Freeman-Smith - Fifty Shades of Grace

2012 Freeman-Smith, a division of Worthy Media, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Freeman-Smith, a division of Worthy Media, Inc.

134 Franklin Road, Suite 200, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027

The quoted ideas expressed in this book (but not Scripture verses) are not, in all cases, exact quotations, as some have been edited for clarity and brevity. In all cases, the author has attempted to maintain the speakers original intent. In some cases, quoted material for this book was obtained from secondary sources, primarily print media. While every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of these sources, the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. For additions, deletions, corrections, or clarifications in future editions of this text, please write Freeman-Smith.

Scripture quotations are taken from:

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV) Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (NLT) copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)- This edition issued by contractual arrangement with NavPress, a division of The Navigators, U.S.A. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002-2003 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.

New Century Version. (NCV) Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The Holy Bible, The Living Bible (TLB), Copyright 1971 owned by assignment by Illinois Regional Bank N.A. (as trustee). Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

International Childrens Bible, New Century Version. (ICB) Copyright 1986, 1988, 1999 by Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The New American Standard Bible, (NASB) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Copyright 1999, 2000, 2001 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Cover Design by Kim Russell / Wahoo Designs

Page Layout by Bart Dawson

ISBN 978-1-60587-427-2

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5CGH16 15 14 13 12

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is Gods giftnot from works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 Holman CSB

Introduction

G od does not change, but we human beings are in a constant state of flux. So, we experience differing shades of grace depending upon our own unique personalities and our own particular circumstances. Yet, even though we may experience Gods gifts in different ways, nothing can alter the fact that God is steadfast today, tomorrow, and forever.

You inhabit a world that glorifies (and values) things that are temporary (wealth, physical appearance, fame, and youth, for starters), but your heavenly Father knows better. He glorifies women who build their lives on the things that are eternal: Gods love, Gods grace, Gods promises, Gods Son, and the priceless gift of eternal life through Him.

How desperately our world needs Christian women who are willing to honor God with their praise, their prayers, and their service. Hopefully, you are determined to be such a womana woman who walks in wisdom as she offers counsel and direction to her family, to her friends, and to her coworkers.

In your hands, you hold a book that contains 50 devotional readings about Gods love and Gods grace. During the next 50 days, please try this experiment: read a chapter each day. If youre already committed to a daily worship time, this book will enrich that experience. If you are not, the simple act of giving God a few minutes each morning will change the direction and the quality of your life.

As you consider your own circumstances, remember this: whatever the size of your challenge, whatever the scope of your problem, God is bigger. Much bigger. He will instruct you, protect you, energize you, and heal you if you let Him. So let Him. Pray fervently, listen carefully, work diligently, and treat every single day as an opportunity for praise and worship because thats precisely what every day can be and should be.

DAY 1

Shades of Grace

For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23-24 NKJV

W e human beings are similar in many ways, but each of us is unique. Each of us possesses a unique array of talents and opportunities gifted from the Father above. Because of our uniqueness, we all experience Gods grace in somewhat different wayswe experience different shades of grace depending upon our own circumstances, our own temperaments, and our own personal histories. For example, the fidgety sixteen-year-old runaway who accepts Christ may experience a different collection of emotions than the mature 80-year-old grandmother who has spent the last seven decades in the service of her Heavenly Father. But even though we mortals experience Gods grace in different ways, nothing can alter the fact that God is unchanging, and so, for that matter, are His promises.

Romans 3:23 reminds us that all of us fall short of the glory of God. Yet despite our imperfections and despite our shortcomings, God sent His Son so that we might be redeemed from our sins. In doing so, our Heavenly Father demonstrated His infinite mercy and His infinite love.

Christ sacrificed His life on the cross so that we might have eternal life. This gift, freely given from Gods only begotten Son, is the priceless possession of everyone who accepts Him as Lord and Savior. We return our Saviors love by welcoming Him into our hearts and sharing His message and His love. When we do so, we are blessed here on earth and throughout all eternity.

God is the giver, and we are the receivers. And His richest gifts are bestowed not upon those who do the greatest things, but upon those who accept His abundance and His grace.

Hannah Whitall Smith

Gods grace and power seem to reach their peak when we are at our weakest point.

Anne Graham Lotz

We will never cease to need our FatherHis wisdom, direction, help, and support. We will never outgrow Him. We will always need His grace.