The Real Result of Grace

I recently read David Platt's book, Radical, regarding the way that American church has been affected by our "me first" culture. It was eye-opening and very challenging to me. However, what really struck me most was the way he explained God's grace and its ultimate purpose.

A couple of thoughts stood out to me…

• Grace for salvation is not the end – Salvation is NOT the complete purpose of God's grace.
  
• If the purpose of God's grace is simply to bring an otherwise unreachable reconciliation of God and man – then it is actually about "ME" and not really about God.
  
• Grace is not the end – Grace to glorify God with the rest of my life IS!
  
• God's ultimate purpose for extending His grace to mankind is so that we can live the transformed, Spirit-filled life He intended and thus, return glory and honor to Him.
  

So here is a good question to ask yourself:

How can I live my life and lead my family and others that I influence for God's glory in Osceola, Mishawaka, Elkhart or wherever I find myself?

If we seek to answer that question through the lens of God's Word and His commands for us then we begin to realize that we serve Him as our Master and Savior instead of serving ourselves.

Isaiah seemed to get it straight from the Lord:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Isaiah 6:1-3 (NIV)

I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 42:8 (NIV)

For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off. 10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another. Isaiah 48:9-11 (NIV)