GraceQuotes.com

I carry these dreams I can’t shake. Dreams of the part I could play to produce great good. I always thought they were from God. I’ve ached for them to be released. But far more often I hurt and frustrate the people and environments I long to bless. It’s as if nobody but me can see the dream and there are insurmountable obstacles at every turn. I may blame others, but I’m pretty sure most of the obstacles have to do with me. I’m not even sure what I’m doing to sabotage my efforts. I just do.

Destiny is what happens when those God-given desires, mixed with my particular gifting, are allowed to be healed, matured, and released to freely give away… Our destiny is always about loving others, all being prepared to love others.

John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, & Bill Thrall

The Cure, TrueFaced, 2011, 100.

Repentance isn’t doing something about my sin. It is admitting I can’t do anything about my sin. It is trusting that only God can cleanse me, and only he can convince me I’m truly cleansed. We’ve been told repentance is a promise to God that I’m going to stop this sin and I’m sorry and I won’t do it again and This time I mean it. We’re mistaking repentance for remorse. The intention not to sin is not the same as the power not to sin. Paul calls repentance a gift. It’s not something you drum up, but the gifted ability to find yourself saying, “God, I can’t. You can. I trust you!

John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, & Bill Thrall

The Cure, TrueFaced, 2011, 70.

God has shown all of his cards, revealing breathtaking protection. He says, in essence, “What if I tell them who they now are? What if I take away any element of fear? What if I tell them I will always love them? That I love them right now, as much as I love my only Son?”
    “What if I tell them there no logs of past offenses, of how little they pray, or how often they let me down? What if I tell them they are actually righteous, right now? What if I tell them I’m crazy about them?
    “What if I tell them that, if I’m a Savior, they’re going to heaven no matter what – it’s a done deal? What if I tell them they have a new nature, that they are saints, not saved sinners? What if I tell them I actually live in them now, my love, power, and nature at their disposal? What if I tell them they don’t have to put on masks? That they don’t need to pretend we’re close?
    “What if they knew that, when they mess up, I’ll never retaliate? What if they were convinced bad circumstances aren’t my way of evening the score? What if they knew the basis of our friendship isn’t how little they sin, but how much they allow me to love them? What if I tell them they can hurt my heart, but I’ll never hurt theirs? What if I tell them they can open their eyes when they pray and still go to heaven? What if I tell them there is no secret agenda, no trapdoor? What if I tell them it isn’t about their self-effort, but allowing me to live my life through them?

John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, & Bill Thrall

The Cure, TrueFaced, 2011, 48-9.

Somewhere along the line, we became convinced we needed to trade relationships of love for strategic management of others. That shift frightened us away from each other. That shift forfeited the only distinction Jesus asks us to be known for: Loving and allowing ourselves to be loved.

Some of the most disingenuous and useless relationships are those where one has an agenda for another’s life, seeing ourselves as scientists seeking a solution for disease in a twisted lab experiment. These people assume some equation of holiness: Four hours of small group study plus thirty minutes memorizing scripture verses, multiplied by challenge, conviction, and demand the subjects sin less and become a more productive church member. What an absolute travesty of what Christ came for!

God wants us to live authentically – fragile believers, learning to trust him and each other in relationships intent on love. He wants us out of hiding, acknowledging each other without performance or quotas. He wants us to experience his power healing us as he releases us into a life worth living. This is the Church. This is the Church in the Room of grace!

John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, & Bill Thrall

The Cure, TrueFaced, 2011, 89.

Grace is a gift only the non-religious can accept. They’re the only ones who can understand it, and put it to use. “Religious” folk see grace as soft and weak, so they keep trying to manage their junk with willpower and tenacity. Nothing defines religion quite as well as attempting impossible tasks with limited power, all while pretending that it’s working.

John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, & Bill Thrall

The Cure, TrueFaced, 2011, 88.