Grace Classics: Escape to Reality Greatest Hits, Volume 2
Read Grace Classics: Escape to Reality Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Online
Authors: Paul Ellis
Tags: #Chistian Grace
From E2R
Readers
Wow!
I consider myself a lifelong student of God’s incredible power and grace.
Although there are many preachers of grace, I have found none more articulate
and clear about the message than Paul Ellis.
-
Michael M., real estate investor, Birmingham,
AL
I
have been greatly blessed by E2R. The clarity of Paul Ellis’s explanations and
the fixed focus on Jesus just makes me shout “wow!”
-
Evans D-M., businessman, Tema, Ghana
I’ve
been a Christian for 13 years but I didn’t truly know God until I was exposed
to the gospel of grace. Thank you Paul, for proclaiming this truth so boldly on
E2R! It has transformed my life and I’m forever grateful.
-
Opeyemi P., medical student, Nashville,
TN
E2R
has been instrumental in my escape from the bondage of legalism and into the
freedom of grace. Now my children are learning from Paul Ellis as well and I
couldn’t be happier.
-
Krista F., homeschooling mom, McKinney,
TX
Paul
Ellis does what every great author does – he makes you think outside your box
and challenges you to see Jesus in a new way. His message of amazing grace is
not only clear but accurately portrays the message the apostles and Jesus died
for.
-
Zach M., youth pastor, San Antonio, TX
In a
world that preaches mixture and law, I am left astounded and speechless by the
amazing grace that Paul shows. He beautifully goes against cultural-Christian
thinking to display the unconditional love of a Dad who wants us just as we
are; a Dad that showers us with grace, blessings, favor and love just because
we’re his. I know now that I am a child rather than a slave because of leaders
like Paul!
-
Jessi C., college student, Yakima, WA
My 30
years as a Christian had been utterly miserable because I had been taught a
false grace. I believe our Father brought me to E2R. Grace taught here will
blow your mind; it has mine. If you have faulty foundations then pure grace
starts to dig them up and lays right foundations. I spent 15 years away from
church. If I was at Paul’s church I’d be banging on his door and asking for a
service every day.
-
Bill G., finance director, Winchester,
UK
E2R
has changed me from religious to gracious, revealing more of Jesus in my life.
Kudos brother Paul!
-
Jeremiah
M., student, Nairobi, Kenya
I
have been reading E2R for the past few years. I always look forward to the next
post or book! Paul Ellis has a very special gift in writing. The message of the
cross is all about grace and Paul captures this essence. I love that he is
willing to refute those who oppose in ignorance, yet with grace and love.
-
Maryann
P., nurse, Clinton, NC
The
name of your website has been just that to me, an escape to reality. I have
been a Christian for over 30 years. By God’s grace and your website, I have
been able to rest in God’s amazing grace.
-
Robert
H., store manager, Greensboro, NC
Grace Classics: Escape to Reality Greatest Hits, Volume 2
ISBN:
978-1-927230-25-1
Copyright
© 2015 by Paul Ellis
Published
by KingsPress, Birkenhead, New Zealand. This title is also available as a
paperback. Visit www.KingsPress.org for information.
All
rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents may not be
reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent
of the publisher. An exception is made for brief quotations in reviews. The use
of short quotes or occasional page copying for personal or group study is also
permitted and encouraged.
Unless otherwise indicated all Scripture quotations are taken from
the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984,
2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations marked “
AMP”
are
taken from the Amplified Bible. Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scriptures quotations marked “GNB” are taken from the
Good News Bible.
Copyright © 1994 published by the Bible Societies/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
UK,
Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976, 1992. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are taken from the
King James
Version
of the Bible (1611).
Scripture quotations marked “MSG” are taken from
The
Message
. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000,
2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Scripture quotations marked “
NKJV”
are
taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “YLT” are taken from
Young’s
Literal Translation
of the Bible (1898).
Please note that KingsPress’ publishing style capitalizes certain
pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may
differ from some publisher’s styles.
Cover layout and design by Brad Wallace of bradwallaceimaging.com.
Any Internet addresses printed in this book are offered as a
resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by
KingsPress, nor does KingsPress vouch for the content of these sites for the
life of this book.
Version: 1.0 (February 2015)
Dedication:
This is for Escape to Reality readers whose kindness and patience over the
years have helped me sharpen my message.
1. By Which
Gospel Are You Saved?
2. Two
Religions: Works and Blood
4.
