Grace

God’s grace – 1st Corinthians 15:10

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“But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace toward me was not in vain.
On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God
that is with me.”

— 1 Corinthians 15:10

Paul destroys two opposite errors here:

  1. Passive Christianity (“God does everything so effort doesn’t matter.”)
  2. Prideful self-reliance (“I did this through my own strength.”)

Instead, Paul presents a Kingdom paradox:

Grace Produces Effort

Grace is not laziness.
Grace is empowerment.

Real grace does not make a person careless—it makes them grateful, energized, and transformed.

Paul basically says:

  • “I worked HARDER than anyone…”
  • “…but even that strength came from God.”

That aligns deeply with your FLOW / HARDER / BETTER concepts:

  • Grace is not opposed to effort.
  • Grace is opposed to earning.

There is a massive difference.

You do not work for salvation.
You work from salvation.

Not striving to become accepted—
but overflowing because you already are.

This verse also perfectly balances:

  • humility
  • ownership
  • dependence
  • disciplined action

Paul takes responsibility:
“I worked harder.”

But refuses pride:
“Yet not I.”

That is mature spiritual FLOW:

  • fully engaged
  • fully responsible
  • fully dependent upon God

Not passive.
Not arrogant.
Empowered.

This also connects strongly to your:

  • SMARTER + HARDER + BETTER = FLOW
    framework.

Because biblical FLOW is not:

  • effortless passivity
  • hyper-striving flesh
  • ego-driven hustle culture

It is:
Spirit-empowered disciplined obedience.

PL Reflection

HEAD 🟡 — Think Truth

Grace is not an excuse for complacency.
If grace is truly received, it changes desires, priorities, and actions.

HEART 🟣 — Live Purpose

Humility says:
“Without God I can do nothing.”
Faith says:
“With God, I should faithfully do something.”

HANDS 🟢 — Take Action

Work hard.
Love deeply.
Serve faithfully.
But never confuse God’s empowerment with self-made greatness.

Key Tension

Some people abuse grace to justify drifting.

Others reject grace and live exhausted trying to prove themselves.

Paul shows the better way:

  • work HARDER
  • trust DEEPER
  • boast LOWER

Flesh-Driven Effort

  • grinding gears
  • overheating
  • forcing
  • smoke
  • ego
  • frantic motion
  • noise without flow

Grace-Empowered Effort

  • aligned transmission
  • smooth torque
  • sustainable power
  • disciplined movement
  • purposeful acceleration
  • peace with

The love, grace and mercy of God is greater far

KirkLeave a comment

This beautiful hymn sure does Him true and pairs with thus quote oh so nicely.

The love of God is greater far – The saints and angels song

Than tongue or pen can ever tell.

It goes beyond the highest star

And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled

And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

2When hoary time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;

When men who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call;

God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

3Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Words & Music © 1923, Ren. 1951
by Hope Publishing Co.,
Carol Stream, IL 60188.

GRACE IS GREATER – Hebrews 4:1

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Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 nasb

RELEVANT SCRIPTURES

Ephesians 3:12
In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.

Hebrews 3:6
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.

Hebrews 7:19
(for the Law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

SELECT COMMENTARY

From Gill: Or else to God the Father, since Christ, the high priest, is the way of access to God, and it is by him the saints come unto the Father; who is represented as on a “throne”, to show his majesty, and to command reverence; and as on a “throne of grace”, to encourage distressed souls to come unto him; and to express his sovereignty in the distribution of his grace: and this coming to him is a sacerdotal act, for every believer is a priest; and is not local, but spiritual, and with the heart, and by faith; and chiefly regards the duty of prayer, and a drawing nigh to God in that ordinance with spiritual sacrifices to offer unto him: and this may be done “boldly”; or “with freedom of speech”; speaking out plainly all that is in the heart, using an holy courage and intrepidity of mind, free from servile fear, and a bashful spirit; all which requires an heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, faith, in the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ, a view of God, as a God of peace, grace, and mercy, and a holy confidence of being heard by him; and such a spirit and behaviour at the throne of grace are very consistent with reverence of the divine Majesty, with submission to his will, and with that humility which becomes saints. The Jews often speak of , “a throne of judgment”, and , “a throne of mercy” (u); and represent God as sitting upon one or other of these, when he is dispensing justice or mercy (w); and the latter they sometimes call, as here, , “a throne of grace and mercy” (x): and so they make the first man Adam to pray to God after this manner (y);

“let my prayer come before the throne of thy glory, and let my cry come before , “the throne of thy mercy”.”

From M. Henry: Besides our daily dependence upon God for present supplies, there are seasons for which we should provide in our prayers; times of temptation, either by adversity or prosperity, and especially our dying time. We are to come with reverence and godly fear, yet not as if dragged to the seat of justice, but as kindly invited to the mercy-seat, where grace reigns. We have boldness to enter into the holiest only by the blood of Jesus; he is our Advocate, and has purchased all our souls want or can desire.

MY PONDERING

Yes, grace trumps sin when our high priest is Jesus. When we exercise our God given faith we can enter assuredly for we are His and the Father loves His Son.


He has access we do not but by Him we do too!

Yes, Jesus is a more than sufficient High Priest to lead all who follow to safety. This world is not safe, God is not safe outside of His grace, but He is good. He is love.

The throne of grace was not obtained cheaply. Let us approach reverently but thank God we are encouraged to approach with confidence, not merely by ourselves but with our great advocate and friend; none other than Jesus.

MY PRAYER

Lord, by Your stripes and wounds I am healed. You led the way. Lead me now I pray!

Help me holistically balance and please Your thrones, your thrones of Glory, Justice and Grace,