Grace, as the gift of God, stands as the cornerstone of our salvation, indispensable within His purpose. Without this divine favor, there would be no calling, no justification, no Holy Spirit, and no sanctification; indeed, even creation itself might not have come to be. Grace is the key element in God's entire purpose for our salvation, a benevolence that is completely unmerited and unearned. It is not given because God is obligated or compelled, but because it reflects His unchanging nature and character, freely bestowed to fulfill His purpose for us. This divine assistance, termed grace, is not merely a one-time act of justification but a continuous support throughout our spiritual journey. It is the power God grants to His children to move forward, to grow, and to succeed in the responsibilities He assigns, whether in leadership or any position within the church. Grace permeates every step of our path, evident in the daily provisions and guidance He offers, much like the manna, cloud, and pillar of fire provided to Israel in the wilderness. From beginning to end, our salvation is a gifting by God, a benevolence that He leads and directs, to which we respond in thankfulness. Understanding grace as unmerited is vital to controlling human pride and fostering humility. It cannot be demanded or earned, for God owes us nothing but death due to our sins. Yet, because of His purpose and merciful kindness, He does not execute this justice immediately but offers grace instead. Every sin we commit is against Him and His Son personally, yet He remains ever-willing to forgive when we approach Him in repentance. This grace, planned even from our conception, empowers us to be part of His family, designed and gifted by Him to fulfill specific roles within the body of Christ, ensuring that we are not here by accident but by His deliberate and gracious design.

Grace, as a gift of God, is a profound expression of His generous and loving character toward us. It is not something we earn, but a continuous flow of empowerment freely given by Him to meet our spiritual needs. Through His grace, God equips us with abilities and powers to fulfill His purpose, shaping us into His image and character over time through our voluntary cooperation in the experiences He designs for us. Everything in God's creative work within us is a gift of His activity in our lives. Our works, as the fruit of His grace, cannot earn salvation but serve to glorify Him and internalize His character within us during the process of sanctification. Salvation and faith themselves are gifts from God, underscoring that He owes us nothing, yet freely provides all we need for His spiritual creation. In the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, grace is personified. He is described as full of grace and truth, the source from which we receive grace upon grace, a continuous series of blessings and benefits. This grace is not a one-time act but an ongoing empowerment from our Savior, supplying us with forgiveness, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, healing, protection, and more, as long as we accept and use it. God's grace also manifests through His personal involvement in our lives by means of His Holy Spirit, one of His most gracious gifts. Jesus Christ assured His followers that He and the Father would come to them, ensuring they are not left as orphans but are continually supported in their spiritual journey. This promise extends to us, affirming that God is ever-present, providing the power to accomplish our responsibilities and grow in His grace. Grace, as exemplified by Jesus Christ, encompasses salvation, redemption, teaching, hope, and inspiration for godly living. It is a comprehensive gift that flows continuously to assist us along the way. God's generosity is not thoughtless but guided by wisdom, focused on preparing us for His family-kingdom, always providing what we need at the right time, even amidst trials, to ensure our growth and ultimate glorification.

Grace, as the gift of God, stands as the cornerstone of our spiritual salvation, far surpassing its secular meaning of physical gifting. In its spiritual essence, grace embodies the unmerited divine assistance bestowed upon us for regeneration and sanctification. It is not earned, nor is God obligated to provide it; rather, He freely gives it out of His inherent nature to save and to help those less fortunate. His character is one of a giver, loving to bestow gifts not because of any entitlement on our part, but simply because it is His purpose and nature to do so. This divine grace is the foundation of our salvation, a process initiated and sustained entirely by His benevolence. We receive nothing by merit; every spiritual blessing, including life itself and the hope of something far greater, is a gift from Him. Without His freely given grace, we are nothing, utterly dependent on what He provides, both physically and spiritually. Salvation, as a gift, is not guaranteed unconditionally, but it is offered through His grace, and we must accept and continue in it to avoid losing what He has given. Grace also implies empowerment, enabling us to serve and grow spiritually. It is the power of God that allows us to live a new life in Christ, equipping us to yield to His will and utilize the gifts He imparts. These gifts are not innate within us but are revealed and understood through His Spirit, underscoring our complete reliance on His generosity. Every aspect of Christian responsibility and work stems from this creating grace, yet no amount of good works can earn it; it remains a freely given gift from our Creator, shaping us according to His purpose.

