Relentless Grace

I just finished reading the book Relentless by John Bevere and came away with an enlarged perspective of God's grace for us. I have always attributed most of the power of grace to the forgiveness of sin in my life, but Bevere brings new understanding through the power of Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit. He makes bold statements about the work of grace in our lives, but always provides Biblical texts to add authority.

The powerful charge (as given by grace) is that we are to rule in life through Christ. The grace that God gives to those that choose to follow Him daily is the force that enables us to overcome opposition to life and godliness. Bevere states that it is the evidence of that grace in our lives that truly identifies a follower of Christ and not just a one-time public proclamation of faith or regular attendance at church. It is a continual process of grace refining our lives and not a one-time experience. He writes, "Grace is not merely a God-given cover-up of our sin. It empowers us to live like Jesus, to rule in this life by manifesting heaven's authority and power to change our world of influence."

Bevere does an excellent job of expressing the meaning of grace as shown through the Bible and builds a strong foundation of understanding and faith. He is able to expand upon that base of grace and communicate how much bigger God's vision of grace is for us than our own. The testimonies offered in the book only reinforce the truth of the power of God's grace. It is an essential element in the life of a Christ-follower that is based on all that God has to offer and our willingness to accept His gift and utilize it as fully as possible in this temporary life.

I would recommend this book for fans of John Bevere and for anyone who is looking for greater depth in their understanding of God's intentions for us in this life. It has certainly made me reevaluate my own belief in God's ability to influence my life through grace and how fervently and humbly I should be seeking more of it.

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review" 

Relentless

We don't fully comprehend how passionately God pursues us. God is not passive in His desire to have an intimate and engaging relationship with each of us and works to get our attention in ways that we often miss.

It is that concept of relentless pursuit that changes the way we view the love He has for us. If we see God as a distant being who sits and waits for us to choose to join Him we have neglected an important part of His character-His all consuming love for His sons & daughters. We need to learn that He will continue to extend his grace and mercies each day to us and will use other people, His created world, our life circumstances and the Holy Spirit to draw us to Him. It is a picture of a God who wants no one to perish, but for all to have eternal life.

I am grateful for a God who loves me so deeply that He would chase after me.