In preparing for this past Sunday morning message, I read these words from 2 Corinthians 8:1-2. “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” Within these verses, I encountered a couple of powerful truths. The grace of God is the source of true joy. We can not obey ourselves into joy. Joy is a gift from God and if you are not experiencing joy, I challenge you to look at your appreciation and understanding of the
grace of Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the cross and through His blood. Once we understand the source of joy, we realize that the overflow of that joy is what allows us to love others and be generous. Without the understanding and the appreciation of the grace of God in our own lives, we will not have joy and will not be compelled to love, serve, or sacrifice for others. Take a moment and meditate on what it means to you that
Jesus died for you. We have obtained forgiveness, freedom, and fullness of life because of Him. Once we understand and appreciate the grace of God, I believe our desires to love, serve, and sacrifice for others will grow. Stay close to Jesus. Pastor Bryce
