Growing Up Christian #3: Un-Amazing Grace

Chapter 3 of Growing Up Christian begins with the story of Randy Fogle, one of the nine miners trapped in 2002. Can you imagine the celebration and thankfulness they felt as they were raised from the mine? Our gratitude for our salvation from the wrath of God should exceed the miner’s gratitude.

The second danger church kids face is a lack of appreciation for the saving and forgiving grace of God.
Church kids tend to think of themselves as basically good and not needing to be forgiven. We must see our sin in light of God’s holiness to realize our utter depravity before Him.

“Church kids should be some of the most appreciative people on the earth.”

Randy Alcorn: “If only we could see our situation clearly—even for a moment. We deserve expulsion; He gives us a diploma. We deserve the electric chair; He gives us a parade. Anything less than overwhelming gratitude should be unthinkable. He owes us nothing. We owe Him everything.”

7 tips for growth in gratitude:
1. Pray.
2. Study the holiness of God.
3. See your sinfulness in light of God’s holiness.
4. Learn more about God’s wrath—his just response to sin.
5. Think deeply and often about Jesus’ death on the cross.
6. Study the doctrine of justification—forgiven and declared righteous.
7. Sing great songs that focus on the grace of God.

Chapter 3 ends with the words to the song, “I Will Glory in My Redeemer.”