One minute sermon..............is it enough?

Okay, I like this, I really do!! Although I have one or two little beefs as listening to her rap got me thinking. Namely because I guess this was directed at people who don't know God and aren't living in what the cross provided. So here goes. ..........do we actually give our lives to God, don't we just accept the Life - He has purchase for us? And we all stand forgiven whether we ask for it or not, we just may not live in the benefit of knowing it.

 I don't mean to get into semantics here, but I really do see it as an important distinction to make.  So many people publicly preach or share that we need to give our lives to God - but why would we want to? No, we need to hear that what He did was for free and for love and then we will want to accept the gift of salvation as our very own!! Otherwise, we get it mixed up and live this 'christian' life as if we have to do something for God when really it's ~ He did everything for us! It is finished!! 

I guess I'm not so much into pointing out what is wrong with people, but what can be right for them should they see Jesus in all His beauty. Knowing who Christ is, Love personified, to me that is the message that should be shared. Her rap was impressive and ultimately she is pointing to a better life choice, but I don't know I just wonder how many people saw God's love for them in that rap. I am not nitpicking her in particular, but this is what I see from many public 'pulpits' if you will. These calls to give up your life and give it to God kind of mentality. How is that supposed to work really? 
I never really wanted to hear more about what I shouldn't do and what I should be doing instead. No, all I wanted to know in this life was that I was loved despite myself. Accepted for who I am whether or not I made all the best choices or not and that that acceptance and love would never fail or be taken away based on my performance in life! But hey that's just me..............and I am thinking most people want to be loved into a relationship, not pushed into one cause they aren't living a life worth living!!

Undeserving..........

For God so loved the world......He created us in HIS image and declared us GOOD.......Jesus Christ, the lamb slain BEFORE the foundation of the world. 

Grace was in place before man ever sinned, or even existed!! Man was wanted by God, therefore he was created.

So, I was struck today by a very ridiculous, but common statement I hear uttered out of the mouths of christians regularly. It's right up there with, "I am doing better than I deserve."  Ugh! It was someone stating how undeserving poor lil ole them is receiving grace from God. 

Alright, pause for a moment..............................Let's become like little children. Say your parents lavished love on you day in and day out. They shower you with good gifts and declare how wonderful and precious you are to them. Your dad even tells you that you are perfect in His sight, even though you know from time to time you really are quite naughty. Do you gratefully receive your parents unceasing love for you? Or do you say thanks dad, but I am so undeserving of this love and kindness? I don't know about any of you - but as a child I can't recall telling my parents I don't deserve their goodness. I actually craved their love and affection, and longed for them to be good to me. 

So, back to this 'undeserving'  christian attitude we hear of so often. Folks that attitude shows me that you are focused on your shortcomings and not on the fact that God loves to bless you, and to pour out His love on you. 

Next time someone asks you how you are doing - you can revel in God's goodness to you with joy and point to His perfect love - not your 'undeservedness'. Jesus already dealt with our fallen state - God has declared us righteousness and spotless!! Let's believe Him and thank Him for what He's done, not to mention what He has already completely finished!!

It's not about us deserving it - after all it's unmerited. We can't earn it anyway. That would miss the point of the very nature of God. He pours out His love freely because he can't help it!! He is a lover!

We just miss the heart of God when we make it about us (and ultimately about our performance)!  There is nothing you or I can DO to obtain his favor, grace or love.  And, there is nothing we can DO to lose it either! Jesus act upon Calvary was the ultimate love act for all of mankind! And it was His joy to go to the Cross!! He knew what it would mean for all of humanity! Restored relationship and a new life for all who would but believe on Him!!! 

Grace is indeed unmerited, it is a gift! We can freely receive it without having to feel the need to point out we are undeserving. I don't know about you, but I long to be blessed by God and I smile when he showers me with heavenly kisses. I know He loves and adores me and it makes my heart sing with delight!! That is relationship!! Relationship is based on love and acceptance, not on merit or performance!! So go ahead and freely receive the lavish grace of your wonderful Father!!! 

Performance Based Acceptance..........

