What produces change? I've always wondered that.
I hear preacher say all the time 'it's all about the change' or 'to be a Christian, you have to change.' CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE! That's all I heard. Every hear that?
Well, there were lots of ways to change. Pastors say, 'you have to stop drinking' 'you have to come back to church' 'you have to apologize to whomever you hurt' 'you have to stop sinning' 'you have to pray so hard that you don't sleep till you change.'
Wow, that's really tiring. Oh, wait, when we're tired of Churchy stuff, that means somethings wrong. However not the wrong you might think. All those statements above, well, you should be tired of hearing something. When your tired of hearing something, that means you haven't been getting fed the right information. All those statement are like good food being thrown into the trash. Once you see them in the trash, their immediately tained.
But wait? Aren't those things semi-good? NOT WITHOUT JESUS. A lot of the time, if you go to church, the pastor will assume that you know he's talking about everything in the context of Jesus right? You'd hope so. But half of the time, we come to them saying, 'hey I'm not a good person now, I pray and everything, WHY do I feel empty?' And then they say you took a misstep. Somewhere on the road you did something wrong. You didn't mean it when you repented, you sinned all week. IT GOES ON AND ON.
Well, guys, here in this wonderful book I found the answer. You are not changed by the command of Jesus, but by the experience of Jesus. It may seem simple, but look at it. NOW, let's first straigten one thing. 'Experience with Jesus' has to be properly defined. I got to reading an article about the Passion Conference in 2011. I've never been to it, I frankly didn't know it existed, but thats just me. Anyways, I watched this video of Kim Walker-Smith, a woman who spoke there, and the commenter on the page he said, "Kim Walker-Smith claims that she spoke with Jesus, that He cuddled her, and that she saw God the Father. And while she acknowledges that such visions are not regular occurrences, she nevertheless indicates that she’s had multiple encounters with Him.One wonders how many people sitting amongst that large crowd left disappointed that night that they had not “encountered”. <----- THIS IS NOT EXPERIENCING JESUS. I don't know what she encountered but it wasn't The Maker of Heaven and Earth. The two times in the Bible that man encountered God the Father, they were struck down, terrified to speak, and stunned. They were not cuddling with God. Again, as the commenter says, we all walk away wishing we had that experience.
This is the answer folks, and listen to it carefully. Gospel Change is the Spirit of God using the STORY of God to make the BEAUTY of God come alive in our heart. THIS is experiencing God. The Spriti of God making Jesus' Story SO BEAUTIFUL, that God comes alive in our heart. This is so important. Now it is essential to obey the commands of God, Greear says, but the power of transformation doesn't come from them.
So I encourage you to experience God BY appreciating his wonderful story and sacrifice. Not by bumping into him on the side of the street. Wouldn't it be so wonderful to have no fear or disstisfaction or pride? Don't you want to feel the true change? Let's pray to God the Father that he would reveal his TRUE grace and mercy, and we will be changed.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
[embracing your new identity] -The Gospel
When we have a change of heart, we begin to become someone else. We become a new identity. We were once villians, and now we are creating a new identity for ourselves in Christ.
What is our new identity? Who are we? We are Christ's Children whom he approves.
Preach the gospel to yourself. You must tell youself that because of Jesus you have the absolute approval of the One whose opinion really matters.
Now, a new identity is not something that just comes naturally. It's like Avatar, having a whole new body to deal with. We are not perfect when we have our new identity. It takes breaking in. That's growing in Christ. It's a process. The Author says, spiritual progress is: "To grow in awareness of the depths of sin God has saved you from is growth in the gospel." When we grow in awareness of the the depths of sin, we are embracing the new identity. We have to stick with it!
This process is so hard these days. There are trillions of distractions. The world doesn't agree with our change of identity. You are fighting just to keep your head up, and it get's tiring. That's why the Author says that we have to daily feed ourselves the gospel. You see, to all of these emotions--fear, insecurity, false-confidence, despair, worry---we must preach the gospel. The gospel takes care of all our problems, it will help push the distractions away!
