In the Bible, the word “grace” means “undeserved favor or gift.” Biblical grace is God giving favor to someone, not because they are good enough to deserve it but because His love chooses to do so. God’s grace springs from God’s love. The Bible says that God’s grace is so abundant it’s like a cup overflowing. God’s invitation to you and your acceptance of it is wrapped up in one phrase—by grace you are saved through faith. Your salvation is an undeserved gift from God. You cannot earn it. You can’t win it. You only receive it by faith.

Christianity is Christ. It’s not a lifestyle, not rules of conduct, nor is it a society whose members are initiated by the sprinkling or covering of water. It is all about a relationship with Jesus Christ who presented Himself as the answer to every need of the human heart. When you trust in Christ for your salvation, God’s grace is abundantly poured on you. Understanding God's grace to you and for you leads to living in that grace, something I call "graceful living." The Christian life is all about Christ in you and you in Christ. Through that bond with Jesus Christ, you receive so many blessings and benefits that enable you to experience a life of freedom and joy.

Graceful living is for everyone who has accepted God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Graceful living begins and continues through Jesus Christ. He gave His life for you by grace, so He could give His life to you by grace, so He could live His life through you by grace. It is life overflowing with His grace giving you rest from trying to earn God’s favor. It is knowing Christ’s love for you and letting that love motivate you to live for Him in obedience. Graceful living leads you to serve Christ through serving others. That’s letting His life in you overflow to others around you, especially those who need to know Him. Graceful living is seeing your transformation from being a selfish, sinful being into having the likeness of Jesus Christ Himself. God’s Holy Spirit does this to us from the inside out. We grow up into mature Christians who are beautiful in God’s sight and bring His glory to everyone around us. You will learn all this through the Graceful Living Today devotional.

A person is “living by law” (legalism) whenever she tries to approach God on the basis of her own merits or performance. If you are trying to live by law, you will actually be drifting your focus away from the Person of Jesus Christ. You are straying from enjoying a relationship to practicing a religion. Living by grace is having a relationship with God on the basis of His grace alone. You rest in Christ’s finished work on the cross to completely save you and give you freedom from sin. You live in the power of Christ’s life in you through the Holy Spirit. Grace motivates you to obey God because of love and gratitude for what Christ has done rather than fear of not measuring up to His standards.

Any thoughts you have about God or information you receive about God is theology. We live according to our theology. Our theology can be based on truth or error. Truth and error lead to dramatically different results. Jesus told those who believed in him, “…If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). If truth sets you free, then the opposite is also true: it is error that binds you. Knowing the truth about Jesus Christ and living it out in your life is the heart of Graceful Living—the kind of Christian life that will give you freedom and joy. This Graceful Living Today devotional will help you build a foundation for successful, enjoyable Christian living based on God’s grace to you and for you. You will learn the difference between living by grace and living by law (rules and works). Understanding God’s grace given to you is essential to enjoying the life that God has planned for you. That’s the promise of “Graceful Living.”

Part 1: God's Invitation — A Life of Freedom and Joy

Part 2: Christ, the Grace-Gift — Christianity is Christ!

Part 3: Grace-Covered Sin — The Cross: God’s Solution to Our Sin Issue

Part 4: Grace Triumphant — Results of Christ’s Finished Work on the Cross

Part 5: Grace-Given Life to You — The Resurrection: God’s Solution to the Life & Death Issue

Part 6: Grace-Created Identity — The Believer’s Identity in Christ

Part 7: Grace-Based Freedom — Law & Grace: The Issue of God’s Acceptance

Part 8: Grace-Centered Living — Living by the Spirit

Part 9: Grace-Motivated Obedience — The Conflict between the Spirit & the Flesh

Part 10: Grace Calls for You to Follow — Growing as Jesus’ Disciple

Part 11: Become a Grace-Giver — Jesus Living His Life through You

Everyone should do this Graceful Living Today devotional, especially if you have been a believer a long time but have not experienced the freedom and joy promised to Christians by God in the New Testament. If you are a new Christian, we recommend that you do A Fresh Start Bible Study first.