I thank God for the great grace He has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Without it I was dead in sin, ungodly, and destined for the wrath of God; how about you?

Without His Divine favor toward us where would we be?

Did wisdom originate with us, or are our resources that which will save us?

"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord."

Man's way to direct his steps is not in himself. God gave us His Word and His spirit so that He can lead us. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

The words, "The spirit of God", in this verse in Romans 8, stand for everything we received in the birth of the spirit. It includes more than the spirit; it includes all the rights, the ability, the privileges, the authority: it represents everything we received in Christ Jesus in the birth from above. We are complete in Christ Jesus, not in ourselves.

I am what I am by the grace of God. No one knows it any better than I do.

Since God has shown us His great grace, what will we do with it? Will we walk in it? Will we allow Him to direct our paths? Will we prepare our hearts with His Word so He can work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure?

We ought to think soberly as God has dealt us the measure of what we are to believe. The measure is fully disclosed in the Church Epistles from the book of Romans to II Thessalonians.

May we be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may prove the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God in our lives.

If we are to be transformed we must decide to think soberly, to think as God instructs us to think; according to what He achieved in Christ Jesus. This transformation is not automatic; it is something we must do.

God showed us His great grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. If we are to see the practical transformation in our lives, we will have to put on His Word concerning who we are in Christ Jesus. We will have to put on God's thoughts, His will, and decide to walk in them. The alternative is to be conformed to the times and ideas of the world around us.

He enabled us. We ought to walk in what we received. He showed us such great grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. We ought to walk in His grace, in His love, with His mercies, with His forgiveness to one another, as living sacrifices who live to do His will. What do we have that we did not receive dearly beloved?