Heaven to earth as a grace ambassador—seven days every week!

Saturday Posts
Written By Dean Collins

By Dr. John Jackson

On my worst days, I can think of life in what I call the “sacred-secular divide.”  I consider church and Bible study and serving as sacred and the rest of life as secular.  Not only is that viewpoint not in Scripture, it actually is the opposite of what the Bible teaches.  Scripture tells us that “whatever we do in word or deed, do all to the glory of the Lord” (Colossians 3:17). So how do I live life from a “sacred space” every day? How do I live like Heaven while I’m here on earth in my home, at my work, in recreation, or just hanging out with friends?

I’ve been thinking through these questions for a number of years now. And they have increasingly become a central part of my life.  In my experiences as a man/husband/father/son/friend, I know how important my relational world is. I recognize that my relationships are woven throughout every facet of my being and they affect my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Knowing that relationships are a cornerstone and integrated reality in our lives has helped me think about my relationship with Jesus Christ.

As we walk and talk

As Jesus followers, our lives represent a continuous flow of relational intimacy in which Jesus lives and breathes and moves in and through us. We are the life and grace of Jesus as we walk and talk. And whenever we have an encounter with Him, we will experience a supernatural overflow resulting in love and kindness to those with whom we interact. We are to live in the overflow of grace. I think that is the key in comprehending how to bring Heaven to earth. When we live, love, and lead like Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are being ambassadors of Heaven.

When we live, love, and lead like Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit,
we are being ambassadors of Heaven.

We also bring Heaven to earth through demonstrating the love of God manifested in the everyday, including to people who feel far from him. We love others because of the love Jesus has demonstrated to us. We live with redemptive presence in the world as Heavenly ambassadors and grace distributors, and we recognize and praise God for His amazing grace.

Our relationship with Him is based on our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross for our salvation and healing. As believers, we recognize that we stand in his presence only through the grace of God.

Grace received and demonstrated

It is grace that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Once we understand the truly amazing nature of grace, our natural response is to demonstrate to others the phenomenal gift that has been given to us.  All of us who have come to know Jesus as Savior have received the grace of salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit by his unmerited kindness. Our response is to live as a redemptive presence in the world and be grace distributors on behalf of the King.  I got so fired up about this over these last many years that I recently wrote the book, Grace Ambassador (www.graceambassador.com), just to capture what I think is God’s heart on this subject.

We live as grace distributors on behalf of the King.

Revival and reformation will take place in the culture as we—redeemed and revived servants of the Most High—live in power and grace and extend his amazing, redemptive grace, love, forgiveness, peace, and hope to the people Jesus died for.  Bringing Heaven to earth in the everyday distribution of God’s love and grace is the gateway for what Jesus has planned and prepared us for in this very moment. Revival, renewal, and restoration are coming through women and men—you and me!—who have received amazing grace and have become grace distributors.

You are one of them. You have your assignment. It is Go time!

Your time with God’s Word
Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 NIV

Dr. John Jackson is the president of Jessup University (www.jessup.edu), married to Pamela Jackson, and the author of 10 books on leadership, spiritual life, and cultural transformation. You can find more about Dr. Jackson at www.drjohnjackson.com

Dean Collins

Pastor, campus minister, counselor, corporate employee, Fortune 500 consultant, college president—Dean brings a wide range of experiences and perspectives to his daily walk with God’s Word. 

In 1979 he founded Auburn Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational campus ministry that still thrives today. In 1989 he founded and became executive director for New Directions Counseling Center, a service that grew to include several locations and counselors. In 1996 he became vice president of human resources for the CheckFree Corporation (3,000 employees) till founding DC Consulting in 1999. He continues part-time service with that company, offering executive leadership coaching, organizational effectiveness advice, and help with optimizing business relationships.

His latest pursuit, president of Point University since 2006 (interim president 2006-2009), has seen the college grow in enrollment, curriculum, physical campus, and athletic offerings. He led the school’s 2012 name change and relocation from Atlanta Christian College, East Point, Georgia, to Point University in West Point, Georgia. Meanwhile, he serves as board member or active volunteer with several nonprofits addressing issues ranging from global immunization to local government and education. 

He lives in Lanett, Alabama, with his wife, Penny. He has four children (two married) and five grandchildren. He plays the guitar, likes to cook, and enjoys getting outdoors, often on a nearby golf course. 

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