So, we simply must abide in Jesus, and we will become our new identity in Christ. I love this: "You must dwell on this great truth daily. Sometimes hourly. Sometimes every minute. It is the only way to drive out fear, unbelief, and temptation. Why so often? Because again, you are hardwired for works-righteousness. When you're not deliberately thinking gospel, you've probably slipped back into self-justification mode.......The moment we take our eyes off of the gospel, those rodents of self-righteousness and self-condemnation spring back up.
Do you see how easy that is? We just naturally want differently than what we've been given. We need to daily embrace the truth of the gospel. It is hard, but our King wants nothing less. We must try our best to please him.
How do we stop this temptation?
We must embrace the truth: God's acceptance is given to us, in its entirety, as a gift we receive by faith, to the praise and glory of God. Make you home in that awareness. As you do, you will aboud in fruitfulness.
In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less- JD Greear.
~Hannah
What is our new identity? Who are we? We are Christ's Children whom he approves.
Preach the gospel to yourself. You must tell youself that because of Jesus you have the absolute approval of the One whose opinion really matters.
Now, a new identity is not something that just comes naturally. It's like Avatar, having a whole new body to deal with. We are not perfect when we have our new identity. It takes breaking in. That's growing in Christ. It's a process. The Author says, spiritual progress is: "To grow in awareness of the depths of sin God has saved you from is growth in the gospel." When we grow in awareness of the the depths of sin, we are embracing the new identity. We have to stick with it!
This process is so hard these days. There are trillions of distractions. The world doesn't agree with our change of identity. You are fighting just to keep your head up, and it get's tiring. That's why the Author says that we have to daily feed ourselves the gospel. You see, to all of these emotions--fear, insecurity, false-confidence, despair, worry---we must preach the gospel. The gospel takes care of all our problems, it will help push the distractions away!
So, we simply must abide in Jesus, and we will become our new identity in Christ. I love this: "You must dwell on this great truth daily. Sometimes hourly. Sometimes every minute. It is the only way to drive out fear, unbelief, and temptation. Why so often? Because again, you are hardwired for works-righteousness. When you're not deliberately thinking gospel, you've probably slipped back into self-justification mode.......The moment we take our eyes off of the gospel, those rodents of self-righteousness and self-condemnation spring back up.
Do you see how easy that is? We just naturally want differently than what we've been given. We need to daily embrace the truth of the gospel. It is hard, but our King wants nothing less. We must try our best to please him.
How do we stop this temptation?
We must embrace the truth: God's acceptance is given to us, in its entirety, as a gift we receive by faith, to the praise and glory of God. Make you home in that awareness. As you do, you will aboud in fruitfulness.
In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less- JD Greear.
~Hannah
Friday, February 8, 2013
[Satan's A-game (conviction part 2)] -The Gospel
So, now we know that there are two kinds of convictions. Maybe we've realized that sometimes we have the wrong convictions. The ones that lead us to despair and sorrow. Or maybe the ones that lead us to pride.
So how do we distinguish them?
....both Satan and the Holy Spirit will point our your sin. But they do so in entirely different ways and for entirely different purposes. I've heard it said like this:
Satan starts with what you did, and tears down who you are. The Holy Spirit starts with what Christ has declared over you, and helps you rebuild what you did.
Satan beats us down with our failures. Jesus calls us up into our identity. Jesus starts with the perfect state He has purchased for us by His death and usesd the power of His ressurrection to bring us into conformity with it.
I know I've been convicted by Satan. Because I have been sorrowful over my failures. What happened right after that? I went to pity myself and despair. I mean what could I do? I'm this dirty rotten filth who every time they are cleaned goes and lays in the mud again. I was focusing on that part. Not the part that I was being continually cleaned and I could learn to become cleaner. Maybe that's what your feeling today. So overwhelmed with your sin and the sin around you, that you despair. But I encourage you, to hope in Christ. Pray in Christ. Live in Christ. You will find peace that will lift every burden no matter how heavy they are. It's a promise to us, if we live in him.
