Over the last year I have had an overwhelming experience with the grace of God. I would go so far as to call it a revelation or even a revolution in my personal life. I have been amazed at how good God is, and how good He is being in my life. This revelation of God’s grace has not come unassisted. I have found that many of my comrades in ministry are experiencing the same thing and even my mentor – Tony Sutherland – has had an incredible revelation of the gospel of grace.

So, looking over the past life changing year, I started to gather some of the undeniable fruit that has been produced from the abundance of grace in my life… and I’d like to share them with you.

First, let me say, I’m using the phrase abundance of grace straight from Romans 5:17 which says, “ For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Because I’m receiving an abundance of grace, I am able to see the following products… I’m able to reign in life.

1. Due to this abundance of grace, I can rely on God’s love for me and not my love for God.

1 John 4:19 says that, “we love because he first loved us.” That’s great news! I don’t have to muster up love from my limited abilities… no, I can look to the source of love, the God who is love, and by simply receiving His love for me, I can produce love for Him, for others and for myself.

Proverbs 20:6 says that, “man boast of his own steadfast love”. Isn’t that the truth… we go around talking about how much we love God, how passionate we are about different things, how much we love this person and that person… But the proverb goes on to say, “but a faithful man who can find?” We can boast of our love all day long… but the truth is that our love is flawed. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” While our love has much variance, we can look to the one who has an unchanging, unmoving and perfect love.

2. Through an abundance of grace I can be free from stress.

You can read Romans 8:1-4 and you will notice a phrase right in the middle that  says, “For God has done what the law, weakened by flesh, could not do.” My friend, if you were having a tough month financially and could not make your car payment, you would have reason to worry. However, if my good friend Andy McMillan came along and paid your car payment, you would have no more reason to we troubled.

That’s what Jesus did for us! He paid a debt we could not pay and by that payment removed the wrath that was intended for our sin. The condemnation for sin has been removed from the believer! And even when you can’t perform perfectly you have an advocate with the receipt of payment in hand! (1 John 2:1)