There
is an old hymn Grace That Is Greater written in 1911. It was recorded by
Bart Millard in 2008. It contrasts the grace of God with our sin and guilt.
It
says:
Marvelous
grace of our loving Lord
Grace
that exceeds our sin and our guilt
Yonder
on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There
where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Grace,
grace, God’s grace
Grace
that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace,
grace, God’s grace
Grace
that is greater than our all our sin
God’s
grace is greater, bigger, more powerful, overcomes all of the sins I have or
will ever commit.
The
key in us experiencing the reality of God’s grace is acknowledging that we need
grace because we have sinned. It is only when I acknowledge my need that my
need can be met. If I play the game that I have not sinned, and thus, have no
real need for Jesus and His grace, then I will not experience it.
Hebrews
4:14-16
Since
then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the
Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect
has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw
near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.
Notice
that Jesus has been tempted in every way just as you and I have. Jesus can
understand everything we go through. Yet Jesus never sinned. That all means
that we can approach His throne, which is a throne of grace, to receive mercy
and find grace in our times of need.
Mercy
and grace are a part of Jesus’ nature. They are the natural characteristics of
Jesus and what He desires to pour out on us. We have to cooperate with Him by
seeking His presence and receiving His grace and mercy.
When
people want God, He will be found.
When
people want God, He will reveal Himself.
When
people want God, He will display His glory and power.
There
is a pattern in Scripture that, when God sees people desiring His presence, He
shows them His presence.
Exodus
40:34-35
Then
the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the
tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the
cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
2
Chronicles 7:1-3
As
soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed
the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the
temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the
glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. When all the people saw the fire
come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their
faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord,
saying, “For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.”
Acts
2:1-4
When
the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly
there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the
entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared
to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
There
are several things that are different in each of these situations. But there
are two things that are the same.
First,
all three situations were initiated by God. God saw the desire of the people
and saw their obedience and His presence filled the tabernacle, the temple, and
their bodies. These were they places that God wanted to indwell. The tabernacle
was the place that Israel met with God until the temple, and then the temple
became the place that the people met with God. Then on the day of Pentecost the
Holy Spirit came to indwell the new place of worship: the believers’ bodies.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing the Holy Spirit to invade and
dwell in your body.
Second,
the presence of God filled the tabernacle and filled the temple and filled the
believers’ bodies. The key in experiencing God’s grace is experiencing God’s
presence. God’s presence with us and in us will always bring His grace to us.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing God’s grace by experiencing
God’s presence.
God
is real and He wants us to experience His presence, not just go through religious
traditions.
By
God’s Grace Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
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