Is it possible to live in the environment of grace like that environment which exists in heaven? Yes. Yet many think that it can’t happen until they arrive in heaven. The question to ask about such a mind-set is why would Jesus direct the disciples to pray, “. . .your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” or “. . . seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness . . .” if it wasn’t possible?
The Kingdom of Grace is expected to return back to this earth – even the creation knows that it’s coming, which is why it is groaning for the manifestation of the sons of God. To be given the title of a Son of God means that you have lived in the environment that surrounds God: breathed in its richness; seen its vastness; and experienced it overwhelming peace and joy. As a Son you are able to bring that environment into every area of your life simply because you live there. It is a vital part of your DNA.
I have spoken about the beginnings previously. Today I’m going to start unveiling the picture of the Kingdom of Grace and bringing it into our daily lives. Many of us have heard or read about the Genesis account of creation and are familiar with the events leading up to the fall of man. Too often we view these first couple of chapters through a lens that is filtered by the effects of the sin that man committed. When we do this we miss out on the expressions and even the very environment that flows from grace.
As I begin this multi-part lesson, I’m going to bring previous lessons together and use the following keys of grace as building blocks to expose how grace is all around us already.
Grace is reciprocal giving.
Grace leaves thanksgiving in its wake.
Every event starts with something. What did creation start with? If you jump in here and say that God spoke, then I must unfortunately tell you that you are wrong. Yes, the opening passage say that God spoke but that is only a record of what transpired at the start of creation – it is not the beginning. We are told that God knows the end from the beginning so that means that in order for God to start creation He had to see what the end looked like. All of creation is subsequently manufactured to the specification of what part it will contribute to the final, complete picture.
We do not know the duration of “time” that it took God to design this project of creation but before the foundations it were laid the planning of all that we experience was being considered in the realm of grace. Every thought, every intersection of eternity with time, every effect from the choices of free will was carefully taken into account with the environment of grace influencing it.
Long before a single word was spoken to start creation, grace was pulsating with life-giving potential. This is the true meaning of Divine Grace, not the theological definition of unmerited favor we have been indoctrinated in. We were in God’s thoughts long before sin entered this world. His intention to have a family stands as the pinnacle within the realm of grace and is the operator behind all of creation.
We discover in Proverbs 8, John 1, and Colossians 2 the role Jesus played in the designing and construction process of creation. He too operating from the realm of grace prepared a place for us that would serve towards the final, complete picture. His declaration to the disciple that Holy Spirit would come upon them was not a “stop-gap” measure to a failed fulfillment of destiny on the part of Jesus but an act from the kingdom of grace made in eternity past. Every salvation has been carefully and skillfully considered in a realm where the nature of living in abundance forever is “natural” not super-natural.
In this eternal realm of grace miracles never happen – wholeness is natural. Consider that God has never experienced a miracle. Miracle point to God and He doesn’t need to experience a miracle to confirm to Him that He is. When you live in the realm of grace you don’t experience miracles – you experience the normal life of that realm. Those that aren’t from that realm will see miracles occur in their lives as you intersect with them. If you're longing to experience a miracle that tells me that you don't desire to live from the realm of grace but out of mercy. The purpose of mercy is to point you to grace where you are to live continually rather than until you need your next "fix" of mercy.
Just as there are no miracles in the realm of grace we must also come to the understanding that needs and wants do not exist in this environment too. A need and want represents a lack which is contradictory in a realm teaming with abundance. This property of grace was figured into the plan of creation which it is continually supplied to us in Christ even unto the end of the age.
Consider that when you live from the realm of grace blind eyes open, food is multiplied, limbs grow back, fish become a purse to gold coins for you, you ruin every funeral you attend and so much more. This is the pre-planned life that is backed from a realm that gets tremendous joy out of you being a part of it. Those around you will think that because these things happen around you that you have the characteristic known as “favor.” Favor denotes special consideration beyond “normal” conditions but they don’t know that this IS normal for you.
When you read “In the beginning. . .” from this point on realize that everything that I’ve just touched upon is contained in those words plus a whole lot more that is still being unfolded to us. You and I were in the “In” where grace reigns. To us, as heirs, abounds all that that realm contains and manifests not in a time to come but now, this very moment and every one that follows it. This is what it means to live in the beginning, before the foundations of time, where grace undergirds the purpose you live. This is His gift to you. Enjoy.