Brethren, as we reflect on the life of Solomon, we see a man chosen by the grace of God, given extraordinary gifts to fulfill His purpose. Solomon, known as Jedidiah, the Beloved of God, received wisdom as a direct gift from Him, yet his focus shifted from the Giver to the gift itself. We must remember that everything we have and are is by the grace of God, enabling us to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him. Only through His grace have we obtained mercy to be called His people. Every aspect of our lives must be lived with the understanding that all we possess is possible solely by the grace of God. This grace is not a one-time act of mercy, but a continuous outflowing of His gifts to His spiritual children. It stands as the most vital element of our hope for salvation through the resurrection. He owes us nothing, yet freely gives of His love and power, that we might share a glorious, powerful, fulfilling, and unending life with Him and Jesus Christ. Let us always recognize that everything we have is by His grace, to be used as He sees fit for His beloved.

Grace, as revealed in Scripture, is the unmerited divine favor and gift of God, encompassing the entirety of the salvation process. As Ephesians 2:8-10 declares, by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. This gift extends beyond mere forgiveness of sin, embracing even the faith through which salvation is received, for no part of salvation originates from human effort. Grace, in its essence, causes rejoicing, as it is a gift freely given without constraint, reflecting the lovingkindness of God to humanity. It not only forgives the repentant sinner but brings joy and transforms the individual into a new creature. In its broadest application, as seen in II Corinthians 9:8, grace represents God's ability to provide all that is needed, ensuring sufficiency in all things for every good work. Specifically, as in Romans 1:5, it refers to the calling and apostleship given for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name's sake. From the beginning of creation, God's grace motivated Him to create the heavens, the earth, and beings in His image, not out of necessity but out of His nature to share what He is and has with others. As John 1:14 describes Jesus, He is full of grace and truth, giving and sharing His creative genius without constraint. This grace is endless, described in John 1:16 as grace heaped upon grace, piled on top of grace, motivating God's actions and reflecting His love. Every aspect of creation, designed with balance and purpose, serves as His gift to provide the right environment for His children. Throughout history, God has been out in front, equipping and preparing individuals like Abraham, Moses, David, and Paul, whose calling and apostleship were divine gifts, to fulfill His purpose. Even in the case of Jeremiah, God's grace formed and set him apart before birth, providing inspiration and enabling him to carry out his commission despite personal fears and challenges. God's grace does not remove human responsibility to choose, as seen in the lives of David and Jeremiah, who faced consequences for wrong choices yet were sustained by divine enablement. Similarly, in the account of Jonah, God's sovereign grace pursued and worked through his resistance, narrowing his choices to bring about the right outcome without negating his free moral agency. In all these instances, God's grace stands as the foundation, out in front of humanity, giving what is needed to accomplish His will and purpose.

To those called into the Body of Christ, being sharply aware God's grace, mercy, and favor, working within us, individually and within the body as a whole, to accomplish God's purpose as a privileged responsibility, that cannot be carelessly forsaken. Although God does not need us, He is counting on us to do our job, and to see His grace, mercy, and favor constantly at work within each of the elect in Jesus Christ, and to live accordingly. This topic is an incredible privileged responsibility we have been given, but it must never become our badge of righteousness, but rather a serious responsibility in becoming holy as God is holy. We must always have the attitude of one who beats the breast in grateful humility for being in a place we know we could not possibly be in except for the costly mercy of the Father and the Word. What I hope to accomplish with these next three messages is to help us appreciate just how special we are to God, and how much He is counting on His elect to be one united body in and through Jesus Christ because of the Word of God the grace of God literally resides in each one of us. This is an awesome thing to consider. But do we fully appreciate the various aspects of God's grace that are at work within us to be flowing out from each and every one of us? To those who have been called right now to have God dwelling in us to live according to His Spirit of grace these are very sobering words. God's grace is not a ticket to 'once saved, always saved.' But the very nature of God's perfect lovingkindness works in us to be doing the works of righteousness in unity just like He is from the inside out. Otherwise, we trample on the blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. His grace, His very character is to be ours right now through Jesus Christ so as to be a light to a world stumbling in the darkness. We need to understand the reality of God's grace and truth dwelling in us right now to live a way of life as part that light of righteousness to a dark world that is getting darker everyday. We have a job to do by the grace of God dwelling in us and part of that job is to be preachers of righteousness in word and deed, just as Noah was in his time that had become the absolute antithesis of the grace of God. It is only through the incredible sacrifice of God that we now have His grace dwelling in us to live up to the way of life that God expects, and is only possible now as a way of life from God through Jesus Christ, and the grace of God dwelling in each one of us. All that Israel failed to do because they were missing the most valuable and precious gift that is now ours to use, and have a vital part in the reality of the family of God now. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God by His grace dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. As we approach the Passover, let us faithfully consider the enormous cost the Father and the Son had to ensure that God's own Spirit of grace be intrinsically part of us as a new creation to produce righteousness. We have God's grace dwelling in us through Jesus Christ as a key to a way of life from God.