Okay, so it's day late, but I am going to post a brief testimony of my life pre-grace, while still in the mire of performance based acceptance, to join in on the syncroblog. I have since learned since breaking free from the performance treadmill, ie religion/legalism/much of the modern day church, is that my greatest need all along was love and acceptance. I had spent all my life up until the summer of '07 trying to get love and acceptance whatever way I knew how. I am here to tell you about the years of my life that I sought to gain love and acceptance through my performance. Only thing is, I didn't know then what I know now, and didn't know that that is what I was after and that was how I was trying to gain acceptance. By my behavior and performance. The problem was not ultimately me all along, the problem was what I believed. 

After years of living in the world seeking for acceptance and love, of which I never truly found, I became pregnant. Unmarried and scared, the next several months were the most challenging months I ever faced. When the time came near for my son to be born, I had come to the realization that I needed God. Though I didn't fully know why at the time. I told him I knew I needed him, but I just couldn't live up to the christian life. I just couldn't do it! He told me not to worry about it, and to let Him do it for me! I realized I could live with that, and slowly opened my heart back up to him. 

Shortly after this time, I returned to church. I found my husband, got married and became committed to the church. I served and pursued growing as a christian. I took marriage classes, parenting classes, read all the recommended books, struggled to have quiet times, had accountability, and more. I thought that juggling all these plates was my duty and it was the ticket to a disciplined mature christian life. Only trouble was, I was dying on the inside. I did not have true joy, and had many struggles in my marriage. The struggles were due to the high bar we tried to hold over each other, and we both fell way short. They were exasperated by ongoing council from our pastor, which only caused more pain and turmoil. 

What happened was awful and ugly and I won't go into detail here, as I have shared parts of my testimony throughout my blog. BUT, what broke us free, was finally hearing the truth of the Gospel in it's entirety for the first time, with NO conditions. You see, I knew about grace, but I only knew about the half of it, and then mix that with still trying to apply the law and standards to my life and you have a recipe for disaster. 

It was the summer of '07 and I listened to a message by Rob Rufus. In it he explained the distinction between grace and law. And I remember at one point in the message, he shared this....he said, "I want to say, categorically............you have NO christian duties!"  WHAT!!!  The next thing I remember hearing from him, was the promise in Isaiah 54 of how God is no longer angry with us. These truths began to really set me free to receive the truth of the Gospel and God's love and acceptance for me so fully. I had finally found what I had been looking for all my life!! It was available all along, but I had not seen or been taught the truth. I had believed lies, and that had caused me to live in such a way that caused a void in me. I experienced true joy for the first time in my life!! 

I choose not to ponder the past, because He is doing a new thing in me. Each day I press on, living in the present, experiencing His presence, love and joy over me. It's an exciting and wild journey this life, based on HIS performance for me! Thanks to Jesus, I am accepted by God, and seen as He sees Christ, perfect forever, the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, holy, blameless, spotless, seated in heavenly places, as a Son and heir of God!!!

Then and now..............

I am restored and made new......................

So, what's the difference in my life since then, since I was living in confusion about who I was in Christ and how God felt about me?

Well, then, I lived often confused, often feeling like I wasn't ever good enough, like I wasn't mature and needed to somehow 'grow' and be more holy, have more discipline in my life.

Now, I know I am holy, set apart to God! He said it not me! I don't need to be sanctified, I already am. I can't do anything more or less to attain my status or change it! I am complete and whole in Him, PERIOD!! (My 'sanctification' if you will is just me getting a greater and greater hold on who I am, believing in the Truth and letting it do it's work in me)

Back then, I often felt depressed, but didn't know it. Endlessly emotional, tossed to and fro. Tired, mentally, physically and spiritually. Self-conscious and insecure. Struggling with fear of man and what I could do to please people.

Now, I am full of joy and totally know it!! I am happy and growing more and more stable as time rolls on. Physically energized, mentally stimulated and spiritually alive!! Christ conscious and VERY SECURE!! Now I do not give in to fear of man like I did back then. It's tempting, but no thanks!!

Back then, I was wary of people. I scrutinized everyone and often judged others in my heart. I had a hard time making 'real' friends and relating to others. My relationship with God was impaired. My relationship with my husband was wrought with angst and criticism. My relationship with my kids was more about correction and teaching them, than accepting and loving them.

