Divine Influence on the Heart

# 29 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 1:13,14, “ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. (1 Tim 1:13,14) Paul's list of sins and the preceding list of offenses are in a word....atrocious. And here he reminds us that God's grace is sufficiently powerful enough to overcome them. But what is God's grace? I like the Strong's Concordance definition of grace. It means “divine influence on the heart.” It's not something that we can quantify or measure. It is a resistible force or influence that God brings to bear against our hearts. The key to allowing it to do all it's good work is humility. Jas 4:6,7 says, “ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. It's not that He gives a larger measure of grace, only that God's divine influence on the heart, or grace is more than enough for the need. This grace is the most powerful force in the universe and yet gentle enough to not bruise a reed. It is personified in Jesus and as it says in Mt 12:20, “ A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench,” As grace presses in, it can only be stymied by human pride. Paul recognizes that it was in the superabundance of God's grace that that he is able to overcome his past, present, and future sins. This grace opened the door to the superabundance of faith (trust in Jesus) and love (actions that flow from faith) that is in Christ Jesus. Grace (divine influence on the heart) not only influences us to believe in God's Word and act on it for our initial salvation, but it is available to us in our everyday situations. Imagine that! The most powerful force in the universe available to God's children for whatever they need! Heb 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Need help? Humbly come to the throne of grace and ask for it! Ask for God's influence on your heart for whatever you are facing today.