I tell you a secret to some. I know how to see life click. It isn't random. It isn't happen-stance. It isn't luck. It is intentional and obtainable due to the specifications of Father who nurtures His little ones.
If not careful, one will work against the kingdom of God by practicing concepts domestic to our earth nature and, yet, foreign to the spirit nature. This is always a challenging task. We must not give up, out, nor in to the pressures of such noble pursuit.
As for me, I am a very strange person, indeed. I feel like a very little child every day...every day...clueless, directionless, and pointless. However, I get to engage in the most fantastic moments of kingdom progress. I begin every day as a blank page (not by choice but because I am nothing) and conclude by evening time with the same emptiness of personal skill, talent, and ability.
I am not being superficially humble when I tell you I am a void. Before all eyes, I am a complete dork.
Yet....I tic.
What makes a plain man tic?
The answer is biblically clear. It is God's grace.
I want to be full of grace. Such a term means not of me and always of Him. I don't do good work. God rents and chooses to set up shop from my---and your--- space. His works are fascinating to us! We can never claim any of the credit for we are completely empty of ability while desperately desiring to be full of His grace.
What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” Zech. 4:7 Mountain ranges topple without dynamite? To move a mountain problem we would say, Bulldozer, bulldozer to it! Or apply God grace to see it melt?
For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. John 1:16 His fullness is His Spirit (Eph. 3:14-21) that the work done comes through us but not of us. It is God who is to be glorified for the accomplishment.
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:8 Performance comes from the God-skill through the pipes of the human willingness to yield. The human is the zero. Father is the complete power. Grace is Father actively renting our space.
From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. Acts 14:26 The work they accomplished only due to their nothingness open to His fullness...His active grace-power.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. Romans 11:6 If it is by grace the results are so powerful one can immediately perceive such did not come about due to personal muscle; but rather the emptying of such so He could use such a disciple.
....of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. Eph. 3:7 We are the dork. He is the Master-worker.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebr. 4:16 When we have need---and we have it every day for it begins as a blank page---confidence is never ours due to skill evaluation; but always due to the might of the Gloried One.
If not careful we will try to hone one's skills to be kingdom productive. The sharpening to be done is not upon the workman's table of refinement; but is to be found in the laboratory of developing the ingredients of faith, trust, and love.
It is God who does the work. Never me. Never us. Never.
If you want to live on top of the world, empty yourself of personal agenda. Accept the blank page you are. And then hang on! For when one dares to say Grace, grace to it! stunning and remarkable and unexplainable wonder takes place.
Get out of the way and then prepare to rejoice. He will fill the blank page with excitement and overjoy...day after day.
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