His grace is more than enough

I would like to exalt the grace of God at this moment in time. I am astounded by people’s love and special greetings on my 73rd birthday. FB and the phone seemed never to stop. Thank you all, you have been amazing! I really don’t deserve it, but I also know that you have been motivated and inspired by the grace of God.

Our church has only one message from me: GRACE! GRACE! And we approach it in different angles. This brings me to what the apostle Paul said: “Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph.3:8 NKJV).

Paul was saying that, “I do not deserve to be an apostle, such an awesome responsibility to be God’s voice, but I am doing it because of God’s grace-His free, unmerited, and undeserved favour.

Paul says in 1Cor.15:9-11, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain…”

Here he said “I am the least of the apostles” while in Eph. 3:8 he was “the least of God’s people…” He did not deserve to experience both, but he was called to salvation by grace and called to the ministry of apostleship by grace.

Paul was sovereignly chosen by grace according to Eph.3:1-8. But let me emphasize v 2, the phrase, ‘dispensation of the grace of God.’ Dispensation simply means stewardship, an administration or management. The stewardship of apostleship was not Paul’s choice, it “was given to me” he said. God has sovereignly commissioned Paul to use his spiritual gifts, knowledge, opportunities and authority to proclaim the Gospel.

Paul said he did not deserve it, he was unworthy, but by the grace of God he is one.

Then he said in verse 10 that this grace given to him was “not in vain”. He did not misuse and abuse the grace of God, but in his life and work and through him the impact of this grace was tremendous. Is it not wonderful that we are what we are today as believers because of the grace of God and His grace has an effective impact on the lives of others?

As I flashed back about my life yesterday, especially after I was 16, I can say that God has been so good to me, in spite of the many challenges and trials of life. I am humbled by His grace and I am forever grateful. I am thankful that God used someone to invite me to church in the New Years Eve of 1962. And by February 24, 1963 between 5-6 pm, I made a decision for Christ.

I am privileged to serve Him and will continue to serve Him. It is my prayer that His grace given to me is not in vain and will not be in vain. I must say: All by grace and by grace alone and let us live in the power of His grace. His grace is more than enough! Go for it!