This Sunday I will preach about the importance of memorizing Scripture. Hiding God’s word in our hearts, is one of the best ways to cooperate with the grace of God.
Remember today that while God is a God of grace, you must choose to cooperate with His grace.
It is true that God is a God of amazing grace. He graciously dispenses His unmerited favor. He pours out His riches at the expense of the shed blood of His Son and offers them freely. This does not mean, however, that grace is automatically applied. You must choose to cooperate with that grace. We cooperate with God’s grace first by turning in repentance from your sin and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord. You must have saving faith in order to receive God’s grace.
But, cooperation with grace does not end there. For the Christian, growth or sanctification is as much by grace as is being justified or declared righteous in Christ. God dispenses his grace for growth through certain appointed means. We must choose to cooperate with those appointed means of grace if we are to grow as believers. God’s appointed means of grace include His Word, both preached and studied, worship, fellowship with other believers, and prayer. You will not truly grow as a believer apart from involvement in these appointed means of grace.
Let me say it to you this way, if you profess to be a Christian, but you are not plugged into a local church, if you are not hearing the Word preached, if you are not sharing and praying with other believers, then you are trying to live the Christian life in your own strength. Living the Christian life in your own strength, you will never know the victory that can be yours when work out your salvation through God’s strength and power.
