i’m a loser
Well, we all are right?
I read this book “The Ragamuffin Gospel” this week…it’s by a guy named Brennan Manning. It was interesting. One of the first things that stood out to me in the book was this – a quote from him:
“My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.”
Christendom in 2008 is overwhelmingly self-centric. It is common to think that God favors us more if we read the Bible everyday, or if we say our 19.2 minutes of prayer immediately before bed every night. The truth though, is that our actions have no impact on God’s actions toward us and our love has no impact on God’s love toward us. There is no in crowd with God. The truth is that when we ask forgiveness for anything we have ever done wrong, it is forgiven and forgotten by God. He doesn’t hold a record of our screw-ups. This is the part that bugs me…its like I expect him to remember how I often mess up in one way or another. But he wont. Somehow, he wont.
Thoughts?
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I think we sometimes forget in this country that God loves people in other countries just as much. He loves us whether we have “in God we trust” on our coins, or the 10 commandments on our public buildings, or a Christmas tree in the public square. He loves the people in Iraq and Afghanistan the same as he loves the people in Africa and the USA. It is the most amazing thing to me that He does still love us, after what the world has done in the way of messing up His creation and hating His people. Thanks for the reminder to seek forgiveness, Darren (and Brennan).
Brennan Manning is one of my favorites. Thanks for pulling out such a great quote. It is such a comfort to know (wish I could daily remember) that there is no “in” crowd with God.
yeah, its amazing to know that the ground is level at the cross.
if you like brennan manning, you should check out Ruthless Trust.
Sounds like the message Charles Simpson preached at LBCC today! Haven’t read that book. You are a child of God’s….not a loser. On another subject, what is Olivia’s favorite food? I’m trying to plan a menu for Tues. night. Any allergies or dislikes? Looking forward to seeing you all.
my pastor just gave a sermon last week about our unwillingness to forget our past sins and God’s promise to cast them as far as the east is from the west. He said that we go against God’s word when we constantly remind ourselves of all the things we’ve done wrong. God forgave us and we should forgive ourselves. We should seek peace from God and not let the evil one remind us of all the aweful things we once did. I personally was haunted by past sins that week and when i went to church last sunday i felt God’s love and forgivenss wash over me just as it did when i first believed. Amazing.
I think that if you are always trying to fugure it out instead of living it out..it gets confusing. I think if you trust in god he will trust in you. Can you live with yourself and your choices?
Sometimes it is so hard to remember that you are forgiven. That no matter what if you confess it to God it is gone. So many times I live to earn God’s favor. Sometimes my motives get all mixed up. I wanna live a life that makes a difference just as an outpouring of my appreciation and love for what God has already done for me on the cross.
Thanks for the reminder!
What we do will never make God love us any more or any less, His love for us is unchanging. The evidence of that is clear, God sent his Son to die to bring us back into communion with Him.
I’m so thankful that God casts our sins as far as the east is from the west – and I tell Him so often!
I’m so thankful that the leadership I am under reminds me constantly that there is nothing I can do to make God love me any more and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me any less.
Darren – you are not a loser and neither are any of the rest of us. We were sinners – we were saved by grace through faith. We are children of God – truly blessed and highly favored – anointed and appointed to do mighty things in His kingdom. He is well pleased with us – just as He is with His only begotten. He sees us through the blood of Jesus. He can not look upon sin.
We all tend to get down on ourselves but when you do, take a moment and ask yourself if God would say what you are thinking. If not, don’t think it or say it. Only think and say what He would say about you! What we once were is not what we are after we are born again. Thank God.
I’m not really being down on myself…just being dramatic with my title :)
I was taken aback by Mr Manning’s quote and wanted to comment on it. Nothing personal this time.
Don’t know why but I popped back over…
Good deal – your post was positive – just making sure. I actually confess what I wrote over myself and my family : )
We aren’t perfect but we are forgiven by God – who is!
Have a great Thanksgiving week!
I love the statement of there not being an “in” crowd. it is always amazing to me to think that people actually pray for a certain team to win a game–as if God likes the Giants better than the Cowboys…or even that he wants a certain political candidate to win more than another. As you said…he loves them all the same. A Catholic priest actually told his congregation that if they voted for Obama they had to go to confession for that action, before they could take Communion. Seems like a misappropriation of God’s feelings towards us and our human emotions towards others. Great insight you give everyday!
I read not too long ago something that goes like this — when we mess up, it is not as if God is saying “oops whats this? I didn’t know that they were gonna go that.” So it is such a comfort to remind myself of that little humorous statement, so take heart in that.
ur photos are awesome by the way. u really just capture people.