Our faith activates God’s grace, and grace puts God at the center of everything, which means that our salvation is totally a work of God, a free gift, and nothing that we can accomplish on our own.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Now, the standard definition for grace is “God’s unmerited favor.” And that’s correct. God loves to bless all who don’t deserve it, which includes every one of us.

Grace is a part of God’s nature. That’s why it’s important for us to understand His grace, because the more we understand God’s grace, the more we’ll be drawn to God and love Him for it.

So, what exactly is grace?

“Grace,” is when God gives us what we don’t deserve, and that is His blessings. It is where we deserve punishment for our sins, but instead God gives us the blessing of forgiveness, salvation, and heaven instead.

This is again seen in what Paul writes, but this time to the church in Rome.

He said, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

The Greek word for grace means an acceptable act, benefit, or favor. It is something that’s given without any expectation of a return in kind; hence, it is a gift, which is freely given.

Our salvation is not given based upon our ability, but upon God’s generosity, and it’s a gift freely given by God that is based upon our faith in Him, and not upon anything we do to earn it.

Grace puts God at the center making us completely dependent upon Him if we ever want to have eternal life in heaven.

Grace, therefore, is at the center because it puts God at the center, and it is through faith in God’s gracious act of redemption in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the sacrifice for our sins that gives us eternal life.

“Therefore, it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure.” (Romans 4:16)

And so, God’s grace is available to those who by faith believe and put God at the center of their life, making Jesus Christ both Savior and Lord.

Dennis Lee is the senior pastor of Living Waters Fellowship located at 211 West 1st South, behind ACE Hardware.

This Sunday at 10 a.m., Pastor Dennis will be looking at the De-Masking of Saul of Tarsus, whom we know as the Apostle Paul, on the road to Damascus, as he gets the church ready for a special series of message in November and the need to get reset, reignited, and refueled for life.

Sunday morning service can be accessed either in-person or on-line (Children and Youth ministry available). All services and teachings, including Sunday 6 p.m. service, are available on our YouTube Channel, “Mesquite NV Living Waters Fellowship.”

Pastor Lee also provides daily inspiration (Devotionals, Scripture and a Prayer, and Thoughts) on his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/dennis.lee.3760/