One thing that I didn’t understand when I became religious is the concept of grace. Especially, in regards to salvation. I never deeply understood, that God could save me by grace, and although I intellectually knew the Lord is gracious, I never tasted it. So, being saved by grace and that MEANS by grace! Not by smarts……
Grace Is From God
God is the One who “gives grace.” He can give us different kinds of “graces.” I know, looking back at my life God has been gracious, and done so much for me. Yet, the most important grace to know, and experience is the grace of God’s salvation in His Son—Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Too many mistake this grace for something else. For example, when I was religious I could never recall “that moment” of grace. You know, the saving grace, the “amazing grace.” I could only emotionally and intellectually think I had experienced grace but really I never knew the spiritual grace of God. This grace is directly from God Himself through His Son, that causes salvation. For it’s not by works we are saved but by grace and that means by grace!
Revelation Of Deception
Pastor and author Pamela Sheppard received revelation about the times we are in. God has anointed her by His Spirit to be a prophet in the Body of Christ in the 11th hour.
The Lord revealed to her the status of the physical church. And how, He has judged her, primarily because they forsake the “simple service to Christ” by preaching the Gospel and were beguiled by the craft of Satan and abandoned the Pure Gospel.
The Gospel is the power unto salvation. No Gospel, no salvation. And it’s this reality as to why so many Christians, including once myself become deceived and never experience the grace of the Lord.
Salvation Is A Gift
Salvation belongs to God, and only God can give salvation by grace and that means by grace. There’s nothing we can do to earn it, nothing we can say to have it. God gives it.
Our ministry is a bold witness to the truth of the Gospel. And, we are boldly declaring the truth, destroying the lies of the enemy. The biggest lie I believed in was that I knew God’s gracious salvation. But, because of the truth that lie was destroyed.
Eventually, over the course of four days God broke down my belief system. And, I knew I was not saved. After the moment during my counseling session, Pastor Pam preached to me the Gospel via the salvation videos. I was led to the Cross that awaited me, as I mourned and repent facing Jesus as my Savior. And within the hour, faith came to my spirit to reveal to me the most astounding reality that Jesus of Nazareth, though He died, was brought back from the dead to life in an indestructible and immortal body.
Through that Resurrection I became a new creation, and in that moment I tasted the grace of the Lord.
Taste And See
I never tasted nor saw that the Lord is gracious in the physical church. Only until I came to the ministry and heard the Gospel. I’ll never forget the moment where this indescribable insensible taste came upon me, that was so sweet, precious, and delightful.
I didn’t even know what I was experiencing until I read the Scripture: “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1-3)
God revealed to me on my rebirth day that you cannot intellectually grasp His grace.
It’s such an overwhelming experience that you must taste. Taste, means metaphorically to experience, to intimately know. Since of all the senses, taste is one that’s so intimate, personal, and not very intellectual. A person can touch, smell, look, and even hear food, but none of those can compare to actually tasting it.
If Indeed
The Apostle Peter would not have wrote the “if indeed” if people’s salvation experience were sincere.
The if indeed implies that we must test our salvations, and examine ourselves. I have examined even my rebirth experience to make sure I’m in the faith. And the times I go through, moment by moment I don’t find an error.
Pastor Pam writes this in her book, Beware Christian: Religion Produces Zombies,
“Present day deception is not new. In fact, it has been going on for centuries. So just be happy when God wakes you up. Don’t get all offended. God resists the proud. So receive your grace by your humility.”
Being humble is how we receive instant grace from God. It’s the relief, or nourishment after all the strength it takes to be humble.
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