From Evernote:

From Disqualified to Defined by Grace

There is no pain quite like the sting left in the wake of self-rejection. Yet, our own failures open the door to the possibilities discovered in the feeling and knowing of regret and guilt. It is bravery of the highest degree to plumb the depths of our secret war with ourself. "To thine own self be true."

Freedom is sweetest once we are released from the dark dungeons of denial. It begins while allowing pain to push us toward the light found only in the brutal, honest, fearless, inventory of our-self. Beyond that veil we begin to discover the boundless realities of Grace!

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, BUT shouts to us in our pain." C. S. Lewis 

God shouts Grace, Grace to us in our pain! Only the shouts of Grace drown out all the other voices. Beginning to listen more to the shouts of Grace, "we find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand--out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise."

We discover in the midst of all these shouts of grace, that "He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway...God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him." (Romans 5, Msg.) 

Christ arrived right on time, in the midst of our failure and deepest denial.  "And that's not all. We throw open our door to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us." And in the open door of Grace, we are flooded for the first time with the light of true self-discovery!

1Cor 15:10 While my own doing completely disqualified me; his doing now defines me. I am what I am by the grace of God. I am because he is! His grace was not wasted on me; instead I am inspired to labor beyond the point of exhaustion, more than anything I ever did under the law of performance; whatever it is that I accomplish now has grace written all over it. I take no credit for it. (Mirror Bible www.mirrorfriends.com)

"In Jesus Christ you individually discover 'who' you are." (Romans 1:6, The Mirror) 

"Through him (Jesus) we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ!" (The Message) Here we also discover our true meaning and purpose.

There's something bigger going on...but; that is the rest of our story! Ron Ross

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyA9I_w1p54&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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Rise Up Fearless Overcomers

by Ron Ross

Why are we afraid? There is no room for fear in the life of an Overcomer. This is an ageless truth...most Christians are well aware that there is nothing to fear and that our Father has not given us the spirit of fear! Yet we continually get sucked into the vacuum created by fear.

Maybe we believe the report of the world more than Papa's promises in the Word? Could it be that we allow our ear, eye and heart gates to be penetrated by the insidious lies of religion, media and public opinion? Could it be that we don't heed the warning of scripture..."set no unholy thing before your eyes?" That is certainly a warning concerning the plethora of media outlets we feast on daily!

Toil, Trouble, Trials and Tribulation, part 4

by David Saunders

The answer to the question often asked-“Why me, Lord?

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.  Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)

This is a good portion of scripture to read slowly and consider carefully each individual idea expressed.  I think each one of these ideas has a several paragraphs in this teaching series.  I wasn’t trying to sneak up on you like that but this teaching series is really all about Jesus.  Just saying so you know: it really is all about Jesus.

Toil, Trouble, Trials and Tribulation, part 3

by David Saunders

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.  Psalm 91 verses 1 & 14 KJV

Thus saith the Lord God Creator of the Cosmos who has purposed to have you repentant, sanctified and holy and he will not be denied.  This was established in the previous two installments of this series.

This is important to understand.  It is knowledge that will prevent you from being destroyed.  You must know the name of your God.  When the word name is used in this context it means to know the nature and character of the one referred to.  In the previous portions of this teaching God’s purpose for the ages was presented as a way of revealing His nature and character.  This purpose is the reconciling of all things to God so that the entire creation and all God’s children may be in right relationship with him.  The process of accomplishing this task is the increase of the Kingdom of God until it attains dominion over all things opposed to the King’s purpose.  Once dominion is accomplished the Kingdom will be delivered to the Father by his children that God may be all in all. 

Toil, Trouble, Trials and Tribulation, part 2

by David Saunders

The answer to the question often asked-“Why me, Lord?

 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.  You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.         2 Peter 3:15-20 English Standard Version (ESV)

Toil, Trouble, Trials and Tribulation, part 1

by David Saunders


The answer to the question often asked- "Why me, Lord?"


My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

-Hosea 4:6a (ESV)

Maybe we should try to avoid that being destroyed thing.  Maybe this will help.  Rush Limbaugh, a favorite of conservative political talk radio fans, is fond of saying “words mean things.”  I like this idea a lot.  I like it even more when it is applied to the study of the Scriptures.  I think Rush Limbaugh uses the phrase “words mean things” to convey the concept that there are definitive ideas attached to words that regardless of traditions, intentions, hopes, or wishes still exist.  This is partially true.  It is partially true because a word may mean one thing to the writer and another to the reader.  The task before us as disciples of Jesus is to allow our minds to capture the original idea intended to be communicated by the Scriptures.