Text: Luke 17:5-10
Memory verse:
”Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.“
‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Did you notice that Jesus didn’t respond, by praying for His disciples, when they asked for increase in faith? Rather, He began to teach them some vital truth. Faith grows primarily, not by asking but by hearing the Word of God or testimony about His wonders (Rom‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬).
The reason why so many believers are living by fear today instead of living by faith is because they have time to hear every other thing apart from the Word of God.
Firstly, Jesus taught them to turn their attention away from the size of their faith to God, the object of their faith. Nothing will be impossible for the one whose small-size faith is in the Almighty God (Luke 17:6).
Secondly, He taught them to focus on grace and not on their works. Faith works by grace. Even after they had done all things they were commanded, they must still depend on grace. As long as anyone has the mindset that because he has exercised a big faith, God must come through for him, then failure is guaranteed. We receive God’s blessing on the basis of grace and not on what we have done. God doesn’t owe us anything, even after we have done what we were commanded. He is never our debtor! Rather, we owe Him everything. As often said, “The owner of a slave does not become a debtor to the slave no matter how much work the slave does”. We will never be able to pay the debt we owe God, nor are we meant to. We will always be dependent on grace.
”Does he thank that servant ….“ (Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬). This statement is not meant to teach leaders to be callous, inhuman and unappreciative. Rather, the idea is that “thanks” is a response to grace. The simple reason why the owner doesn’t thank the slave is that the servant is not giving the owner more than what the owner deserves, that is, he is not treating the owner with grace. You only call it grace, when you are treated more than you deserve. Likewise, we never give God more than what He deserves. We never treat Him with grace, and this means, He never owes us and He will never owe us a ‘thank you’. Therefore, we should always thank Him because He is always giving us more than we deserve.
Friends, always remember that, after you have acted by faith, your desired outcome will still come by God’s grace. You will never earn anything. Thus, the more you acknowledge grace in your life, the more you will increase in faith.
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Prayer points
1. Father, please, let Your grace empower my faith to accomplish great works, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, let me never exercise faith outside Your grace, in Jesus’ name.

Today’s declarations
1. My faith accomplishes much because it is empowered by grace.
2. I don’t treat God with grace but He does, so He owes me no ‘thanks’.