What Is Grace?*

In the Church, there are those who greet each other saying, "Grace and Peace", as Paul also greeted the churches in his letters to them. The Hebrew sages approach scripture with the understanding that there are multiple facets to each verse by which men may learn the heart and will of God. Jesus also commanded us to "Search the scriptures...", so we will now look into the scriptures for the meaning and vital importance of grace. The Greek the word "grace", as used in the New Testament, is charis, which means: "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, good will, loving-kindness, favor, the merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence on souls, turns them to Christ and keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian faith...and kindles them to the exercise of Christian virtues". The word "peace" as mentioned above is the Greek word eirene meaning "security, safety, prosperity, felicity - of the Messiah's peace in Christianity: the tanquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and the blessed state of devout and upright men after death". Our peace comes from the assurance of our faith in Christ. For today's purpose, our discussion will focus on grace. In the Book of Ephesians, Paul begins his letter to this church with the salutation: "Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 1:1-2). He wrote of all blessings in heavenly places that have been bestowed upon us in Christ. We were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world "that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." We were chosen by Christ for adoption to Himself. "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved". (v. 3-6). It is through the riches of His grace that we have forgiveness of our sins, and redemption by His blood (v. 7). The purpose of His grace towards us is to accomplish a great reconciliation "that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ...which are in heaven, and which are on earth..." (v. 10). Grace makes us accepted, and grace reconciles us, and all things, into Christ. We have obtained an inheritance of riches in glory by the power of that grace, given to us by the will of God (v. 11-18). This grace full of power and glory was "wrought in Christ when he raised him from then dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come..." (20-21). The grace of acceptance and inheritance is not accomplished by the will of man, but of God, through the overcoming of spiritual principalities by Christ's death and resurrection. As Paul wrote regarding the change in us: "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That...he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:4-9). God has created us for good works, and has ordained that we should walk in those works (v. 10). This is not the kind "greasy grace" with which some believers excuse or justify their continuing walk in sin. The grace of God achieved through Christ on our behalf empowers a godly and righteous walk of works by the Spirit for which we were created and ordained by Him. This grace builds a citizenship with the saints, of the household of God, "...built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." (Eph. 2:19-20). Grace is not confined to the New Testament, but, as Psul wrote, is encompassed within the Torah, the law and the prophets. The first mention of "grace" in scripture is from the Book of Genesis: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." (Gen. 6:8-9). We see here that grace was appointed to Noah, and as a result of the work of grace, he was a just and perfect man, and his walk was with God. This is also what Paul taught regarding grace, above. We saw the meaning of grace in the Greek language, but with these verses from Genesis, we can see the meaning of grace in Hebrew. The Hebrew word is han/hanan, meaning "grace, favor, pleasant, precious, acceptance, kindness, good-will, prayer, supplication/mercy, merciful, be inclined towards". In Exodus, God described His name and character to Moses as He descended from a cloud on the mountaintop, and stood with Moses: "And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation." (Ex. 34:5-7). The LORD joined His mercy and grace together in these verses as He described His goodness, or hesed in Hebrew, meaning mercy, kindness, loving-kindness, beauty, favor). The message of grace hasn't changed from the Torah to the New Testament. The commandments of God are not limited to tablets of stone, but through the working of His grace, God wants His commandments to be written upon our hearts, and reflected in our walk. Notice that the LORD refers to "the guilty" in the above verses. The guilty are those who are unrepentant of their sin. Not only can grace not do its work in them because of that, but the iniquity of their sin passes to their future generations. The commandments of God are for our good, coming to us from His goodness. Paul wrote of this goodness of God found in His scriptures to his fellow worker in the Gospel, Timothy. The scriptures to which Paul referred would have been the Torah and the prophets, the Old Testament scriptures, because the New Testament had not yet been written: "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim. 3:15-17). We can follow the presence of grace from the beginning of scripture as it leads to Christ's death and resurrection, and on through the New Testament as the gift of the favor and mercy of God in our salvation and inheritance as believers in Christ. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/22/23 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and END TIME SCHOOL, also on Facebook. You can also get a free ebook titled "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary" at www.The ShroudofTurin.org/freebook.