Another point I wanted to iron out, that really encouraged me, was when he started talking about the differences in speech that we should hear. For example, Satan says, "Look at you. Look at the conditions of your circumstances. Look at how poorly you're living." Ever heard that voice? I have. After the 'poor living' part, I proceed to mentally name all the bad things I did in the past week. How can God love me? The greatest mystery of all.
And then there was what God said, "You are My beloved child. I am well pleased in you. Now live that way." I cried at that part actually. You know why? Because I have never, in conviction, looked in the mirror and seen God's beloved child. It was so sweet and new to me, just out of this world. Then he says 'I am well pleased with you' ?? I just...I never thought that in my sins and living, God could be pleased with me. I always thought I had to prove something. Like, I'm sinning but look at me, I'm trying. But those words...'I am well pleased with you, my child.' I mean...wow. The God of the universe is pleased with me and my imperfections, and He's still willing to be my Father.
We should be shaking at the Grace we have received, because its undeserved but it's the one of the most beautiful senses we have. Knowing His Grace.
In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less. -JD Greear
~Hannah
So how do we distinguish them?
....both Satan and the Holy Spirit will point our your sin. But they do so in entirely different ways and for entirely different purposes. I've heard it said like this:
Satan starts with what you did, and tears down who you are. The Holy Spirit starts with what Christ has declared over you, and helps you rebuild what you did.
Satan beats us down with our failures. Jesus calls us up into our identity. Jesus starts with the perfect state He has purchased for us by His death and usesd the power of His ressurrection to bring us into conformity with it.
I know I've been convicted by Satan. Because I have been sorrowful over my failures. What happened right after that? I went to pity myself and despair. I mean what could I do? I'm this dirty rotten filth who every time they are cleaned goes and lays in the mud again. I was focusing on that part. Not the part that I was being continually cleaned and I could learn to become cleaner. Maybe that's what your feeling today. So overwhelmed with your sin and the sin around you, that you despair. But I encourage you, to hope in Christ. Pray in Christ. Live in Christ. You will find peace that will lift every burden no matter how heavy they are. It's a promise to us, if we live in him.
Another point I wanted to iron out, that really encouraged me, was when he started talking about the differences in speech that we should hear. For example, Satan says, "Look at you. Look at the conditions of your circumstances. Look at how poorly you're living." Ever heard that voice? I have. After the 'poor living' part, I proceed to mentally name all the bad things I did in the past week. How can God love me? The greatest mystery of all.
And then there was what God said, "You are My beloved child. I am well pleased in you. Now live that way." I cried at that part actually. You know why? Because I have never, in conviction, looked in the mirror and seen God's beloved child. It was so sweet and new to me, just out of this world. Then he says 'I am well pleased with you' ?? I just...I never thought that in my sins and living, God could be pleased with me. I always thought I had to prove something. Like, I'm sinning but look at me, I'm trying. But those words...'I am well pleased with you, my child.' I mean...wow. The God of the universe is pleased with me and my imperfections, and He's still willing to be my Father.
We should be shaking at the Grace we have received, because its undeserved but it's the one of the most beautiful senses we have. Knowing His Grace.
In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less. -JD Greear
~Hannah
Monday, February 4, 2013
[Satans A-game (conviction part 1)] -The Gospel
When I think of satan tempting us, I think of him having all these sins and idols at his disposal. Day to day he throws one of the other at us, and we catch them, like dogs playing fetch. Well, in this section of the book, we get to look at this a whole new way. He does tempt us with idols and bad lifestyles, but he has something more subtle that he uses.
Do you know who loves to push us to evaluate ourselves according to how well we've done? Our enemy, Satan. Satan, believe it or not, loves to convict us of our sins. That;s one of his names--"accuser of our brethren" (Rev. 12:10 nkjv). One of Sata's most effective weapons, I believe is making us forget the identity the Father has declared over us in Christ and basing our sense of approval on how well we've done.
