Can I earn it? NO

Good morning friends,

Proverbs 16:7

When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.

Not exactly sure why this is the subject today, but none the less here it is.

Do you have people you can not stand? or are there people who can't stand you?

Do you have lots of people in your life who just give you the cold shoulder?

The old adage "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" or

have you ever had someone you just didn't really like but they ended up being the best part of you?

I think the line between friend and enemy is very thin.

How can you change? How do we make those people our friends? 

One word

GRACE

Because shouldn't we be enemies of Christ? It is our sinful nature to deny Him. He accepts us for who we are, despite our nature. Not watered down grace, but true boneified Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like me. How do we get that grace? We don't, we cannot achieve this grace or earn it. It is a gift given freely and without any question of a return favor. Grace means unmerited favor. I think in our society we see grace as a skewed thing. I am reading the Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennen Manning. WOW I highlighted it so I could remember the good stuff and It is almost completely yellow every page, it is totally amazing.

He says "As a whole, the church in America, accepts grace in theory but denies it in practice. We say we believe that the fundamental structure of reality is grace, not works, but our lives refute our faith."

Somehow we feel we have to earn our way to heaven, by doing good deeds. But we should be doing good deeds, to show people the way to heaven.

God knows me, I swear, I complain, I judge, I yell and get angry, I am not a perfect person by any streatch of the imagination. But I love God, and He loves me despite those things about me. He knows me, He created me, He knows you and your heart. We are not worthy of anything, yet He gives it all to us. Like people say "If you want money earn it" . God says here are all the riches in the universe, they are yours, I love you and all I have is yours, not because we worked hard, or prayed right , or were seen as super spiritual. We are real, transparent, flawed. And HE still loves us. Unconditionally. without merit. 

I think when we learn how to embrace this Grace, our lives will change. When we do things not for the pat on the back, but because we love who were doing them for, even if we don't really llike that person. (enemy)

God will bless that. I hear so many times in church :Oh well, I can't go there there is swearing, or they are not christians, or they wear a head scarf or love someone of the same sex. It is sad where is grace? I say a picture recently of someone at a pride parade with a sign that said I am a Christian and I am sorry. and He was embracing a parade walker. I cried. THAT IS GRACE. 

I am not saying got to Pride fest. But pray that God shows you someone you can be His arms for. Jesus with skin on for. Even in the church. Especially in the church. My mom tells of a man in her fathers church (He was a pastor) who they "Churched" or kicked out because he was to "Sinful". That makes no sense to me. Isn't that what we all are? Do we deserve Heaven? NO!!! Can we go there anyway? Absolutely.
How can we show the love of God? By being transparent, showing others that despite who we are God loves us. Unconditionally. We killed His son and He still loves us. Wrap your head around that one.

Today pray for that Grace.
I am.

Always
Suszi

P.S. Even I got an ouch from this today. Ok Ok God I am listening.