Embracing the love of God notes ch.2

-"We are not what we do...but rather, we are who God says we are."

That is something that I struggle with. God says I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. And sometimes I believe Him, and sometimes if I'm honest, I don't. But it is a relief to know that no matter how bad we mess up... in Gods eyes we are still righteous based on Jesus' blood. We are still people of such potential to do mighty things through the power of the Holy Spirit. I struggle to cling to this and live that way. Happy with who I am. But ya know, God can work in my heart. And if you struggle with the same thing, He can work in yours as well!

-"we want so badly to think well of ourselves, not knowing that the answer to our struggle is to let go of the need to feel important."

- St. Francis of Assisi was asked how he could say he was the worst of all sinners when he was such a moral, well to do man. His reply "If God had blessed them with such great mercy as He has blessed me, they would acknowledge Gods gifts much more than I do, and serve Him better than I do, and if my God would abandon me I would commit more misdeeds than any other man."

I thought that was an interesting reply. I love the honesty in his answer!

- "The truth that we must accept if we are to be healed is the truth that we are weak and broken and imperfect, for that is who we are."

Thats why we need our amazing Savior! We can't really do anything good on our own without Him :-)

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer "It is the grace of the gospel which is so hard for the pious to understand, that it confronts us with the truth and says: You are a sinner, a great and desperate sinner; now come, as the sinner that you are, to God who loves you. He wants you as you are; He does not want anything from you, a sacrifice, a work; He wants you alone. My son, give me thine heart (Proverbs 23:26). God has come to you to save the sinner. Be glad! This message is liberation through truth.... You do not have to go on lying to yourself and your brothers, as if you were without sin; you can dare to be a sinner."

That last part should not be understood as its ok to sin... but that its ok that you are not perfect! God knows you are not perfect. He knows I for sure am not perfect. But He loves you and I very much regardless. And we can rejoice that though we are a sinner, and we know were a sinner, we don't have to hide it. We are loved anyways :-) What a sweet sweet God we serve!

There is more to chapter two that I will post later. I'm exhausted. But I hope this is a blessing and encouragement to whoever reads it. I'm glad to post it, its a good way for me to take notes, and share it at the same time :-) "I am weak, but He is strong!"