News and Updates

August 1, 2017

David Copeland · August 1, 2017

Newsletter · Volume: 17 Issue: 8

Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

This passage of Scripture continues to feed me and speak to me. I am finding it might just be the answer to a lot of arguing going on in Christians circles on who is a better preacher, pastor, church, prophet, ministry, etc.

The spirit of competition in our world pushes and drives us into a frenzy comparing our ministry, our churches, our anointing with others. Each one of us has been given our own measure of grace. My measure doesn’t look like your measure. My measure doesn’t look like other missionary evangelists I know. But in reality, it’s not my measure; it’s Christ’s measure. Paul said it was a gift of Christ. When I was born again, God the Father deposited in my life a measure of grace. Even the measure of grace I have now doesn’t look like the measure I had then. Since the mid 1970’s I have tried to be faithful to use what He has given me and I hope in some way it has grown after over forty years of walking with Him.

While grace IS the unmerited, unearned gift of God, at this season in my life, this is my definition of grace:

Grace is a Divine distribution of God’s ability to empower me to

Be who He has called me to be
Do what He has called me to do,
Say what He has called me to say,
Have what He has called me to have,
And to accomplish what He has called me to accomplish.

At times, there is a frustration that comes in accessing this grace to be, do, say, have and accomplish. We can access this Divine distribution of God’s ability in the following ways:

1. Accept your measure of His grace. I have found in my own life there have been seasons in which I accepted my measure of His grace with a wrong mindset. In fact only in the last year or so have I finally come to the conclusion that what He has called me to do, there is a grace from Him to do it; and I am the only one who can do it like I do it!

When you belittle, complain, become bitter, and constantly compare your measure of His grace for your life with others, you will hinder the flow of anointing that is already attached to your measure of His grace. And you are actually telling God He made a mistake.

There IS grace for your place!

One great example of this is located in John 21:20-23. In this passage Peter has already been given His last instructions by Jesus restoring him and telling him to feed His sheep. Peter then looks at John and basically says, “well what about him?” (speaking of John)

Jesus tells him in so many words, “you don’t be concerned with John…if I desire that he lives till I come again, don’t be bothered with that: follow me!”

Accept your measure of His grace for your life.

2. Embrace the measure of grace for your life. There are six things released when we embrace the measure of His grace for our lives: joy, peace, anointing, provision, new opportunities and increase. Learning to celebrate what He has given will activate these attributes in a greater measure. It will actually increase the measure of grace.

3. Rest in the measure of His grace for your life. This is naturally hard for obsessive/compulsive people like me. But I am determined to allow the Word to transform my life and my thinking to rest in the measure of His grace.

Hebrews 4:9, 10   There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.  NKJV

Stop belittling and complaining about where you are now. You will only remain where you are now spiritually if you want to. Accept, embrace, rest in the measure of His grace for your life, and watch it grow and develop you into a vessel of honor for God.

Blessings!
David & Pam