I didn't expect that coming. Immediately I did a self scan and thought of all the times that I had been convicted and tried to judge which ones were God grace and which one's were satans triumph. I think we all should do a self-scan, because we don't realize what we do. It's like being a major in evolution and you switch over to God's side of science because of something you found. Although you know that God's way is now right, whenever someone mentions something your brain immediately goes to evolution. That's just a small peak at what are brains are actually hard-wired to do. Most likely, we've never even thought of conviction any other way than being about God. But no, Satan can convict. And when he does, it's harsh.
.....Satan's favorites sins: pride and despair. Pride leads to hardness of heart toward God and hatred of others. Despair leads us to depression, fear, and indulgence in the lusts of the flesh. This is a cycle he loves to have us in. Both start with unbelief of the gospel.
I encourage you to pray today about what you have heard. Let's examine ourselves for pride and despair. I know I was the guilty party in both of those sins. It's just the way we are. But there is always hope in Christ. Pray today to the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Spend time walking with him. When we do, it will start to produce in us a longing for God, and a seed of belief in what he has done for us.
In Christ there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less. -JD Greear
~Hannah
Do you know who loves to push us to evaluate ourselves according to how well we've done? Our enemy, Satan. Satan, believe it or not, loves to convict us of our sins. That;s one of his names--"accuser of our brethren" (Rev. 12:10 nkjv). One of Sata's most effective weapons, I believe is making us forget the identity the Father has declared over us in Christ and basing our sense of approval on how well we've done.
I didn't expect that coming. Immediately I did a self scan and thought of all the times that I had been convicted and tried to judge which ones were God grace and which one's were satans triumph. I think we all should do a self-scan, because we don't realize what we do. It's like being a major in evolution and you switch over to God's side of science because of something you found. Although you know that God's way is now right, whenever someone mentions something your brain immediately goes to evolution. That's just a small peak at what are brains are actually hard-wired to do. Most likely, we've never even thought of conviction any other way than being about God. But no, Satan can convict. And when he does, it's harsh.
.....Satan's favorites sins: pride and despair. Pride leads to hardness of heart toward God and hatred of others. Despair leads us to depression, fear, and indulgence in the lusts of the flesh. This is a cycle he loves to have us in. Both start with unbelief of the gospel.
I encourage you to pray today about what you have heard. Let's examine ourselves for pride and despair. I know I was the guilty party in both of those sins. It's just the way we are. But there is always hope in Christ. Pray today to the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Spend time walking with him. When we do, it will start to produce in us a longing for God, and a seed of belief in what he has done for us.
In Christ there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less. -JD Greear
~Hannah
Friday, January 25, 2013
[The Gospel gift]- The Gospel
Chapter 3 starts out like this:
How does God feel about you, right now? And how do you determine that?
Well, first of all, let's think about the question. How does God feel about me? Well, I like to think he thinks of me as a poor struggling creature who needs his help, which partially, he probably does. But a lot of times, in general, during the week I measure God's feelings for me by what I do. For example, I feel like we're on an "okay" basis if I got everything done, did a great bible study, helped around the house and generally didn't think anything bad. Of course, there is no perfect day, but when I have a good day I think that it's again, "okay".
On the other hand, when I have a bad day, when I'm impatient and procrostinating I feel God isn't as happy with me.
I'm sure we all have a few of those instances, and so did the author. He goes on to say, "If I hadn't done a good job at being a real Christian, I felt pretty distant from God." When I feel distant from God, it's because I know I'm trying to hide something. Or I'm in such a bad mood I don't want to talk to God. That's when I feel distant. I like this example, because it happens to so many of us "When I came to church, I had no desire to life my soul up to God. I was pretty sure He didn't want to see me either. I could feel his displeasure---His lack of approval. That's because I didn't really understnad the gospel. Or, at least I had forgotten it.
I think many of us feel that way and at least once have gone to church thinking God wasn't happy with us, or we weren't happy with him. I'm guilty. What I do, is I take my brain into this wonderful world with clouds and get this rock solid face on. I ignore my responsibility of worship and just think away the time. You know what? It just leaves me more upset, more angry, and more empty.
I'm glad I'm not alone it in. NOW I understand that I've misunderstood the gospel. And what do I do at the bottom? Start moving up with the help of Christ.
