- Grace is loving people when they least expect it and least deserve it. - Grace is the acknowledgment of imperfection and the commitment to love in spite of it. Ephesians 2:8-9 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Romans 3:23-25 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. Colossians 2:7 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be, and he will become as he can and should be. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe WE SHOW GRACE BY PRE-DECIDING TO: I’m giving them the same I received. Ephesians 4:32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Andy Andrews - “Forgiveness is the ultimate resolution of anger.” I’m giving them . James 1:19 You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Romans 12:9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. I’m giving them tangible . Romans 12:6-17 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. I’m giving them . 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed Don’t fall for the lie that you have to give, when you have a God who provides you need. 1 John 1:8-9 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.