John 1:16 – Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

GRACE – the free and unmerited favor of God. We have received grace in place of grace already given. Let me explain what this means … yesterday you woke up with grace from a mighty God, and today he gives you more grace. His grace is general goodness that blankets your life, covers your shortcomings, and stretches the distance between where you are and where you can be. This is his grace. It is yours, all yours. And you receive grace in place of grace already given. His grace isn’t a one time deal. He looks at you as his loving creation, his daughter whom he chose and he offers you grace. Another opportunity to get it right.

My sister, there’s a grace over your life. There are things in your past that should have dragged you down and killed you. Perhaps things that should make you totally incapable of even getting out of bed today. It doesn’t make any sense how it all worked out, but somehow, someway it did. You were able to buy groceries. You were able to find a house. You found that job. You got out alive. You woke up when you planned to never wake up again. You found the strength. When all the odds were stacked against you, when everyone doubted you and counted you out, here you came. Why? There’s a grace over your life.

You’re walking in grace.

Now here’s the problem, we often miss the grace in our life because of the problems. But don’t you miss that grace in place of grace today. It’s there. A line in my journal on the topic of grace says “The presence of trouble doesn’t destroy the potential for triumph.” I’m sure that’s a TD Jakes quote. The presence of trouble today doesn’t destroy your potential for triumph. In fact, the very trouble you face today may be a setup for your breakthrough. It may be a test … are you really ready for the next level? You’ve been praying for the next level – God please give me a promotion – God please let me make more money – God please grow my business – God please grow my family. And God says, alrighty I hear your request, here’s some trouble. Here’s a mess. How are you going to handle this? Because how you handle it determines your readiness to rise to the next level.

He wants to bless you. He wants to give you the opportunity. He wants it ALL for you, but he’s not willing to give you anything you’re not really ready for.

There are seasons in life where God’s grace is proven by the open doors and opportunities. Oh, I love that season. There’s an opportunity, oh there’s another one. Open door, open door. One thing works and then the next thing works. Don’t you love it when everything lines up perfectly? It’s like the hint of fall time in the air after a long hot summer. That first smell of pumpkin spice, that new snuggly sweater. Oh yes, that season. Don’t we all love the season where God’s grace is proven by open doors and opportunities.

But how many of us know SEASONS CHANGE. Oh yes they do. Since the beginning of the world it’s been so. Whatever season you’re in right now, it’s in the process of changing. Everything is changing.

Then there’s the season when God’s grace is proven by the fire I went through … and I’m still walking! I walked right through that fire and by the grace of God, I came out on the other side. No one believed I could, heck I didn’t even believe I could, but God’s grace brought me right through it. Who’s ever been there? Oh it hurt didn’t it? Sure it did. You still felt the pain of your circumstances. You still heard the whispers of the enemy telling you this was it, you would never make it out of this fire. BUT GRACE WAS ALL AROUND YOU.

I’m not sure which season of grace you find yourself in this morning, but I know this, God’s grace is there for you. It’s covering your life. You have received grace in place of grace. His grace doesn’t run out. His mercies are new each morning. He’s there in every season with a supply of grace.

If you’re in the pumpkin spice beginning of fall season of open doors and opportunities, remember it’s only by God’s grace. Thank him for it.

If you’re in the “walking through fire, smelling like smoke, feeling the heat” season, remember God’s grace will carry you right through it and you will survive. Keep walking. You can be blessed in this mess. Just don’t settle in this mess. Don’t pitch a tent and decide to camp out in your mess. If you’re going through hell, keep on moving (there’s a country song for that.)

GRACE – the free and unmerited favor of God. Receive it today. It’s available for you. It’s free, you can’t earn it but it’s being offered to you today for free. God’s favor over your life. It’s what gets you through those impossible times and what leaves you in awe in those ridiculously good times.