Category: Grace

Grace, US Blog

Grace is what holds you when everything is breaking and falling apart

Feb 10, 2022 , by Percy Parakh

By Ann Voskamp…

The problems of hard times are answered in the presence of Himself: *God is with us.* Today, we’re praying not so much for the danger to pass but for the fear to flee — because God. is. with. me.

I know how it can feel like life’s got us in a prison — but on the inside, where God is making new life, we’re free. It can feel like we’ve lost — but not a day goes by without His unfolding grace that. makes. us. win. this. race.

It can feel like the night has won — but nothing can ultimately steal us from the One Who is. So! “…we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, *not a day goes by without His unfolding grace.*” 2 Corinthians 4 MSG

A grace that holds you when everything is breaking down and falling apart—and whispers that everything is somehow breaking free and falling together.

The bottom line, and the finish line, is simply this: just one foot in front of the other here & let today bring out the BEST in you — the joy, the hope, the grace, the beauty, the love of Jesus in you! That hard road: let it bring out the best hope in you.#TheBrokenWay

Grace, US Blog

My Grace Is Sufficient For You!

Dec 8, 2021 by Percy Parakh

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 The Message

7-10 Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations.

Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty!

At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift.

It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks.

I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

His Strength Is Perfect – Song

Grace, Holiness, US Blog

He Chose Us In Him – Morning Manna

Mar 22, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Ephesians 1:3-4 New International Version

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

1 Peter 1:15-16 King James Version

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Hebrews 4:13 New International Version

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 King James Version

13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Titus 2:11-14 King James Version

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Jude 24 King James Version

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Grace, Holiness

It’s still about Grace and Holiness

Mar 17, 2021 by Percy Parakh

Some Scriptures on HOLINESS to refresh my memory!

HEBREWS 12:14 (NIV) Warning and Encouragement
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be HOLY; without HOLINESS no one will see the Lord.

2 CORINTHIANS 7:1 King James Version (KJV)
7 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, PERFECTING HOLINESS in the fear of God.

1PETER1:15-16 (KJV)
But as he which hath called you is HOLY, so be ye HOLY in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye HOLY; for I am HOLY.

TITUS 2:11-14 (NIV)
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

PSALMS 119:9 (KJV)
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

2 TIMOTHY 1:9 (KJV)
Who hath saved us, and called us with an HOLY CALLING, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

PSALM 139:23-24 (NIV)
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

PHILLIPIANS 2:5 (NIV)
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

PHILLIPIANS 2:14-16 (NIV)
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be BLAMELESS and HARMLESS, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life.

EPHESIANS 5:3 (NIV)
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.

ROMANS 12:1I (KJV)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, HOLY, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

ROMANS 6:22 (NIV)
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto HOLINESS, and the end everlasting life.


Grace, US Blog

We need to be Changed By Grace

Jan 9, 2021 by Percy Parakh

CHEAP GRACE

Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance.“

But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”‭‭(Luke‬ ‭6:46‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) We are saved by a living and active faith (James 2:14-26), a faith that manifests itself in repentance, obedience and love of God and our neighbor.

Salvation is not a transaction; it’s a transformation. Paul says it best when he says we are “new creations” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). There is nothing “cheap” about grace!

If grace as you know it makes you comfortable in your sin, that’s not biblical grace. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”‭‭(Romans‬ ‭6:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Jesus Christ is most certainly our Savior, but this cannot be separated from the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord, and as Lord, He commands and we obey.

Cancer, Grace, Testimony, US Blog

Percy 2.0 – We overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb, and the word of our Testimony!

Apr 12, 2020 , by Percy Parakh

PERCY 2.0 🙂🙂

This might encourage somebody facing a seemingly imposssible situation with Covid-19 (Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE forJesus! He is Awesome, all Glory belongs to God!)

Six Years ago I was diagnosed with Fourth Stage Throat Cancer. I prayed and asked God to heal me, and the answer I got was “My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness!!”

So I went through Surgery to remove my Tumor, and immediately 2 months of Chemo, and 2 more months of Chemo and Radiation.
During my ordeal, by the Grace of God, I continued working, and hardly missed 5 days of work.