Now, I see people as precious loved ones of a most High God. I am quicker to accept others and not regard them according to their flesh, but instead according to how God sees them. Whether saved or unsaved. I have some of the best friends I have ever had in my whole life, and can be totally real and honest with them. My relationship with God has never been better. We talk, we laugh, we grieve, dance, play and love together. My husband and I are now live in peace and happiness and no longer judge each other. I adore my kids and regard them as precious. I can't believe how much I love them and no longer view them as 'objects' to train and teach, but as unique individuals that I can nuture and encourage.

Then, I lived with a lot of guilt. Condemnation consumed me. I could barely function. I was uptight and grumpy often. I didn't know who I really was. Depression was my companion and I did not know how to get free from it.

Now, I am free from guilt, shame and condemnation. Not just in the sense that that is True in God's Word, but I am living in that truth now. And if condemnation ever comes my way, I stand up fight and it quickly goes. I function out of peace and just go with the flow of what each new day brings. Enjoying the fresh mercies God sends along daily. I am much freer and happier. Joy is my constant companion. I am beginning to find my true self, and all the passions I held inside are now bursting forth with fresh life!!

"Christ has set us

free to live a free life.

So take your stand!

Never again let anyone

put a harness

of slavery on you."

- Galatians 5:1

The Message

Out of the pigpen into His arms.............

Once upon a time, there was a girl who longed to live in freedom and love. She desperately wanted to be understood and fully accepted by anyone. Alas, she could not find this in her life anywhere and so she decided to run away from everything she knew. She went out into the big wide open and decided to see who would love her. Initially, she was embraced and accepted by a few friends. She began to party with them and spent much of her time dancing and hanging out. Finally, feeling totally free to express herself and be herself with no fear of scrutiny. Eventually, she partied a little more and a little harder. But, never TOO much. She met guys who told her she was beautiful, and they desperately wanted to be with her. To her this seemed like what she always wanted. Wow, she had never experienced so much attention in all her life. Eventually, she found someone wonderful, fell in love and they moved in together and lived together quite happily for many years. Partying together and doing whatever they wanted. Sometimes getting drunk or high. Just having fun whenever they wanted with no fear of consequence. For years this was the scene for this young girl and she 'seemed' quite happy, but over time she began to wonder, 'Is this all there is?'  Over time that initial acceptance waned and that love purported to be love, began to be questioned. She began to get into a fog of depression and went without work and just wasted her time away in her despair. She wanted to understand what was really wrong but just couldn't put her finger on it. Her friends began to get impatient with her. Her boyfriend got tired of 'supporting' her and wondered if he really wanted to be with someone so confused, and frankly so pathetic.

All that freedom and fun was leading her nowhere. Now the friends she had weren't so accepting, so she found new friends. Then she found a new guy who thought the world of her and she started spending a lot of time with him and less time with her boyfriend of many years. This new guy lavished her with love and praise and knew all the right things to say and do. It was initially quite dreamy, but did not last. Her choice to hang with him eventually ended her long term relationship. She wasn't prepared for that, after all, all she really wanted was somebody to 'really' love her and 'really' accept her. 

The shock of that loss didn't hit right away, because of course the new knight in shining armor was there to absorb the blow. However, it wasn't long before he too would wane in his care for her. Truth is, he never really cared about her to begin with. He only wanted to get something out of being in a relationship with her, no matter the cost to her. This began to be painfully obvious to her, that his love was false and she began to fear. Not long after this realization, that he didn't 'truly' love her, she found out she was pregnant. How could this happen to her? Why couldn't it have happened with her prior knight who she at least had a longer history with and a genuine friendship with?  Now, she was with this guy, who she was beginning to see was a wolf in sheep's clothing and she was pregnant with his child. Why now? Why him? Why her? 

He asked her if she wanted to get married. An adamant, 'No', was her reply. Then he asked her, if she'd would have an abortion. To which she gave an even more adamant 'No!'  To him those were the only choices. To her, well she was hoping for something better, but what?

Well, they tried to figure things out together. He pressed her to put the baby up for adoption. She reluctantly met with a couple about it, but it just didn't feel right. They discussed moving in together, but couldn't make it happen. Eventually, he became extremely overbearing and needy and she began to weary of him. They just drifted apart and went their own seperate ways. This is when she began to tank out. All of a sudden, alone for the first time facing this enormous reality of having a child, she just unraveled. Despair, grief, anxiety, fear, and woe all came crashing down upon her like a ton of bricks. Pain like she never knew before became her constant companion for months upon months. It wasn't until she began to feel her child kicking inside and decided to be his mom that hope began to reknew her heart. 

