Bible – The Bible Society of Lesotho

Do you know God’s grace? Here are 7 Bible verses to inspire you to understand this grace.

Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

To understand God’s grace, we have to acknowledge that we have done what is wrong in God’s eyes. We have sinned. We are in need of forgiveness and redemption.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

God’s grace is a free gift that doesn’t depend on any good deeds you have done. God’s grace is for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

James 4:6-7 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

In humility we turn to God and confess that we have done wrong. In humility we receive God’s grace and he will lift us up.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

God isn’t a distant God. He came to us and lived among us as one of us. Jesus is full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

You can come to Jesus, just as you are. He knows our weaknesses. Because of the grace of God, we are forgiven our sins.

Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We don’t earn or deserve God’s grace by our good deeds, but it’s given according to God’s own mercy. By grace we are saved through our faith and even become heirs to the kingdom of God.

Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

This is the very last verse of the Bible and it reminds and expresses the wish for God’s grace be with you. “Amen” means “surely”, “truly” or “so be it.” We live by the hope and trust in God’s grace every day.

The Letter to Sardis

1 This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Sardis:

I have the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. Listen to what I say.

I know what you are doing. Everyone may think you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! You have only a little strength left, and it is almost gone. So try to become stronger. I have found that you are not completely obeying God. 3 Remember the teaching you were given and heard. Hold firmly to it and turn from your sins. If you don't wake up, I will come when you least expect it, just as a thief does.

4 A few of you in Sardis have not dirtied your clothes with sin. You will walk with me in white clothes, because you are worthy. 5 Everyone who wins the victory will wear white clothes. Their names will not be erased from the book of life, and I will tell my Father and his angels that they are my followers.

6 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Letter to Philadelphia

7 This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia:

I am the one who is holy and true, and I have the keys that belonged to David. When I open a door, no one can close it. And when I close a door, no one can open it. Listen to what I say.

8 I know everything you have done. And I have placed before you an open door no one can close. You were not very strong, but you obeyed my message and did not deny you are my followers. 9 Now you will see what I will do with those people who belong to Satan's group. They claim to be God's people, but they are liars. I will make them come and kneel down at your feet. Then they will know that I love you.

10 You obeyed my message and endured. So I will protect you from the time of testing everyone in all the world must go through. 11 I am coming soon. So hold firmly to what you have, and no one will take away the crown you will be given as your reward.

12 Everyone who wins the victory will be made into a pillar in the temple of my God, and they will stay there forever. I will write on each of them the name of my God and the name of his city. It is the new Jerusalem my God will send down from heaven. I will also write on them my own new name.

13 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

The Letter to Laodicea

14 This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:

I am the one called Amen! I am the faithful and true witness and the source of God's creation. Listen to what I say.

15 I know everything you have done, and you are not cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other. 16 But since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 You claim to be rich and successful and to have everything you need. But you don't know how bad off you really are. You are pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

18 Buy your gold from me. It has been refined in a fire, and it will make you rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them and you can cover up your shameful nakedness. Buy medicine for your eyes, so you will be able to see.

19 I correct and punish everyone I love. So make up your minds to turn away from your sins. 20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together. 21 Everyone who wins the victory will sit with me on my throne, just as I won the victory and sat with my Father on his throne.

22 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

1 ANd write vnto the Angel of the Church which is at Sardis, These things saith he that hath the seuen Spirits of God, and the seuen starres, I knowe thy workes: for thou hast a name that thou liuest, but thou art dead. 2 Be awake, and strengthen the things which remaine, that are readie to die: for I haue not found thy workes perfite before God. 3 Remember therefore, how thou hast receiued and heard, and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thiefe, and thou shalt not know what houre I wil come vpon thee. 4 Notwithstanding thou hast a few names yet in Sardis, which haue not defiled their garments: and they shall walke with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that ouercommeth, shalbe clothed in white araye, and I will not put out his name out of the booke of life, but I will confesse his name before my Father, and before his Angels. 6 Let him that hath an eare, heare, what the Spirite saith vnto the Churches. 7 And write vnto ye Angel of ye Church which is of Philadelphia, These things saith he that is Holy, and True, which hath ye keye of Dauid, which openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, 8 I knowe thy workes: beholde, I haue set before thee an open doore, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a litle strength and hast kept my worde, and hast not denied my Name. 9 Behold, I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan, which call themselues Iewes, and are not, but doe lye: beholde, I say, I will make them, that they shall come and worship before thy feete, and shall knowe that I haue loued thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the woorde of my patience, therefore I wil deliuer thee from the houre of tentation, which will come vpon all the world, to trie them that dwell vpon the earth. 11 Beholde, I come shortly: holde that which thou hast, that no man take thy crowne. 12 Him that ouercommeth, will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall goe no more out: and I will write vpon him the Name of my God, and the name of the citie of my God, which is the newe Hierusalem, which commeth downe out of heauen from my God, and I will write vpon him my newe Name. 13 Let him that hath an eare, heare what ye Spirit saith vnto the Churches. 14 And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write, These things saieth Amen, the faithfull and true witnesse, that beginning of the creatures of God. 15 I knowe thy woorkes, that thou art neither colde nor hote: I woulde thou werest colde or hote. 16 Therefore, because thou art luke warme, and neither colde nor hote, it will come to passe, that I shall spewe thee out of my mouth. 17 For thou saiest, I am rich and increased with goods, and haue neede of nothing, and knowest not howe thou art wretched and miserable, and poore, and blinde, and naked. 18 I counsell thee to bye of me gold tried by the fire, that thou maiest bee made rich: and white raiment, that thou maiest be clothed, and that thy filthie nakednesse doe not appeare: and anoynt thine eyes with eye salue, that thou maiest see. 19 As many as I loue, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and amend. 20 Behold, I stand at the doore, and knocke. If any man heare my voice and open ye doore, I wil come in vnto him, and will suppe with him, and he with me. 21 To him that ouercommeth, will I graunt to sit with me in my throne, euen as I ouercame, and sit with my Father in his throne. 22 Let him that hath an eare, heare what the Spirit saieth vnto the Churches.

Revelation 3