“Practical Holiness”—Your Fast-Track for Setting Aside Grace
5. Whose
Medicine Are You Taking? The Dangers of Taking Scripture Out of Context
6. Does God
Give and Take Away?
7. When
Doing Good is Bad for You
8. How to
Walk After the Flesh in Twenty Easy Lessons
9. Seven
Signs that You Might Be Living Under Law
10. Why
Repentance is like Football
11. Why
Confession is Still Good for You
12. Where
was God in the Connecticut School Shooting?
14. What
Happens to Christians Who Commit Suicide?
Bonus track…
15. Star
Trek and the Great Commission: Twelve Parallels
When I was about fourteen years
old I was involved in a number of school bands. I wasn’t a very good musician,
but what I lacked in talent I made up for in volume.
One time
the head of the music department asked me and a couple of friends to perform at
a Christmas party at a home for intellectually-handicapped people. I was
reluctant to go. “We only know two songs.” I wasn’t joking. Of course, the
other band members and I each knew more than two songs, but there were only two
songs we knew how to play together. One was Herbie Hancock’s classic
“Watermelon Man” and the other was the theme to
The
Pink Panther.
It wasn’t much of a repertoire, but we were just kids.
“Well,
just play those two songs,” said the head. “You’ll be fine.” So we went to the
home for intellectually-handicapped people and played “Watermelon Man” followed
by “The Pink Panther” and then “Watermelon Man” again followed by “The Pink
Panther” again and we did this for two straight hours. We tried to mix it up by
throwing in extended solos and dramatic finishes, but there was no hiding our
limited repertoire.
To our
surprise and delight, the audience loved us. Every time we began a new song we
heard murmurs of excitement ripple through the crowd. “I know this one!” Maybe
they were being kind or perhaps they had genuinely forgotten that we had just played
the same song five minutes earlier, but we made a great impression. We were the
band that plays the songs everybody knows.
It’s
possible that the people in that home had not heard “Watermelon Man” or the
theme to
The Pink Panther
before that night, but I guarantee those two
songs were not quickly forgotten. I like to think they became Christmas
classics which are replayed every year.
This
experience reminds me of something the apostle Paul said:
Further,
my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write
the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you… Rejoice in the
Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 3:1, 4:4)
When it came to singing the
praises of a good God, Paul was not afraid of playing the same songs again and
again. He may have been the smartest guy in the Roman Empire but wherever he
went he preached the same simple message, namely, the gospel of God’s grace
(Acts 20:24). And it is this message that I write about on my blog Escape to
Reality (a.k.a. E2R).
A few
months ago I released Volume 1 of E2R’s Greatest Hits. Welcome to Volume 2.
It’s great to have you here. The first book was called
Grace Disco.
You
may be wondering why this one is called
Grace Classics
.
A
classic is something that has stood the test of time and has been judged to be
of the highest quality. If this book comes within a million miles of that
standard it is because it proclaims the eternal gospel, which is the best news
and the most thrilling of announcements.
A
classic is something that resonates within and fills us with divine beauty.
Think of a classic piece of music—Beethoven’s
Ode to Joy
comes to mind,
so does the hymn
Amazing Grace
—and how it makes you feel when you listen
to it. The gospel of grace has the same effect. When we hear it in all its
unblemished glory, something within us stirs to life and we lift our eyes to heaven.
Our hearts fill with joy and our minds bend with wonder.
Who is this God who
loves me like this?
How can
I say that the chapters in this book are—dare I say it—classics? Because each
conveys the good news of Jesus and it is
this
message—not my rough versions
of it—that has stood the test of time and continues to move those who hear it.
I write so that you may rejoice in the Lord who is the embodiment of the
Father’s love and grace toward us.
The
best, most classic bits in this book are not original—I stole them from the
Bible. And all the other bits I lifted straight from the blog. But even though
you may have read them before, it is no trouble for me to write the same things
to you again. Like Paul, I have just one message to preach.
Some of
the material on E2R has gone on to shape chapters in my various gospel books.
However, most of the articles in this collection of greatest hits have not been
published anywhere else. I have taken this opportunity to give them a bit of
spit and polish. After each you will find some reflections and stories about how
they came to be and how they were received.
If the
articles on the blog are the rehearsal, this book is the concert performance.
So as the lights go down and the curtain goes up why don’t you sit back, relax,
and allow the music of God’s grace to soothe your soul.