Grace is one of the most beautiful words in God's Book. The very sound of it is musical to the believer who understands it. It just meets our case, for it tells us that God is inclined to be favorable unto us; more, that he is prepared to shower down the richest blessings upon us; and that what he gives, he gives freely, from the love of his own heart.
Grace is favor shown to the unworthy, without any cause or reason but what is found in God's own bosom. Grace never looks outside of itself for a motive but is its own motive. It dwells in all its fullness in Jesus, and is the glory of the gospel scheme. But we are not going to dwell upon grace itself but to fix the eye upon the Holy Spirit, as called, "the Spirit of grace."
The Spirit is the gift of God's grace one of it's greatest gifts. Indeed, it has no greater. Grace gave Jesus, and it gives the Holy Spirit; these gifts are equal in value and importance, as they are equal in nature, power, and glory. Without Jesus, we could have no deliverance from wrath, or title to Heaven; and without the Holy Spirit, we would never realize deliverance, or be made fit for glory.
The Father promised the Spirit to his Son, and the Son bestows the Spirit upon his church, and makes us new creatures in Christ Jesus. The Father laid up our fortune in Jesus; Jesus has preserved for us all that the Father entrusted to him; but it is the Holy Spirit who makes known to us the wealth which our heavenly Father has laid up for us, and conveys the foretastes and pledges of it into our souls. Holy and blessed Spirit, daily bring down into our souls fresh and fuller supplies of grace from the Father and the Son!
The Holy Spirit produces all our graces within us. He is the root and our graces are his fruits; hence we read, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." (Galatians 5:22)
If we believe, it is through grace. If we love, it is because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. If we rejoice, it is in consequence of his revealing and applying the truth to our souls. When his influence is put forth within us then we believe God's word, hope in his mercy, rejoice in his goodness, cleave to his cause, walk in his ways, love his truth, his people, and himself, holiness is then happiness, duties are then pleasant, and even the cross lays light upon our shoulders.
If we believe, it is through grace. If we love, it is because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. If we rejoice, it is in consequence of his revealing and applying the truth to our souls. When his influence is put forth within us then we believe God's word, hope in his mercy, rejoice in his goodness, cleave to his cause, walk in his ways, love his truth, his people, and himself, holiness is then happiness, duties are then pleasant, and even the cross lays light upon our shoulders.
[James Smith]
Zechariah 12:10 ... And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Luke 11:13 ... If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Titus 3:5-6 ... Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Philemon 1:25 ... The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.🕊
