It is right to sing of God's grace since grace brings redemption's peace with God and the peace of God. This grace is based upon God's love (agapao) for us while we were still in our sin and spiritual darkness/bondage. Romans five teaches the truth of our standing in the grace of God. Therefore, God's power of redeeming love makes us His own children.

By the grace (karis) of God we are changed from being a sinner to being a saint set apart for God's use and glory in our life circumstances. We are set upon the grace walk to live without respect of persons to bless all people with the sweet aroma of God's Holy Spirit living within us. We become sweet roses of Christ.

Jesus in all of His perfect kindness adorns us to be like Him. We become new by the power of God's grace; and with boldness we radiate Christ's presence in our own gracious lives.

This is a most blessed experience of wellbeing with confidence and assured presence of heart and mind. The apostle Paul wrote in I Cor. 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am...."KJV.

The believer's prayer is one of thanksgiving and praise to God through our Lord Jesus Christ for freely giving to us abundant, abounding life now and forever. (Romans 5:1-11; 2 Timothy 1:2,3,9; 2:1; 4:22; Titus 2:11; 3:7,15; Heb. 4:16; 13:9; James 4:6; I Pet. 3:7; 4:10; 5:5,10,12; 2 Pet. 3:18)

DEVOTIONAL 9 "THE NEW BIRTH"

In the Gospel of John, chapter three, Jesus answers Nicodemus, a Pharisee and leader/ruler of the Jews with the message of the Gospel of the new birth.

Nicodemus was moved to ask Jesus to confirm His coming from God the Father. Jesus had already showed His unusual powers of healing and teaching. Nicodemus was interested enough to come to Jesus (although at night) and to personally request answers from Him.

Jesus opens to Nicodemus the great truth of the "birth from above." The Greek word here for the "new birth" is "gennethe" from "gennao" meaning born or begotten.

This is in the aorist tense which implies completed action at a point of time; and is passive voice, meaning that the person being born again is passively accepting/receiving the new birth. The "new birth" is from above "anothen."

Although Nicodemus was a leader/teacher of the Jews, he needed to be born from above in order to see/experience the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus could not trust in his Jewishness or his position as a leader/teacher of the Jews to bring the Kingdom of God to him, but he needed to be made a new person by the new birth to receive the blessing/gift of new life in the Savior Jesus Christ.

Nicodemus became a true friend of Jesus upon this after dark meeting with Him. He became a defender/follower of Jesus. He became bolder as time passed and learned more of Christ Jesus.

The new birth is a personal experience in Christ by trusting in Him as the earth born Son of God who died for the sins of the world but was resurrected in victory for all those who believe upon Him as Lord and Savior.

Those who are born from above enjoy the personal witness of the Holy Spirit to their hearts that the life of Christ is theirs by faith. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). We all begin our salvation experience by being born again of the Holy Spirit.

DEVOTIONAL 14 "VICTOR'S CROWN"

To be an overcomer in life is to fight the battle against sin's darkness and to be a light in the world of Satan's rebellion against God (I John). This is a battle which we all must face: the old, and the young. Jesus Christ has defeated the Devil/Satan and will give victory to all those who accept Him as Savior and Lord (Hebrews 2:14).

I am greatly saddened when I hear of a brother or sister in Christ falling aside into personal defeat and sin. Somehow Satan has deceived them and they have become ensnared in a trap of spiritual defeat. Satan attacks Christians because he hates us and our Christ.

God knows the snares of Satan and has warned us to resist the Devil and he will flee from us (Ephesians 6, Hebrews 2:14). Satan has no power over Christ Jesus and His followers. We must claim our ground of victory every day through Christ our Lord.

The victor's crown belongs to every Christian through Christ Jesus. It is our personal crown of righteousness and glory in Christ, and we will be soul winners of the lost and fallen in the world (I Cor. 9:25, 2 Tim. 4:8).

DEVOTIONAL 19 "Discipline"

A disciple is a learner who follows his teacher and is thereby disciplined in the ways of his master/teacher. Jesus called twelve special disciples whom He would name apostles after preparations of learning and exposure to His personal life of relating to His heavenly Father and to the world. After they had spent time in Jesus' school, where they had observed Him in His works, way of life and teachings, they were sent out, two by two, to prepare others for His coming into their villages. They had seen compassion for those bounded with infirmities in the healing class of Jesus. This experience of following and learning at the side of the Lord filled them with hope and desire for the coming of the Kingdom of God.

It was wondrous to see the sick and ailing made whole. Surely the disciples became eager to be sent out to minister in the works of Christ, and to experience the special joy of seeing broken bodies and lives mended.

To be successful effective apostles ("apostoloi" from "apostello" meaning to send as a messenger or agent), these followers/learners first needed to be "schooled". In the school of Jesus they learned the need for discipline, temperance, and self-control.

The Apostle Paul directs that believers/disciples be led by the Holy Spirit into the full control of their physical body, mind and manner of living. "Agape" love of our Christian family provides the passion and discipline for services and ministries to the body of Christ (see Gal. 5:1-22).