By His Grace!

In I Corinthians 15:10, we read the Apostle Paul saying:  "By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

I think we could safely say that the Apostle Paul was one of the most dedicated and fruitful Christians who ever lived.  I suppose we could also say that if any man had a right to be proud of his writings, his works, or his life, it would be this great Apostle.  He could have boasted that he had laboured more abundantly than any of the other apostles, but he said--"Yet not I"!  He was quick to say that all of his work and success he owed completely to the grace of God! 

In II Corinthians he talked about his "thorn in the flesh".  Whatever that "thorn" was, it must have been very troubling to him, for the Scripture says he sought the Lord three times that it might depart from him.  But God's ways are higher than our ways, and He answered Paul by saying:
 "My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

 Paul was probably shouting the victory by this time, for he said -- "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
Paul also said in Galatians 2:20:  "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Praise the Lord for His marvelous grace -- grace that is greater than all our sin!  And the best part is: "It is for us all today"!