America! It's Not Too Late!*

Whatever we have done personally, or as a nation, it's not too late. After he was removed from office for refusing to take down the Ten Commandments from his court, Judge Roy Moore wrote a poem titled, "America, the Beautiful". It is a poem about how far America had drifted from its noble beginnings. It is too long to write out here, but the ending of his poem is: "...How are we to face our God, from Whom we cannot hide? What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide? If we who are His children, will humbly turn and pray; Seek His holy face and mend our evil way: Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins, He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within. But, America the Beautiful, if you don't - then you will see, A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from Thee." The prophet Jeremiah also saw his nation rejecting the prophetic warning of the LORD, and rushing into the consequences that awaited them. He laments for his country and himself in the Book of Lamentations. He wrote as a man who found himself in a spiritual place seemingly without hope: "He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer...He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate...And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD..." (Lam. 3:6-8, 11, 18). He was a prophet who was not hearing from the LORD, and believed that the LORD was no longer hearing him. Then from within his own soul, a reminder came: "My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD." (v. 20-26). We, the watchmen for our nation, need to recognize that God is our mercy. The prophet Jonah, whose name means "Dove", fled from the command of God that he go to the wicked nation of Nineveh, and bring them a warning that God's judgment was about to fall upon them. Because of Jonah's disobedience, the ship on which he fled was overtaken by a terrible tempest that threatened to destroy the ship (Jonah 1:4). Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish that had been prepared by the LORD. Jonah described his sinking and the swallowing by the great fish as death: "Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight..." (Jonah 2:1-5). Yet from within Jonah, the hope of deliverance was brought to his mind: "...yet I will look again toward thy holy temple...yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD." (v.4-9). As Jonah humbled himself, and remembered Who the LORD was: "... the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon dry land." (v. 10). There is a heaven to gain, a hell to shun, and, like Jonah, we have a calling to fulfill. In the story of Ruth, Ruth ("friendship") and her mother-in-law, Naomi ("Pleasant"), who had been living in Moab, had lost everything. The nation of Moab had its beginning many years in the past from an incestuous relationship. Naomi's husband had died, and two sons, whose names meant "sick" and "wasting away", had died. One of her sons had been married to Ruth, the Moabite. Naomi's heart had turned bitter from the grief at these losses. When she decided to return to her homeland and her town of Bethlehem ("House of Bread"), her daughter-in-law Ruth, did not want to be separated from Naomi. Ruth vowed to stay with Naomi saying, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go...thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God..." (Ruth 1:16). When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town came out to see them, and asked if this was Naomi. Naomi told them not to call her Naomi ("Pleasant") any longer, but "Bitter", "for the LORD Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me...the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me." (v. 20-21). However, the LORD of mercy had not turned His back on Naomi, but had brought her back to Bethlehem, "the House of Bread", to redeem and restore her. As Naomi saw how her kinsman Boaz had taken an interest in Ruth, hope began to grow in Naomi's heart. Boaz redeemed her husband's inheritance, and married her daughter-in-law, Ruth. A child was born to them named Obed, who would become the future King David's grandfather. Naomi got to hold and nurse the new child, as another son. Naomi, like Job, spoke wrong words in her desperation and grief, but God's mercy was still there for her. Despite our beginnings or circumstances, each person has a purpose, and an opportunity for the mercy of God. After he became king, David was moved to ask if there were any living family members of the house of Saul, the previous king who had died at the hand of the LORD for his disobedience (2 Sam. 9:1-4). King Saul had also spent many years chasing and trying to kill David. Yet, the mercy of the LORD was prompting David to seek out the descendants of Saul, not in order to kill them, as would have been the custom of the day, but to bless them, and show mercy upon them. Saul's son, Jonathan, David's very dear friend, did have a son who was lame from an injury suffered while fleeing as a child after his father and grandfather died. He was now living his life in poverty. Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (meaning "exterminating the idol"), is brought to, and humbles himself before David, and David restores all of Saul's lands to him, as well as servants to work that land, and brings Mephibosheth to his own king's table, a place of honor and provision (v. 5-13). Neither physical issues nor family history can keep you from the promise and mercy of God. The prophet Ezekiel was given the Word of the LORD concerning the appointment of the watchman. He said that if the watchman warns, and if the people in iniquity heed the warning, and turn from evil as a result, they deliver their soul. If the watchman warns of the coming "sword" as he is supposed to do, and the people do not heed the warning, the watchman is innocent of blood on his hands, and the blood of the guilty will be upon their own heads. However, if the watchman sees the destruction approaching, and fails to sound the warning, the blood of those who were not given a chance to repent will be on his hands (see Ezekiel chapters 3, 22, 33). The LORD says to the watchman: "So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me." (Ezek. 33:7). The provision of mercy is available to those in iniquity, if they are warned, and if they heed the warning and repent. God's rebuke was especially upon prophets, and the priests who failed to teach the people the difference between the holy and the profane as revealed in God's Word, and for the princes, the powerful, who preyed upon the people for their own gain (Ezek. 22:23-29). We see this same circumstance in America every day. Regarding this situation, God made a sad pronouncement: "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore I have poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way I have recompensed upon their heads, saith the LORD God." (v. 30-31). As an apostle, I am telling you that YOU are the appointed watchmen of whom God's Word commands to bring warning to the people when we see the forces of destruction and judgment entering the land. Are we standing in the gap for America? It is not too late. Have we become indifferent to our purpose regarding this nation? In the Book of Revelation, Jesus sternly corrects the church in Laodicea. He said that their works reflected that they were neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. He said, "So then because thou art lukewarm, I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Rev. 3:14-16). However, it is not too late for the lukewarm church either. Jesus urged them to buy gold tried in the fire, rather than the worldly wealth of which they were so proud and felt so secure, and to acquire the white raiment of righteousness. They were to anoint their eyes with salve so they might "see". He reminded this lukewarm church that He rebukes and chastens those whom He loves. If this church would receive His correction, and change their ways, Jesus promised this great mercy, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (v. 17-22). Church, it is not too late! America, it is not too late! *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 11/7/21 message to the church. If you would like to contact us for prayer, a praise report, or to support this ministry write to P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and at endtimeschool.com.

