THE GRACE OF GOD
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OUTLINE
1.SURVIVAL
2.SUFFICIENCY
3.SERVICE
4.SYMPATHY
5.SECRET
6.SALVATION
7.SUCCOUR
THE MESSAGE
THE GRACE OF GOD
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1.SURVIVAL
The mercy of God helps us to survive in this dangerous world . It is because of His mercies that we are not consumed . His favour surrounds us as a shield and protects us from the numerous attacks of the enemy . We should receive the Lord ’s mercy and grace in abundance in our life in order to survive the dangers we face from satan , evil people , etc in this world.The grace of God is a powerful shield of protection in our lives. To counter these increasing threats to our lives we must keep growing in grace which is a covering over our lives. There are so many dangers surrounding us; dangers to our soul, body, relationships, and material possessions etc. We cannot foresee every danger that can affect us. Therefore we need to be strong in the grace of God, which provides a supernatural protection to our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Lamentations 3:22-23
" Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "
Psalms 5:12 "For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."
2.SUFFICIENCY
The Grace of God is sufficient to meet every area of our life.The situations in our lives keep changing. But we can have the assurance that the grace of God will be sufficient for every situation.When we are in the mountain top we will have the grace to be humble. When we are in the valley the grace of God will help us not to be discouraged. Whatever be the situation in our life the grace of God will be sufficient for that situation.The grace of God is sufficient for our life. It helps us to bear difficulties that do not go away. Apostle Paul had a thorn that did not go away but he received grace to bear it. When we face such situations in our life we need the grace of God to bear it.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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II Corinthians 12:7-10
"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
3.SERVICE
The mercy and grace of God helps us to serve Him effectively and powerfully. We are unworthy in our own strength and abilities . But when we receive the grace of God we are enabled to be serve Him . The Apostle Paul felt he was not even worthy to be called an Apostle because he persecuted the church of God. But the Grace of God transformed him and enabled him to labour more than anybody else. We need to receive the grace of God to overcome our weaknesses and limitations and serve God effectively. The grace of God enables us to rise and shine for the Lord.Very often we feel inadequate and unworthy
to do anything for the lord. We may lack natural abilitities and talents. But the grace of God can enable us to do that which we cannot do in our natural strength. Apostle Paul was an enemy of Christ in his natural state. But the grace of God tranformed him into a mighty apostle. The grace of God can do the same for everyone of us.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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I Corinthians 15:9-10 :
" For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. "
4.SYMPATHY
The Lord wants us to come boldly before the throne of Grace to receive grace and mercy to help in time of need. We have a high priest who can understand our pain and agony because He was tested in every area like us ,yet remained sinless. Therefore He is moved with a heart of compassion for us . Hence we can come boldy before the throne of grace and receive all the help that we need in our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Hebrews 4:15-16
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
5.SECRET
The grace of God helps us to progress in our life. God gives more and more grace to us to help us grow in our usefulness and
spirituality. The grace of God increases when we humble ourselves and when we praise and worship God as a lifestyle. God wants us to keep growing in the gifts and talents He has given to us. With more grace we must do more for God. With new grace we must do new things for God. The grace of God helps us live a life of ever increasing usefulness and blessing. The secret of receiving more and more grace in our lives is to have a heart of thanksgiving and humility.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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II Corinthians 4:15
"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. "
James 4:6
" But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
6.SALVATION
The mercy of God helps us to receive forgiveness for our sins . When we humble ourselves and acknowledge our sins and repent the Lord is merciful to forgive our transgressions and iniquities .The fundamental blessing we receive through the grace of God is the salvation of our soul. Salvation is a free gift , an unmerited favour bestowed which none of us deserve.No one deserves the son of God to die for their sins.Therefore the blessing we receive through the grace of God is the salvation of our soul.The grace of God brings forgiveness for our sins. Man has no right to demand forgiveness from God. God can punish Man for all his sins. But in His grace He chose to provide a way of Salvation through the death of His Son on the cross.
Therefore it is by the grace of God we receive pardon for our sins. The grace of God makes us righteous before God. Therefore we need to be strong in the grace of God and experience His mercy in our lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Luke 18:9-14:
" To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: ’God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ’God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
7.SUCCOUR
The mercy of God helps us to receive healing for our sicknesses and diseases. We need to cry out for the mercy of God in times of illness and receive His healing .
The mercy of God helps us to avoid experiencing sorrow upon sorrow in our lives. The Lord had mercy upon Apostle Paul and did not allow him to experience sorrow upon sorrow. We should cry out for God’s mercy in order to avoid experiencing overwhelming sorrow in our lives.
The grace and mercy of God grants us favour in the eyes of people and authorities. In the Old Testament the Lord granted Joseph favour in the eyes of the prsioner-keeper. He granted Daniel favour and tender love with the authority in charge of him. We need to receive this grace and favour of God in our lives which would cause us to receive favour and sympathy in the eyes of people who wield influence and authority over us.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Philippians 2:27
" Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. "
Genesis 39:21
" But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. "
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