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The gospel declares that no matter how dutiful or prayerful we are, we can’t save ourselves. What Jesus did was sufficient.

Brennan Manning

The story goes that a public sinner was excommunicated and forbidden entry to the church. He took his woes to God. ‘They won’t let me in, Lord, because I am a sinner.’ ‘What are you complaining about?’ said God. ‘They won’t let Me in either.
BRENNAN MANNING

Complaint Funny God Myself Public Sin Story
Our huffing and puffing to impress God, our scrambling for brownie points, our thrashing about trying to fix ourselves while hiding our pettiness and wallowing in guilt are nauseating to God and are a flat denial of the gospel of grace.
BRENNAN MANNING

God Grace Impression Scripture Try
I have been seized by the power of a great affection.
BRENNAN MANNING

Affection Greatness Myself Power
Letting ourselves be loved by God is more important than loving God.
BRENNAN MANNING

God Important Love Ourselves
The way you are with others every day, regardless of their status, is the true test of faith.
BRENNAN MANNING

Day Faith Regard Status Test Way
On the last day, Jesus will look us over not for medals, diplomas, or honors, but for scars.
BRENNAN MANNING

Day Medal Ourselves Scars Search
Tragedy is that our attention centers on what people are not, rather than on what they are and who they might become.
BRENNAN MANNING

Attention Be Yourself People Tragedy
We must go out into a desert of some kind (your backyard will do) and come into a personal experience of the awesome love of God.
BRENNAN MANNING

Desert Experience God Kind Love Personal
Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever.
BRENNAN MANNING

Encouragement Evil Failure Forever Grace Sorrow Suffering
Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God. Fear of the unknown path stretching ahead of us destroys childlike trust in the Father’s active goodness and unrestricted love.
BRENNAN MANNING

Active Clarity Crave Destroy Elimination Father Restriction Risk
The litmus test of our love for God is our love of neighbor.
BRENNAN MANNING

Friendship God Love Neighbor Ourselves Science Test
Whatever we have done in the past, be it good or evil, great or small, is irrelevant to our stance before God today. It is only NOW that we are in the presence of God.
BRENNAN MANNING

Day Evil Goodness Ourselves Past Presence
God is loving us – you and me – this moment, just as we are and not as we should be.
BRENNAN MANNING

God Love Moments Yourself
The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust — not only for all the gifts that I receive from God, but gratitude for all the suffering. Because in that purifying experience, suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God.
BRENNAN MANNING

Authentic Character Dominant Experience Flow God Gratitude Intimacy Life Purity Spiritual Trust
The only kind of love that helps anyone grow is unconditional love.
BRENNAN MANNING

Growth Help Kind Love Unconditional
We have been given God in our souls and Christ in our flesh. We have the power to believe where others deny, to hope where others despair, to love where others hurt.
BRENNAN MANNING

Believe Body Despair God Hurt Love Presence Soul

The gospel declares that no matter how dutiful or prayerful we are, we can’t save ourselves. What Jesus did was sufficient.

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The gospel declares that no matter how dutiful or prayerful we are, we can’t save ourselves. What Jesus did was sufficient.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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