It goes on to talk about the gospel. I realized again that moment I was missing acceptance when I read, "When I receive that grace in repentance and faith, full acceptance becomes mine." For so long I haven't understand that I am accepted. I had to write it down, highlight, and read over to be comfortable with the idea. That's where pride and despair had taken me. In the book, he mentions Christ's sacrifice, and the wonderful event of Calvary. He goes on to say, "That means that God could not love me any more than He does rightnow, because God could not love and accept Christ any more than He does, and God sees me as Christ."
I encourage you to take that in, especially the last part. Because of what Christ did on Calvary, God see's us as Christ. Many of you know this, but have truly accepted it? I didn't at first, but I'm beginning to. It's such a wonderful thing that we can't even comprehend it.
I'll close with this: "Right now, if you are in Christ, when God looks at you --regardless of your situation--He sees the righteousness of Christ. If we really believed that -- not only with our heads but also with our hearts-- it would change everything in our lives."
In Christ there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less.-JD Greear
~Hannah
How does God feel about you, right now? And how do you determine that?
Well, first of all, let's think about the question. How does God feel about me? Well, I like to think he thinks of me as a poor struggling creature who needs his help, which partially, he probably does. But a lot of times, in general, during the week I measure God's feelings for me by what I do. For example, I feel like we're on an "okay" basis if I got everything done, did a great bible study, helped around the house and generally didn't think anything bad. Of course, there is no perfect day, but when I have a good day I think that it's again, "okay".
On the other hand, when I have a bad day, when I'm impatient and procrostinating I feel God isn't as happy with me.
I'm sure we all have a few of those instances, and so did the author. He goes on to say, "If I hadn't done a good job at being a real Christian, I felt pretty distant from God." When I feel distant from God, it's because I know I'm trying to hide something. Or I'm in such a bad mood I don't want to talk to God. That's when I feel distant. I like this example, because it happens to so many of us "When I came to church, I had no desire to life my soul up to God. I was pretty sure He didn't want to see me either. I could feel his displeasure---His lack of approval. That's because I didn't really understnad the gospel. Or, at least I had forgotten it.
I think many of us feel that way and at least once have gone to church thinking God wasn't happy with us, or we weren't happy with him. I'm guilty. What I do, is I take my brain into this wonderful world with clouds and get this rock solid face on. I ignore my responsibility of worship and just think away the time. You know what? It just leaves me more upset, more angry, and more empty.
I'm glad I'm not alone it in. NOW I understand that I've misunderstood the gospel. And what do I do at the bottom? Start moving up with the help of Christ.
It goes on to talk about the gospel. I realized again that moment I was missing acceptance when I read, "When I receive that grace in repentance and faith, full acceptance becomes mine." For so long I haven't understand that I am accepted. I had to write it down, highlight, and read over to be comfortable with the idea. That's where pride and despair had taken me. In the book, he mentions Christ's sacrifice, and the wonderful event of Calvary. He goes on to say, "That means that God could not love me any more than He does rightnow, because God could not love and accept Christ any more than He does, and God sees me as Christ."
I encourage you to take that in, especially the last part. Because of what Christ did on Calvary, God see's us as Christ. Many of you know this, but have truly accepted it? I didn't at first, but I'm beginning to. It's such a wonderful thing that we can't even comprehend it.
I'll close with this: "Right now, if you are in Christ, when God looks at you --regardless of your situation--He sees the righteousness of Christ. If we really believed that -- not only with our heads but also with our hearts-- it would change everything in our lives."
In Christ there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less.-JD Greear
~Hannah
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
[The Gospel Prayer]- The Gospel
This next part of the series is on what JD Greear has named the Gospel Prayer. I want to note that in the text he clearly explained this is not any kind of incantation that will bring you favor with God, and it also not trying to replace the Lord's Prayer. He says, This prayer is simply a tool to help you train your mind in the patterns of the gospel. The point is not the prayer; the point is thinking in line with the gospel.
With that said, it's a wonderful prayer. It's really helped me, and what I like about it, is that it's steps. For me, steps are very helpful.