Knowing a little one was on the way, caused her to brace herself and figure some things out. She began to tell people that she was expecting, because she could hide it no longer. Thankfully, her co-workers were extremely supportive. She found a new place to live, as she was about to be evicted from her old place anyway. She got a bit of a game plan going and began to prepare for the arrival of her baby. Yet still, she felt an emptiness within. Emptiness with some tinge of hope.

As her pregnancy neared it's end, she noticed one day that something wasn't right. So, she headed to the hospital to see her doctor. After being checked out, he told her, she needed to be admitted. She was dilated, the baby was breech and their was an infection. All alone and scared she went into the very large cold hospital room. There she remained for the next 8 days, waiting on edge. Family visited, old church members visited, prayers were being prayed on her behalf. It was during this time that she began to search and seek for God. Or was it He was calling her to Him? She wondered if she could go back to her roots of christianity and church life. She thought it was the right thing to do, but yet she never felt the love and acceptance there that she so desperately craved. She wrestled in her mind about going back. She told God, she simply couldn't do it. It was too hard! 

After those long dark days when her hospital prison sentence was over, she went home on bed rest. Now more vulnerable than ever, with no certainty for her future, but a pending massive life change looming large in sight, she waited. Waited until the day that would change her life forever! 

Finally that day arrived. The baby was on his way! Off to the hospital she was rushed. An emergency c-section was ordered and she cringed and cried with trepidation. But, her baby's life was worth it, and soon she would meet her precious son! 

Who could prepare for such a moment? How could a little child change so much and so fast? As soon as she held him in her arms for the first time she knew. Her heart was won over and she knew God was her answer. He was her life and her source, she could no longer deny it. Joy began to fill her heart for the first time in so long. Real joy!! What had seemed to be all an incredible disaster and devastation, had now come full circle and proved to be the best thing that ever happened in her life thus far! 

It was at this moment she truly heard His whisper to her heart that HE would do everything for her, HE would keep her and she could rest in Him. 

It was as if the prodigal had decided to come home now, he was tired of the pigpen. She too had had enough. She wanted to come home, no matter the shame. What she didn't realize was that there had always been nothing but outstretched arms for her and one who was waiting for her to come down that path..................................All along He had been waiting for her, longing to hold her in His loving arms, fully delighted in her and fully accepting of her, despite herself. Despite what she had always thought of Him. He wanted her!! Just simply, wanted to be with her!!! 

Here in the love of Christ I stand!

  Tonight I was struggling with grief, I think and quite a bit of condemnation.....I couldn't put my finger on it fully, so I had to go listen to one of my favorite messages, "Victory over Condemnation" (listed under highly recommended teachings on grace)....I wanted to cry because, sometimes life hurts alot and I get really tired of where my emotions can take me....but I know God loves me, I know He is allowing me this season of my life to heal from essentially believing lies for so many years, He doesn't ever condemn me, this I know with confidence....I guess healing takes longer than I hoped, I just want to move on and move forward and get past all this baggage and get off all the layers of wrong believing that have piled up, the years wasted and years that led me to steep in condemnation consciousness, living in the Old Covenant thinking when God has promised us a New Covenant - I just long to be completely free.....I guess I can only say I am freer and long for more of a measure of freedom than I have today -I am so grateful God has brought me to this point in my life and I know it was a process that He will use for His good purposes and that give me comfort as well. 
Anyway, listening to this message again really solidified my confidence in God's acceptance of me and reminded me of  Satan's attempts to try and make me feel unworthy, but I know God will never be angry with me or rebuke me again, Ever! Thank God, He is so full of amazing grace for all who are in Christ. Which leads me to the last thing I want to share. The song,  "In Christ Alone", was sung at the end of the message, and it is such a powerful song...the words are so rich, here they are;
by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

IN CHRIST ALONE my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Thankyou Music

Here in the love of Christ I stand!