First Become Humble*

The Good Samaritan

 

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

2 Chron. 7:14

As I have discussed in many previous messages, our nation needs the healing that is found in the above chapter and verse from 2 Chronicles. The responsibility and call is to God's people, who are called by His name. The first thing mentioned above, in order to turn a nation's sickness into healing, is for God's people to humble themselves. However, rather than being an age of humility, this era has instead become one associated with pride. Pride has become connected with everything, including things which are against the Word of God. Pride on both sides of the racial divide is threatening to tear our nation apart. It is even more important then, for God's people to understand the need to be humble, but, unfortunately, I have not seen this in practice across the Body of Christ. Scripture teaches the value that God places upon the humble heart:

"...ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time....Submit yourselves therefor to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" 

                                                                        1 Pet. 5:5-6. and James 4:6-7, 10

The Word also tells us that pride is associated with destruction, not healing:

"A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit." Pr. 29:23

The prophets also revealed the spiritual power and blessing of humility:

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."  Isa. 57:15

God's promise is to dwell among His people, to tabernacle in their midst, restoring the relationship He had in the beginning with Adam in the Garden, through Jesus, His Son. This requires a humble and contrite heart in His people. He has shown us what is good, "...and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"  Mic. 6:8

We have seen very little justice and mercy. Those who are wounded, downtrodden, disregarded for racial or ethnic reasons, and even those just going about innocent activities, are being targeted and murdered. Sean Stevenson, my son, was a murder victim in Missoula, Montana, under mysterious circumstances. No answers are forthcoming from the authorities in regard to his murder. Each week, more victims are sadly added to the list, and there is no justice, no mercy, no humility, and certainly no repentance.

Jesus taught a parable, which we call the parable of the good Samaritan, in answer to a lawyer who was challenging Him about how to inherit eternal life (Lk. 10:25-37). Since the questioner was a lawyer, the Lord asked him to answer his own question based upon the Law of Moses. The lawyer answered, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." Jesus told the lawyer that this was the correct answer to his own question. Then the lawyer wanting to justify himself for not observing the Law he just quoted, asked, "And who is my neighbor?"

Jesus told the lawyer that there once was a man who, while traveling, had been viciously attacked by thieves and left on the road, half dead. Both a priest and a Levite saw him on the road, and passed by him, even crossing to the other side of the road to avoid him. Then a Samaritan came along the road. We know that Samaritans were considered ethnic "half-breeds", and religious heretics by the Jews. They were held in contempt, and were not to be associated with. Yet when the Samaritan man saw the wounded victim laying in the road, he ministered to his wounds with bandages, oil, and wine. The Samaritan picked the victim up, and took him on his beast to an inn, where he continued to take care of him. When the Samaritan had to leave, he paid the innkeeper to continue to care for the man, and promised to pay the innkeeper if there were more charges incurred in the care of this stranger. Jesus then asked the lawyer, which of the men was the neighbor to the wounded man, and the lawyer had to answer that it was the Samaritan, the one who had shown mercy to the wounded man. Jesus instructed the lawyer to "Go and do thou likewise."

Many people, even people who are "religious", and people of faith, find it easier to remove themselves, and not get involved in the face of injustice, or when confronted by uneasy situations, perhaps involving people not held in esteem for various reasons. However, Jesus made clear that the ones who do the Word and will of God embrace justice, mercy and humility concerning their relationship with all others. The inheritance of everlasting life is based upon these things. Where are the Samaritans today, who are willing to align themselves with the downtrodden?

It is not pride, but humility that fulfills the Word of God, and brings healing to our land.

 

*The above is based upon the 6/28/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson. 

To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH-White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling", and to help us get out the message, to contribute to the Book of Remembrance for Sean Stevenson:

Dr. Kenneth Stevenson
P.O. Box 154221
Waco, TX  76705

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

http://endtimeschool.com/

everlastingcovenant@ymail.com

To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:

https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8

Sermon.net/EverlastingCovenant
 

Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
 

Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:

  

To order "NAZAH": https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8     http://endtimeschool.com/ 

 

 



                                                                   Sean Stevenson