Grace Grows in our Hearts

A Pastor rode on a train, in a packed compartment. A teenager disturbed all the passengers by continually leaving and reentering the compartment. The Pastor asked him, “don’t you see that there is no place for so much going to and fro? Why don’t you stay in your place like everybody else ? ” The teenager answered, ‘”I am the prodigal son of the Bible. I have heaped shame on my family by going to jail for theft. Today I was released. From jail I had written to mother asking her to intervene with father to forgive me. I told her that if he does, she should tie a white handkerchief to the cherry tree in front of our house. Our train passes the house. If I see the handkerchief — I wrote — I will return and try to make restitution for my past evil. If not, no other way remains open for me than to rejoin the gang. Our train will soon approach the house, and I am nervous. I don’t even have the courage to look through the window. What if there is no handkerchief on the tree? The Pastor told the young man to stay in the corridor. He would look out on his behalf and tell him. After a few minutes , the Pastor who had gotten the necessary explanations about the house, cried to the youngster. ” Sorry, my friend, there is no white handkerchief on the tree–but instead the tree is full of big white sheets! So much does your father wait for you.”
Wurmbrand

2Peter 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 

By a multiplication of grace may be meant a larger discovery of the love and favour of God; which though it admits of no degrees in itself, being never more or less in God’s heart, yet, as to the manifestations of it,

Like the large sheets in the cherry tree, every manifestation of grace is

• different,
• capable of being increased,
• drawn out to a greater length;
• an increase of the internal graces of the Spirit of God, Hebrews 10:29
• and to the actings of the Spirit and exercise of them; or
• a larger measure of the gifts of the Spirit, for greater usefulness among them;
• a clearer view, and
• a more enlarged knowledge of the Gospel of the grace of God, and the truths of it; and indeed, the word grace may take in all these senses: Gill

John 1:16  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 

Here the picture is “grace” taking the place of “grace” like the manna fresh each morning, new grace for the new day and the new service. AT Robertson

“And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.   Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: Exodus 16

Under the Christmas tree of God’s gifts, there is yet another and yet another.

James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 

More grace (meizona charin). “Greater grace.” Greater than what? “Greater grace in view of the greater requirement” (Ropes), AT Robertson

The humble hear and are glad:

Proverbs 3:5  Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom. Brenton

“Confide in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own intelligence; Darby
Hope in LORD JEHOVAH from your whole heart and do not trust upon the wisdom of your soul.
Peshitta

We seek new mercy today, greater grace, fresh illuminations, abundant life-givings,

1Peter 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

manifold – of various colors, variegated, of various sorts, many sided. We steward the going out of grace for distribution. We manage the incoming of grace, never to neglect.

Beloved , John 1:17 adds: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. “

Friends , the letter kills, Spirit gives life. Every day is new, His mercy is new, His peace flows like a river, and we are brand new again today. love ya