We’ve been talking about God’s plan. The Lord has a Divine pre-arranged pathway that has already been set before each and every soul that has ever lived or that ever will live on the earth. When was that decided you might ask? Before the foundation of the world! You and I were in the heart and mind of God way before the first man and woman were ever created. God is the almighty Creator and he doesn’t make any mistakes or create any trash. Not one of us are insignificant or without great value in God’s eyes – in fact He calls his children His masterpiece, or prized possession...

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago Eph 2:10 (NLT)

God has good things for you and I to do. We don’t need to worry about what His plan might be, or if we can possibly do what He has called us to do, because God is faithful to give us only what we are able to handle. Our job as I mentioned in the last letter is to seek God and find out what that plan is, and then go ahead and walk it out by faith. To put it in most simple terms... Pray – Listen – Obey. The Lord knows you and I much better than we know ourselves and He is well aware of what we can and can’t do. He that prepared and gave the plan to you, will enable or empower you to walk it out. That enablement from the Lord is called “grace”. When God grants His grace to a person, it is His ability that we are receiving. God is able to do anything and if we will receive His enabling ability (grace), then we can do all that He has called us to do.

How do we receive grace then? By faith. Think about this, how were you saved? By grace – through faith. No person no matter how good they think they are cannot earn salvation. It is a gift from God. God in His gracious kindness gave us the Saviour Jesus as a free gift to all who would believe. As we see written in Ephesians, salvation is offered by grace and received through faith (believing).

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8

It is impossible for any man or woman to earn salvation because we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standard, therefore none of us can boast, see Eph 2:9. It is only by God’s grace that we can be saved, but it is not automatically given – it must be received through faith. There are literally millions of people on the planet who believe that Jesus is God’s son and that He died on the cross to pay the price for their sins, but are still not saved. It is because they have failed to “believe” or to put their hope and trust in Jesus. As we see written in the Scriptures, grace is given, and it is received by faith.

So it is easy to see that faith is needed to even getting started walking along God’s pre-determined path for our lives as we see in the case of the new birth, which is the starting point of God’s plan. But each other step along the way faith is needed also, why? Because faith is what connects us to receiving the grace and without God’s grace we can do nothing for the Lord. Just as salvation from sin is offered by grace and received through faith, so too are all other things the Lord has in store for us along the way. Divine healing is that way, offered by grace and received through faith. Divine protection is offered the same way, by grace, and received through faith. Read this a couple of times and let it sink down into your heart:- “Everything that has been given by grace – must be received through faith”.

So we are going to need to have His grace, or Divine enabling to get the job done aren’t we? Who wants more grace? Could you do with some more grace? I know that I can, because there are more things that I am wanting to do for the Lord. How about you? But there are two other things we need to factor into the equation of grace given and faith receiving. Love and humility. Let’s look at humility first. The Scriptures reveal that only the humble are given the grace...

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

If we will be humble before the Lord grace can be given. But the proud, arrogant and self righteous are without God’s grace, because He resists that person. God gives grace to the humble. Need more grace? Work on humility.

Secondly – love. Faith, which is our connection to receiving the grace, works by love.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love Gal 5:6

What makes faith work? Love. Don’t all of God’s laws hang on the two great commandments of love? Loving God and loving people, amen.

So in summing this all up. God’s awesome plan is there for you and I to walk out by faith, in the love of God. The ability to do so is because of His grace and the humble receive the grace. All of the paths that are set out before you and I are to be walked out this way, by faith. I hope these few pointers has helped you see that you can do what the Lord has called you to do because He has granted you His ability. Just keep a daily check on your walk with the Master and ensure that His prerequisites are met and there is nothing that will be impossible for you dear brother and sister!

God bless you

David