An Interview with Max Lucado About His New Book, Grace

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In my thirty-plus year career in publishing, I have had the privilege of working with a number of amazing authors. One of those is my friend, Max Lucado.

In twenty-five years of writing, Max has sold more than 80 million books. His new book, Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine, was published by Thomas Nelson last month.Recently, I had an opportunity to sit down with Max and talk with about his new book. In this interview, I asked him:

  • A lot of people say grace has been your life message, do you believe that is accurate?
  • How has your understanding of grace changed over the years?
  • What is the difference between saving grace and sustaining grace?
  • Do you think the average person today understands grace, and if not, what is in the way?
  • What does grace look like when we experience it and express it?
  • Where does this book fit into the full scope of your work?

The book really is terrific. Classic Max. And, it’s on a topic that is always refreshing.

I gave away 50 copies of Grace. To qualify, my readers had to comment below. You can find the list of winners here.
Question: What is your understanding of grace and why is it important? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
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Category: Personal Development
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  • Johnhelmick

    My understanding of Grace is simply that it is the undeserved favor of God upon me, a sinner where he lavishes his love and forgiveness on me so that I can not only have eternal life, but also abundant life on this earth while his Spirit lives in me.

  • Jaki

    Grace is a gift from God, a forgiveness, pardon, and second chances to things that we have never deserved. It’s like a never ending gift card- paid by Jesus on the cross. If desired from ones heart, it’s always there. Most amazingly, it’s free. Something tough to put into words, and still working on grasping the full concept of it. Looking forward to reading Max’s book about Grace. :) And lets never forget.. Grace is a gift that you can receive and GIVE. 

  • http://www.reachinghurtingwomen.com/ Tamara

    I experienced God’s overpowering grace when after turning away from God and living in sin and addiction, He welcomed me back into His loving arms with no guilt or shame attached. It was and still is amazing to me that I am allowed to come into His presence. Thanks Michael for all you do. Blessings!

  • Magdalene

    For me, grace is a person. God is grace like God is love….  Grace is everything I’m not and cannot do. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow (1 Cor 3:6)

  • Nicole Denise

    Grace, to me, is God-empowerment used to accomplish physically, mentally, and spiritually what we cannot in our own human capacity.

  • Jim Fitzgerald

    Grace is something I am really beginning to get a grasp of, especially God’s grace.  Growing up in a certain spiritual background, we were more concerned about “earning” God’s love, and it will be interesting to read Max’s take on this subject (similar background).  We don’t deserve grace, but God gives it to us, IF we accept it and call on him.  Without it, we have no hope.  I would love to read this work by a great writer!

  • BENJIEPL

    GRACE IS UNDESERVED FAVOR FROM GOD. THE SALVATION/ETERNAL LIFE THAT HE GIVES THRU HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST IS THE GREATEST GRACE. BUT GRACE MUST NOT BE IGNORED OR EVEN ABUSED.  

  • Xenaxena12@yahoo.ca

    Grace is God’s love for us regardless of how far we have strayed from him.

  • http://mattdeyoung.com/ Matt DeYoung

    Thank you Michael and Max. This is a life changing book. I read it one day. At the same time, I feel it had a life-long impact on myself, my wife, our family…and frankly, how we interact with the community around us. 

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/MQU7XPTTETZB5HP3ZMZPJUOUA4 Bob

    Grace is a gift from God that I don’t deserve, but accept willingly!

  • Andrew Smith

    Grace means a free gift God has given us by forgiving our sins. He could have turned away but he didn’t. Grace is important because we all need it!

  • Sandy Sykes

    Grace is what I personally need in abundance and yet I struggle so much to willingly give it. God needs to equip me better to be more like Him in all my everyday dealings with people. I need to be more gracious especially with those who are not in my immediate heart felt love exchange. It does seem to be easier to be more gracious to those closest to me than those who are not.

  • Sandy Sykes

    Grace is what I personally need in abundance and yet I struggle so much to willingly give it. God needs to equip me better to be more like Him in all my everyday dealings with people. I need to be more gracious especially with those who are not in my immediate heart felt love exchange. It does seem to be easier to be more gracious to those closest to me than those who are not.