I would get up every morning and pray “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”, ‘I will live and not die and proclaim the works of the Lord!” and go to work. Even the Doctors were amazed when I said I was still working.

The only time I missed work was when the Doctors would insist I don’t work when my white cell count was very low, as I could catch an infection from someone else who was sick.

I would go for Radiation treatments at Memorial Hospital on my Lunch Breaks, PTL!!

By God’s Grace I did not miss a single day of Church on Sunday, or my Choir Practice!! Thank you for all that prayed for me, and for your kindness towards me at Church!!

I had my Six Year Checkup from my Doctor four months ago, with no trace of Cancer, and I am healed in Jesus Name!!. What the enemy meant for evil, God turned it around for my Good!! Now I testify about it wherever I go, even in Bombay India!! Halleluah!! Hallelujah!!!

The Picture below is after my Last Radiation Treatment at Memorial Hospital Six Years ago!! (We overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony!!!) 🙏🙏🙏🙏🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Grace, Truth, US Blog

Jesus was 100% Man and 100% God and preached 100% Grace and 100% Truth

Feb 1, 2020 by Percy Parakh

John 1:16-17 NIV

16 From His full – ness we have all received grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Notice that it says GRACE and TRUTH came through Jesus Christ. While it is true that we have received a super abundance of GRACE (unmerited favor) through Jesus, we must never forget to preach the TRUTH of God’s word.

GRACE without TRUTH tends to lead us to LASCIVIOUSNESS, (unrestrained freedom) and TRUTH without GRACE tends to lead us to LEGALISM.

Jude 4 New International Version (NIV) (Warning Scripture)

4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[a] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality (LASCIVIOUSNESS) and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

In some Churches where an abundance of GRACE is preached, the preaching of HOLINESS is neglected. It is my opinion based on scriptures that BOTH must be preached.

Hebrews 12:14 New International Version (NIV)

Warning and Encouragement
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Titus 2:11-14 King James Version (KJV)

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Grace, Holy Spirit, US Blog

The Grace of God and the Holy Spirit

Aug 6, 2019 by Percy Parakh
Not By Might

This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts. “Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!'” (Zechariah 4:6-7)

The Scriptures reveal a profound connection between God’s Grace and His Holy Spirit. Living by the Grace of God and walking according to the Spirit are two different perspectives on the same reality. As we consider what walking in the Spirit comprises, we also gain insight into living day by day by grace.

Our passage from Zechariah confirms this correlation between grace and the Spirit. Here, the Lord gives a message to Zerubbabel, telling him how service is rendered unto God: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Human might or power will never be a sufficient resource for living life as God intended. Rather, the Holy Spirit must supply what we need for a life of service to the Lord.

In the next verse, this same truth is restated, using different terminology. Now the Lord is addressing the mountain of impossibilities that stood before Zerubbabel. “Who are you, O great mountain?” This leader of Israel was given the challenging mission of reestablishing the testimony of God in Jerusalem, as the people returned from captivity. The obstacles had the appearance of being a “great mountain.”

Nevertheless, God declares that this mountain of obstructions would become a highway for advancement. “Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!” Then, as God’s man attended to God’s assignment by the empowering of the Spirit, he would eventually place the final stone with an intriguing exclamation. “And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”

Ephesians 2:19-20 (KJV)
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

The word “capstone” is the same as “cornerstone”. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone!

This summary testimony would declare that God’s grace manifested through Jesus Christ, was the explanation for the completion of the task. The relationship between grace and the Spirit is clear: “by My Spirit… grace, grace to it!” When we depend upon the Spirit, He works God’s grace within our lives.

The early church also illustrated this “Grace-Spirit” association. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness…And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great Grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:31, 33). The former statement indicates that their boldness came from the Holy Spirit. The latter statement, two verses later, reveals that their boldness was a result of Grace impacting them.

Almighty God, thank You for revealing this “Grace-Spirit” association. In living by Grace, I see that You must provide what I cannot produce or earn. In living by Your Spirit, I see that grace is not just a concept I apply, but rather it is a gift that must be imparted to me by the Spirit of God Himself. Lord, do Your work in me, I humbly pray, Amen.