Monthly Archives: February 2013
Grace graciously given honors our worth as it overlooks our undeserving.
Shame and grace p. 120
To experience grace is to recover our lost inner child. The heart of a child is trust.
We lose our childhood when we feel that the persons we trusted to accept us do not accept us or that they may reject us if we do things that displease them. Shame cheats us of childhood. Grace gives it … Continue reading
The question that Jesus asks us involves making up our minds who we will follow, who will be our Lord, and then committing ourselves to actually obey and live out the Gospel that Jesus died to proclaim.
From Keith Giles book “The power of weakness” p. 11
Faith works by love. A deep revelation of God’s love for us is the most important thing we can receive, for it is the driving force behind our faith. Let Him love you.
Gal 5:6 Awmi.net/extra/article/gods-love When we struggle to believe that God’s promises to us will come to pass, that’s unbelief; but the root of that unbelief is a lack of love. Since we do not fully understand God’s love for us, … Continue reading
The “spirit” of any living thing is the principle and essence of that thing. In accepting Christ our nature has been transformed by receiving a new spirit.
We no longer have the spirit of man (Adam / Cain), but the spirit of God in Christ living in us. Behavior change can’t change the nature of the tree, nor can simple trimming its branches. For the tree to … Continue reading
Repentance is about going back to where we missed the right path and making a different turn
(Two trees p.28) Sin is not just a few wrong things we have done, it is the nature of what we are, regardless of whether the guise is good or evil. In Christ, to repent means to renounce ALL that … Continue reading
The fruit of the Tree of Knowledge always leads to self-centeredness. When we focus on Christ, we are changed by beholding His glory, not ourselves
The Two Trees, p.13 Man is able to change his outward behavior, but only the Spirit can change a man’s heart. (Wall of mirrors, look up)
Abiding in the loving presence of God and His people increases our capacity to suffer well
The road of His abiding presence leads to the suffering well. Jesus teaches us along the road of His presence that leads to suffering well. Embracing the suffering in our flesh as we live to the spirit of God in … Continue reading