HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME

God's marvelous grace is vital to the life of each believer.  It is by God's grace, God's Riches At Christ's Expense, that we are saved - it is the gift of God and not our own doing (Ephesians 2:8,9)  And it is through His grace that we are able to face each day and the challenges that are part of our journey on this earth.  And by His grace we experience the love, joy and peace that He freely provides for His children.  His grace is sufficient for our salvation and our daily lives.  And it is also by His grace that we will someday spend eternity with Him in our home in heaven which He is graciously preparing for us. His grace is sufficient for all that we face and need. Now all of us do face challenges of life here.  Even the Apostle Paul pleaded three times with the Lord that his thorn in the flesh would leave.  In 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV), Paul writes "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Thomas Mosie Lister sang in several gospel quartets in the 1940's, but he sang only a short time due to health reasons.  From that point on he concentrated on writing gospel music and primarily wrote for the top gospel groups of that day.  In his book "Stories Behind 50 Southern Gospel Favorites", Lindsay Terry records an interview with Mosie Lister where he discusses the story behind "His Grace Is Sufficient For Me."  In that interview Lister said the song "… was literally a gift from God.  In the mid 1960's, I realized I had gone for an incredibly long time without writing a song that had real worth, that really meant something.  ... Though I sometimes worked on songs for several months, I never thought they were difficult to write.  I had never been through a dry spell like that before.  I  began to search my mind and my heart.  ...  One morning I was driving downtown to pick up my mail.  On the way I started thinking about how long it had been since I had written a song, and I just sincerely and honestly prayed to God about it.  I told Him that I felt that I might be at a place in my life where He was pointing me in another direction, away from writing music.  Yet I really loved it and felt that it was given to me from Him.  I told God that I was despondent over not writing anything in a long time, and that I just didn't understand the reasons for it.  I said, 'Right now I just give You whatever ability I have.  If You want me to go in another direction and leave writing, I'll do that, and I will be happy about it.  I just need to know what Your will is.  If you'll show me Your will, I'll do it.'  After returning home, I did what I had done very often in those days.  I took my guitar, sat down, and started strumming and humming to myself.  I found myself singing, 'Many times I'm tried and tested as I travel day by day … .'  I was on the second verse before it dawned on me what I was doing.  It occurred to me that this was a new song, and I hadn't written one in over a year.  I then thought of the verse in Scripture where Paul says, 'My Grace is sufficient for thee'.  That became the chorus of my song.  Since then, I've never doubted that I'm doing exactly what God wants me to do.  I feel that this song came along when I needed its message for my own heart."   Maybe the words of  Lister's song, written in 1965, are the message which you need this week.  For whatever challenge you are facing, His grace is sufficient for you - now and for the future.  Let the joy of that truth flood your soul and mind this week.

(1)     Many times I'm tried and tested 

As I travel day by day 

Oft I meet with pain and sorrow 

And there's trouble in the way. 

But I have a sweet assurance 

That my soul the Lord will lead 

And in Him there is strength for every need. 

O, His grace is sufficient for me. 

And His love is abundant and free. 

And what joy fills my soul, 

Just to know, just to know 

That His grace is sufficient for me. 

(2)     When the tempter brings confusion 

And I don't know what to do, 

On my knees I turn to Jesus 

For He'll always see me through 

Then despair is changed to victory. 

Every doubt just melts away 

And in Him there is hope for everyday.

O, His grace is sufficient for me. 

And His love is abundant and free. 

And what joy fills my soul, 

Just to know, just to know 

That His grace is sufficient for me. 

Listen to the Booth Brothers sing this song here.   LISTEN