Now he goes in depth by chapter on these four parts, but I'm mentioning them now for familiarity reasons. Also, it's something great to have even if you hear it 100 times. The first part is something I've been quoting at the bottom of my posts. It's just so beautiful!
The first two parts lead us inward, helping us to renew our minds in God's acceptance of us and the value of that acceptance to us.
1. "In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less."
2. "Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy."
Part 3 of the prayers has us consider what responding to the grace of the gospel looks like. Understanding God's generosity toward us should lead us to radical generosity toward others.
3. "As You have been to me, so I will be to others."
Part 4 of the prayer helps us see our world through the lens of the gospel and moves us to audaious faith. If the cross really does reveal God's compassion for sinners and the resurrection reveals His power to save them, then our prayers on their behalf should be audacious and bold:
4. "As I pray, I'll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection."
Woah. How wonderful. When I first read this, it washed over me. Then I started to think about it, and now I'm still thinking about it. I'm concentrating on the first step right now, because I know that I really have to believe it move on. Believing may seem the easiest, but everyone has seeds of doubt. Until we crush those we cannot move on.
JD Greear ended the chapter saying, "I've prayed this prayer every day now for the last few years. You know what? It's finally starting to sink in."
It may take time, it is a process but in the end we will be filled with the joy of Jesus when we have faith in him. I encourage you to read the prayer and access how it applies to you. It really helped me.
In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less. -JD Greear
~Hannah
With that said, it's a wonderful prayer. It's really helped me, and what I like about it, is that it's steps. For me, steps are very helpful.
Now he goes in depth by chapter on these four parts, but I'm mentioning them now for familiarity reasons. Also, it's something great to have even if you hear it 100 times. The first part is something I've been quoting at the bottom of my posts. It's just so beautiful!
The first two parts lead us inward, helping us to renew our minds in God's acceptance of us and the value of that acceptance to us.
1. "In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less."
2. "Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy."
Part 3 of the prayers has us consider what responding to the grace of the gospel looks like. Understanding God's generosity toward us should lead us to radical generosity toward others.
3. "As You have been to me, so I will be to others."
Part 4 of the prayer helps us see our world through the lens of the gospel and moves us to audaious faith. If the cross really does reveal God's compassion for sinners and the resurrection reveals His power to save them, then our prayers on their behalf should be audacious and bold:
4. "As I pray, I'll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection."
Woah. How wonderful. When I first read this, it washed over me. Then I started to think about it, and now I'm still thinking about it. I'm concentrating on the first step right now, because I know that I really have to believe it move on. Believing may seem the easiest, but everyone has seeds of doubt. Until we crush those we cannot move on.
JD Greear ended the chapter saying, "I've prayed this prayer every day now for the last few years. You know what? It's finally starting to sink in."
It may take time, it is a process but in the end we will be filled with the joy of Jesus when we have faith in him. I encourage you to read the prayer and access how it applies to you. It really helped me.
In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make You love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less. -JD Greear
~Hannah
Sunday, January 20, 2013
[why religious change doesn't work-part3] -The Gospel
JD Greear makes great points here. I really hope you can soak them up. While point 2 really got to me, point 3 makes a good contender along with point one :)
Why Religious Change doesn't work:
#3. The insecurity of always wondering if we've done enough to be accepted causes resentment of God, not love for Him.
As martin Luther, the great Reformer, noted about himself, my fear of God's judgement was producing a hatred for Him that was driving my heart father and farther away from Him, even if my actions looked, on the surface, more godly.
I think every Christian in this world can connect with this one. Again, it's so powerful!
I think all people in this world wonder, to whatever God they have, if they've 'done enough'. So many search for a purpose in this world. For some it's 'have I done my family name justice' or 'have I done America justice with my actions' and 'have I done enough to be happy with myself.' With Christians a lot of the times its 'have I done enough to make God content or happy'. Theres no shame in admitting that sin. We all have that insecurity. We're all, you could say, exposed that mind set. I love the point he makes. That feeling that makes you resent God. To the human brain we want to say, rather 'we long for God, and we're said we can't get him.' No, we resent God. That's the root of it all. We just resent him for it. We're angry, as silly as it may sound, that we're not in charge of the world, and therefore we don't like whoever is in charge.
