During these challenging days, some of us find ourselves locked up at home and spending 24 hours a day 7 days a week with our loved ones. This is a time when we must show each other grace beyond normal. I  know many of you may think of grace as follows:

Gods Riches At Christ Expense. 

But I would like to give you another example of how to think about Grace.

1. The first Characteristic #1 G which stands for Gift

A.  Ephesians 2:8 & 9, says, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Grace is a gift from God to you and from you to others.

A gift cannot be achieved;….. it can only be received.

2. Characteristic  #2 R – Revealed

In Titus 2:11 we read, “… For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

It Appeared, it showed up, it was revealed so all men could see it.

The grace of God is not hidden; Grace is reveled through Christ.

Grace has been revealed; is being revealed; and will continue to be revealed – past, present, future.

 3. Characteristic #3 A – Acceptance

Because of Christ we are acceptable to God, but we don’t always believe that or accept that.

A. Ephesians 1:6 says, to the praise of his glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the one he loves.

It is in his grace that He has made us acceptable; accepted into the family of God.

People will go to extraordinary lengths today to be accepted.

This craving to be accepted often drives people to do very damaging things to themselves in an effort to gain  acceptance.

4. Characteristic # 4 C – Calling

A. Grace is a calling. Just as I was called to be a Pastor we are all called to show grace.

B. Romans 1:7 Paul says, to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Here he describes the Christians as those “…called to be saints…”

When God calls us into service, He then gifts us with spiritual abilities to do what He has called us to do. Grace is one of those spiritual abilities.

5. Characteristic # 5  Eternal Life

We live in a world of uncertainty. 1 John 5:12 & 13 says, 

He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

In Summary:

(1) Characteristic # 1 grace is a gift.

(2) Characteristic # 2 grace is  revealed.

(3) Characteristic # 3 grace is  acceptance.

(4) Characteristic # 4 grace is a calling.

(5) Characteristic # 5 grace is eternal life.

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ALLIANCE HISTORY AND THOUGHT. 

AFRICA :  The first Alliance missionaries entered Africa in 1884, serving in the Belgian Congo. By 1892, nearly 30 Alliance missionaries were sharing the good news of Jesus throughout the continent.  Today, The Alliance has national churches in nine African countries, with an inclusive membership of more than 1 million believers. During the past decade, more than 400,000 people have come to faith in Christ through Alliance ministries in Africa.