  • Tammie

    :( im sad that I just received the email today! Nov. 3..
    Being born again, not by works but grace(Jesus) who loves us all
    enough to pay a costly price for us at no cost to us.

  • Linda J Shull

    I usually sign my name, “In His Grace.” I love to live in the light of God’s view, acceptance, forgiveness, freedom and love for me. I also need His grace desperately on a daily basis. His grace enables me to see other people through His eyes and extend that same grace to them.

  • http://twitter.com/KimunyaMugo Kimunya Mugo

    Writing to heal a childhood wound that was the absence of my father is grace extended to me by His Majesty. Through this new book (my very first), I have received healing. It has opened up an avenue for me to forgive my father, and to live life to its fullest. God’s sustaining grace has been bathed upon me, getting a publisher, somehow scraping the funds to publish, awesome leaders have offered to review the book… My, I can go on and on! And this from a guy who was told he would amount to nothing? God’s grace, God’s grace…

  • Kat V.

    Grace is God’s gift to me – one I don’t deserve, yet one so freely given!  Grace along with His Truth and time, will bring me to a place of being transformed into the person I was created to be.  Can’t wait to read the additional wisdom that one of my all-time favorite men of God brings through his newest book!

  • L B

    Grace is central to God’s character.  Grace is God’s unconditional and unearned love that is freely given.  Grace also empowers us to grow, to be sanctified.

  • Aggie Baird

    Undeserved, a precious gift to all that cost God everything, we can be a child of his not because of any good work we did but what God did for us through Jesus! Now I have the grace that I can extend to others in my life! 

  • Sarayu

    Isn’t it an amazing strategy to give some books for free and get unlimited publicity as many of us assume we will be in those top x people who will get a free copy :)) anyway I like your articles Mike

  • Phil

    Grace is the goodness and forgiveness of God extended to us though we could never deserve it.

  • Vicki Lewis

    Grace is what He teaches us to get through the everyday annoyances of life – at the office, at home, on the road, anywhere.  It keeps me in peace when things aren’t going smoothly because I know that all humans are fallible and sometimes others around me cause a problem and sometimes it’s me.

  • Amazed

    My understanding of grace … Grace is an action based on a conscious decision to freely give & freely receive in love so no obligations or expectations. We neither deserve it or can pay it back, but we can pay it forward!

  • Rajdeep Paulus

    Wow. Michael. All I can say is Wow. I just shared my story with a pilot in a cafe today and the words were nearly identical to Max Lucado’s … 

    The night God met me on a midnight stroll on the beach, 21 years ago. “The waves just kept coming back, and I knew God was telling me that he would keep coming back for me. To love me. To shower me with his grace. Time and time again.” 

    What are the chances?!? :) Feeling so aware that 21 years ago, God used the waves in my life to woo me to himself! Love Max Lucado’s story-telling books. My favorite has been “In the Grip of Grace,” but I’m starting to wonder if his new one will be a close second! :) -Raj

  • Barb Harvey

    Would love to receive a copy of his new book…. have been a huge fan for many years.

  • Kandace

    Grace is the undeserved ability we have been given to say yes to Him for salvation, santification and glorification.

  • http://onbehalfofall.org/ Vincent Martini

    Grace is the uncreated, Divine energies (ἐνέργεια) of the all-holy Trinity.

    “The general ministry of the Holy Spirit applies to all of creation and involves a variety of salvific activities. Towards mankind His redemptive ministry is of an external nature. His special ministry—involving the internal operation of ecclesial Grace through initially imparted Baptism—is given to the organic members of His Body and continues in the mystical life of the Church, mainly through Holy Communion.” -Patrick Barnes

    I’m assuming that “Grace” is being used in a way other than “theological” here? It seems as if most are associating “grace” with a general idea of kindness towards a person when it isn’t deserved. That is a noble virtue, but is not “Grace” in an Orthodox, theological sense. FWIW.

    In peace,
    Vincent

    • http://michaelhyatt.com/ Michael Hyatt

      Vincent, thanks for your comment. Can you explain how this distinction is expressed biblically? I think that would be helpful to my readers. Thanks.

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