  Tonight I was struggling with grief, I think and quite a bit of condemnation.....I couldn't put my finger on it fully, so I had to go listen to one of my favorite messages, "Victory over Condemnation" (listed under highly recommended teachings on grace)....I wanted to cry because, sometimes life hurts alot and I get really tired of where my emotions can take me....but I know God loves me, I know He is allowing me this season of my life to heal from essentially believing lies for so many years, He doesn't ever condemn me, this I know with confidence....I guess healing takes longer than I hoped, I just want to move on and move forward and get past all this baggage and get off all the layers of wrong believing that have piled up, the years wasted and years that led me to steep in condemnation consciousness, living in the Old Covenant thinking when God has promised us a New Covenant - I just long to be completely free.....I guess I can only say I am freer and long for more of a measure of freedom than I have today -I am so grateful God has brought me to this point in my life and I know it was a process that He will use for His good purposes and that give me comfort as well. 
Anyway, listening to this message again really solidified my confidence in God's acceptance of me and reminded me of  Satan's attempts to try and make me feel unworthy, but I know God will never be angry with me or rebuke me again, Ever! Thank God, He is so full of amazing grace for all who are in Christ. Which leads me to the last thing I want to share. The song,  "In Christ Alone", was sung at the end of the message, and it is such a powerful song...the words are so rich, here they are;
by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

IN CHRIST ALONE my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Thankyou Music

...testimony starter

I love reading people's stories and testimonies and find that there is such power in hearing how God works in other's lives.
To me they bring more revelation and more insight than one could get from a counciling session with a pastor or a public meeting joined with other believers. Something about the process, where someone has been and where they have ended up and all the in between stuff, it just matters so much....Everyone has a story, a wonderful history that God has been working on all along, that is worth sharing with someone...whether you think you have an interesting testimony or not, God has been at work in your life for good, for His purposes, and this may include encouraging others with the life you have led thus far! All this to say, I have many things I have wanted to share regarding my life, many layers of lessons, many years of heartache and disillusionment, to a current season of restoration, hope, joy, and love! Truly God has been at work, truly he has watched over my life!
I will begin to tap into my story here now, with a portion of my life to set a precursor to the latest events and workings of grace in my life and my marriage. Firstly, I was raised in a Christian home, of Reformed Baptist Theology to be exact, although I never knew what this actually meant until now, and still to this day don't really know why it matters to have a specific denomination(but that's just me!). I attended a private Christian school from grades K-12 and was very active in church and youth group as a teen, until I graduated high school. High school was for me a time of much emotion, discovery and trying to fit in and be accepted. My whole world revolved around a social context, both in school, sports, church and youth group. I sought to find friends that were genuine and true, but to no avail. Everyone was too busy discovering who they were, too concerned with, well , everything, to be comitted to care for one another truly. These were truly confusing and difficult times to be an emotional, vulnerable, and insecure girl like myself. I believed in God for sure, and I know I had a level of faith in Him that was more like a seed planted in my heart. I wanted to live for God and tried, but it didn't feel real to me. At the end of my high school years I started to date and hang out with non-Christians or should I say non-churched kids. I liked my new friends, they had a sense of carefreeness that attracted me. They didn't seem so concerned with the weight of the world, which I now know, was condemnation for all my poor "Christian" friends. Anyway, I began to taste "the things of the world" and started to discover myself (not really)....
Needless to say, most would call what happened next in my life "rebellion". I went on my own merry way from my life at home with mom and dad and discovered the world for myself. I spent a good 4-5 years living "in the world" and living "in sin" with a boyfriend. Years of my life were spent trying to just survive however I could, as far away from "religion", church and Christianity as possible. I was tired of trying to be something I wasn't, something I couldn't be, because honestly I never knew who I really was in Christ, or if I even genuinely trusted Him for myself. All those years I experienced my own personal guilt and an unspoken condemantion flew at me from my past life whenever I ran into someone from church or school. I knew deep down the path I had chosen for myself was not "right", nor was it giving God any reason to be "pleased with me". I didn't want to admit that to anyone, nor did I care to change my ways. But, God in his Sovereignty and kindness had a plan to move me from my despondency into a dependency on Him..............!

The next portion of my testimony will have to come at another post, as I have not yet decided how much of it to share publicly.........Thanks for listening so far!

I never knew I had a voice.....