Some may say, 'okay that make sense...now what?' Well, like any other insecurity what do you do? Will sitting in Church overcome your insecurity of God's authority? No. We need to change. How do we change? We beg God to change us, because CHANGE only happens we find ourselves loving and resting in God. That's because True love for God cannot from when we are unsure about His feelings for us. We cannot fully love God if we don't know He loves us. Love came into the world, because he loved us first, AFTER Christ, we loved him back. So we have to KNOW he loves us. It sounds simple, but it's so hard. We cannot fully grasp his love for us, but we can get to a managable level with the help of Christ. I'm telling you, I was bothered with this for a long time. I just didn't understand his love, which was stopping my love for him.
When our salvation depends upon our righteous behavior, our righteousness will be driven by a desire to elevate ourselves in the eyes of God. This is not love for God; it's self protection.
It's hard not to want to elevate yourselves in the eyes of God. I have problems with that too. And it just stings to know that I've been building this massive structure of self-protection. I mean, it's what I've been doing this whole time! Only NOW do I actually understand.
I'll end with this quote which is so richly beautiful. Really think about it, and really grasp it.
The gospel reawakens us to the beauty of God and overwhelms us with mercy. Our behavior changes because we change. Until that happens, all religious changes will be superficial. Even if you force yourslef to act right, you heart will be going in the other direction. This is the doctrine of total depravity.
In Christ there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less -JD Greear
~Hannah
Why Religious Change doesn't work:
#3. The insecurity of always wondering if we've done enough to be accepted causes resentment of God, not love for Him.
As martin Luther, the great Reformer, noted about himself, my fear of God's judgement was producing a hatred for Him that was driving my heart father and farther away from Him, even if my actions looked, on the surface, more godly.
I think every Christian in this world can connect with this one. Again, it's so powerful!
I think all people in this world wonder, to whatever God they have, if they've 'done enough'. So many search for a purpose in this world. For some it's 'have I done my family name justice' or 'have I done America justice with my actions' and 'have I done enough to be happy with myself.' With Christians a lot of the times its 'have I done enough to make God content or happy'. Theres no shame in admitting that sin. We all have that insecurity. We're all, you could say, exposed that mind set. I love the point he makes. That feeling that makes you resent God. To the human brain we want to say, rather 'we long for God, and we're said we can't get him.' No, we resent God. That's the root of it all. We just resent him for it. We're angry, as silly as it may sound, that we're not in charge of the world, and therefore we don't like whoever is in charge.
Some may say, 'okay that make sense...now what?' Well, like any other insecurity what do you do? Will sitting in Church overcome your insecurity of God's authority? No. We need to change. How do we change? We beg God to change us, because CHANGE only happens we find ourselves loving and resting in God. That's because True love for God cannot from when we are unsure about His feelings for us. We cannot fully love God if we don't know He loves us. Love came into the world, because he loved us first, AFTER Christ, we loved him back. So we have to KNOW he loves us. It sounds simple, but it's so hard. We cannot fully grasp his love for us, but we can get to a managable level with the help of Christ. I'm telling you, I was bothered with this for a long time. I just didn't understand his love, which was stopping my love for him.
When our salvation depends upon our righteous behavior, our righteousness will be driven by a desire to elevate ourselves in the eyes of God. This is not love for God; it's self protection.
It's hard not to want to elevate yourselves in the eyes of God. I have problems with that too. And it just stings to know that I've been building this massive structure of self-protection. I mean, it's what I've been doing this whole time! Only NOW do I actually understand.
I'll end with this quote which is so richly beautiful. Really think about it, and really grasp it.
The gospel reawakens us to the beauty of God and overwhelms us with mercy. Our behavior changes because we change. Until that happens, all religious changes will be superficial. Even if you force yourslef to act right, you heart will be going in the other direction. This is the doctrine of total depravity.
In Christ there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes you love me less -JD Greear
~Hannah
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