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What does it mean to live with God's grace every single day, not just on Sundays? Many Christians struggle with making their faith relevant to their Monday-through-Saturday lives. They experience God in church but feel disconnected from His presence during the ordinary moments of daily life. We intend to change that, and make that central to how we operate as Word of Grace. Our aim as a church is summed up in this simple vision statement:

"Equipping everyday people to know God and carry His presence into everyday life"

What Is Grace Really?

Grace is often misunderstood as simply "strength to bear something" or "God sauce" to help us get through difficult times. This limited view reduces grace to a survival mechanism rather than understanding its true power.

According to Galatians 2:20, grace is much more transformative.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life  that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me

It means you are no longer the person sustaining your life - Christ lives through you. Grace is God's presence being imparted to you through His Holy Spirit. It's not just help to get through the day; it's an entirely different way of living.

The cross isn't just about being saved from sin. It's a declaration that you're no longer the same person. You now live by faith in Christ, who gave His life for you and was raised to new life. The life you have comes from Him.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

What Does "Everyday" Really Mean?

When we think of "everyday," we picture the common, routine, expected parts of life. It's the grind, the normal activities, the things that just happen without great planning. Everyday includes both the predictable routines and the completely unexpected moments we could never plan for. In both cases though, it is the things of the day we do with no deliberate thought- they happen! This is where we need God's grace most - not just in the big, dramatic moments, but in the ordinary Tuesday afternoon when your boss is difficult or your kids get on your nerves.

God Has Light for Your Day

Unless the Word of God applies to the grind, the common expectations, and the totally unexpected moments of everyday life, what are we really doing in church? God wants to give you something for your day - light to walk in today.

How Do We Actually Know God?

Jeremiah 29:12-13 promises that "

"when you call to me and pray to me, I will listen. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart"

. This isn't passive - it is active and intentional seeking.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 reveals what God truly values:

"Let the one who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things."

Knowing God vs. Knowing About God

There's a difference between knowing facts about God and actually knowing Him personally. When Jesus asked Peter "Do you love me?" three times, He wasn't trying to trip him up. He was drawing Peter back to the heart of their relationship (John 21:15). God isn't looking for people who can perform Christian activities perfectly. He's looking for people who know Him intimately and respond to His voice in everyday moments.

Why Do Christian Practices Often Feel Empty?

Many believers struggle with spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible reading, and fasting because they focus on the "what" without knowing their "why." When our motivation is self-improvement or checking boxes, these practices become burdensome. But when the joy of being with God is our highest aim, His grace flows into these practices. We're not trying to achieve, or get something from God - we're connecting with Him because we have a relationship.

The Problem with Performance-Based Faith

Religious systems, even in churches like ours, can tie people to certain activities  and experiences, thinking that we have salvation and fruitfulness in them. While spiritual disciplines are important means of growing in God's grace, they're not the source of our salvation or identity.  While church gatherings and corporate worship and teaching are vital, they are just means to God encounters. Without knowing God personally, it all counts for nothing but a social gathering. Too much of modern church culture operates in a way that if the Holy Spirit wasn't present, we wouldn't really notice. Everything  we do from worship songs, to events, to the preaching can be so cleanly organized and sanitized for audience experience  and connection that we wouldn't be able to differentiate between a great connection on a human level or God's actual presence transforming people in a room. That should concern us!

May we grow as a church that notices the difference and intentially makes room for God's presence in our hearts. Jesus broke through the endless ritual acts of service which were copies of the real work He would accomplish on the cross. We've been brought into the reality of God's presence that changes us from the inside out.

Hebrews 10:19-25

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day [of His return] drawing near.

The key is keeping our eyes on the goal: Christ at work in us -- to bring us into God's presence and change us too. When this is our focus, we are no longer bound by systems but released to know God personally. 

Philippians 1:6 :

...He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus [return].

What Does It Mean to Carry God's Presence?

As we see above, we don't just visit God on Sundays, and meeting Him isn't a one-off experience or event, it is the reality we live in - we carry His presence into everyday life. This means recognizing that whether you're talking to someone at checkout, ministering to sick children at home, or dealing with workplace challenges, these are all ministry opportunities.

You're not just a human doing human things. The presence of God goes with you- making these moments for "your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"(Matthew 6:10). The kingdom of God redeeming our world was the whole point of Jesus' coming. When Jesus trained his disciples to minister in public, he said, "tell them, the kingdom of God has come near to you."(Luke 10:9) He also said, "As my Father sent me, so I am sending you" (John 20:21). I hope it's starting to become clear that we cannot be in this for ourselves. Carrying God's presence has less to do with how much we gain from the process, as much as it has to do with God's will being done on earth.

Three Pillars of Knowing God

For our church growth and maturing in Christ, we have narrowed down knowing God practically into three key areas:

1. Jesus as Savior and Lord: Everything centers on the work of Jesus. He is the only source for salvation, and it is received by grace. At the same time, Jesus is not just Savior but Lord, meaning He gets the final say in your life. Your identity is formed in Christ from start to finish.

2. His Word as Truth: When God's Word informs what is true rather than just your feelings or thoughts, confusion loses its power.  His Word, reveals God's heart in clarity- you have a reliable source to turn to for understanding and guidance for everyday living.

3. The Holy Spirit's Power: The Holy Spirit empowers you to see God at work. His presence becomes tangible, not just a vague association with being in church.

The Vision: Everyday People Living Everyday Grace

The goal isn't to create more ministry programs or professional Christians. It's to equip everyday people to know God personally and carry His presence into their ordinary lives.

This means being able to lead a good Bible study when your child has a question, or worship God authentically when you're in the middle of a Wednesday night battle. It's about recognizing that you are a walking and breathing ministry opportunity, wherever you go.

Life Application

This week, decide to move beyond "getting through" your days to actually living with intentional awareness of God's presence. Instead of waiting for Sunday to connect with God, practice seeking Him with your whole heart in the everyday moments.

Start by asking "why" before engaging in any spiritual practice. Are you reading your Bible to check a box, or because you genuinely want to know God better? Are you praying to get something from God, or because you're in relationship with Him?

Remember that every ordinary moment - from your morning coffee to dealing with difficult people - is an opportunity to experience and carry God's presence. You don't need to create ministry opportunities; you ARE a ministry opportunity wherever you go.

Questions for Reflection:

  • What areas of my life am I trying to "get through" rather than inviting God's presence into?
  • When I engage in spiritual practices, what is my true motivation - self-improvement or relationship with God?
  • How can I better recognize and respond to God's presence in my everyday, ordinary moments?
  • Where am I relying on my own strength instead of surrendering to God as Lord?