I hate conformity, yes hate, is that too strong....isn't comformity like passivity, doesn't God hate passivity, after all he says he hates lukewarmness, he would rather we were hot or cold!!
All my life I have felt out of place, never fitting in here or there, trying to be somebody I am not, because there was always a "model" of what you should try to be like, whether it be at school, or in church life... This may not have ever been something outrightly stated, however, you were praised or applauded or looked up to if you met certain standards, or if you were a high achiever, or good at everything you put your hands to. But what about those who didn't get applauded, ever...instead they were made to feel unworthy because they couldn't measure up to that standard...... I have always been someone trying to fit in somewhere, but never could!
Now I know that conforming to what other people think you should be or think is good, normal, trendy, traditional, acceptable, etc.... is not necessary, nor is it better, nor is it freedom to be who God made you to be!! If I really thought about it I have known this all along, but the fear of man, and desire for acceptance and approval spoke louder to me than anything. Even the critiques given to me, or the "you should" statements, drowned out any chance for me to be free to speak up for myself.
Thankfully, God had an awesome plan for me, he rescued me from drowning in conformity and told me he loves ME, and he made ME just the way I am and wants ME to be free to be exactly who I am in Him and for Him!! His complete acceptance of me has set me free to speak up and say things I may never have said before, because I was afraid of what people might think of me! Now I am less and less afraid to be wrong or criticized or looked down upon, because I know God will always accept me and have wonderful thoughts about me!! Oh, and still love me even if I mess up, or royally screw up!!
God is so creative, he made us all unique, every one of us!! We could never even begin to be just like someone else, it wasn't his intent. He knit us perfectly together in our mother's womb! He made us and saw that what he made was good! Very Good!!

On a diet of GRACE

So, lately my husband and I have been listening to Rob Rufus Sermons online daily, together, that in itself is a miraculous thing!(I'll explain why in a later post) He preaches inspiring life giving messages on grace and acceptance and on the promises of God, as well as enjoying God and many other wonderful topics that feed your soul, and spirit. We are getting so saturated in Scripture and the love of God, it makes us giddy! In addition we are loving each other more, and our family is operating more smoothly and we are inspired to live more for God than ever!!
The other night we went to a small group meeting, we hadn't been in months, and Keith led worship -and did a wonderful job, and I really felt the Holy Spirit and was full of joy! After worship we all split up into 2 groups to discuss the book"When Sinners Say I Do" by Dave Harvey. Well, I have not read the book, nor do I care to, I am currently avoiding all "Sin" topics, as I am on a diet of GRACE. Anyway, we were asked a few questions, basically give an example of how your sin affected your marriage relationship. First of all, isn't it obvious we all sin and add conflict to our marriages????? So, people shared their stories, and it semed all we talked about was sin, and how we are the biggest problem in our marriages. I was really struggling the whole time and I wanted to speak against it all, but decided not to. But, everyone seemed so glum and no one offered much hope or joy, or even about the good things God was doing in their marriages. It just seems to me the more you talk about and dwell on your sin, the more you feel bad and are inward focused, rather than upward focused on God and the freedom we have in Christ, he died for ALL of our sins, past, present and future, so we have nothing but hope for our marriages!!!
I was quite grieved when I left -no one in the room shared about the grace of God, no one!! How sad!! Keith and I immediately put on Rob Rufus to shake off the woe and bad feelings -ick. I am so sad that all of my friends in that group aren't experiencing the wonderful, amazing lavish grace of God! (At least not in the full sense of grace that is! And I am not judging anyone nor do I believe there is insincerity amongst these folks in their desire to live for God, just a focus on sin, not on HIm!!)

"Grace....prevents the church from being introverted and preoccupied with rulebook religion(or excessive talk about our sin!) Grace assures you that God has fully accepted you has always loved you and always will.. You are safe and you are free.
God calls you to arise and shine and put on you beautiful garments. Not only that, he calls you to go with good news for the nations, catching the evangelistic passion of Charles Wesley's famous hymn: "Oh, that the world might taste and see -The riches of His Grace! - The arms of love that compass me - Would all mankind embrace. "
Grace should never lead to passivity, but to outrageous adventure, a lifestyle that baffles those who play safe. It threatens the status quo not only of tenative religion, but also of cynical unbelief. It sets the church free to risk all for the praise of him who freely gave all for us." -Terry Virgo, from his book "God's Lavish Grace"

I wanted to add a whole bunch of verses, but my family is all around me now, needing me - oh the joy of being needed!!!