay affects of the night before, scared huddled in a corner. Praying to not be alone, praying that righteousness could be restored. Swirled around in the wind were the sounds and screams of those not realizing their mouths were open. The dimming lights and shattered character of hearts hopelessly calling to nothing. Calls that were answered. As I curled up scared, gravity pulling water from my eyes till they too were dry.

From the corner basement room I would sneak a peak through the window with disbelieving eyes. I let out noises that I didn?t even know I held praying that He would hear me and come by my side. My heart became so heavy… it hurts to move because of what I see. I?m scared to go outside for there is to much (or is it not enough). It mine as well be calling to me, this morning light which shown with my first glances on the world. My heart still heavy and hurting, as I see here watching them swooping and rushing, swords in hand while people walk past unsuspecting. I used to cry when I saw this, saw them fighting, but now I simply pray that He shall be triumphant. As they walk past ignorant to that which is going on around them.

The light is gone again… In time I shall return

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Alright, I?m sick of sitting on what I see and know, not using the gifts given to me. My heart is too heavy to say nothing. Father let me live because of your unfailing grace.

Pressing onward, because I can’t look back.
~paul

So I sit here, seemingly waiting for something to happen that won?t. What am I speaking of? The fact that I am always on the outside looking in. There are very few times when I?m asked to go out and do anything. It?s not that I don?t want to, it?s that it just doesn?t happen. You would probably tell me that I should go out there and ask my friends what is going on, and it?s a logical statement to make. If it weren?t for the last decade of feeling on the outside and feeling like a third wheel I probably would. The last thing I?m looking for are people to take pity on me for just sitting around on a Friday night.

This isn?t something that just started happening recently, as long as I can remember I?ve been someone who was left home on weekends doing nothing more then finding things to fill my time with. That?s how I know it isn?t the people around me but rather something inside of me. If this has been happening for the last ten+ years there is something more going on. It?s not even that my friends hate me, I think it?s the fact that I know so many people that everyone tends to forget about me. A friend of mine in HS told me something to the context of ?The popular kids are those who are left at home doing nothing because everyone assume that they are out with someone else.? Now I would be the last person to every even think I?m popular. I guess I will break it down.

I?m sitting here knowing that I could have called a number of people to do something tonight. Yet I?m still sitting here. I strive so hard to put others first, to live a life lost for myself (and I know I fall short, but I still will try again tomorrow) and it causes a couple things to happen. First that I don?t want to interrupt what is already going on because I almost always feel like a third wheel. I love doing things one-on-one because you can?t feel on the outside of that. They either invited me because they enjoy my company, or I invited them for the same reason. One could look at calling up a group of people to hang out that person inviting them to hang out, but to me that seems selfish. That they should all hang out with me, who am I.

I can?t stand asking for anything from others as well, it used to be a pride thing. I always used to feel like I could do it on my own. While that?s still there some of the time it mostly comes down to me not wanting to bother you. I would rather stand on the side in pain (metaphorical, if I was in real pain I would get help so don?t worry about that), then inconvenience those around me. Which leads me right back to the problem with even writing this. Anyone of my friends who read this will then want to do something with me and again I will feel like the third wheel. I?m sorry for being selfless and not self-content. Maybe I?m just waiting for the next selfless person to come along. Maybe I?m just looking for you amid the masses to stand apart so that someone will truly understand. I lost my life and am just trying to do what I can with what He?s given me.

The other day I was talking to someone and they made the comment about how it?s sweet to let people see the ?real? you at a certain kind of event and this took me back. Maybe because I don?t know who I really am? Or that I am that person and the idea that I?m not at times shocked me, that he might be that way… It?s late and my heart is beating a million miles a minute. I?m going to go for a walk. I?m sorry for not having anything more to show you.

take care and God bless,
~paul