MY FAITH IS IN CHRIST ALONE and HIS GRACE ALONE. I have nothing else to trust, and I want nothing else. JESUS IS ALL I WANT.

"and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us... But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:5, 8

I don’t want to do anything without God, and knowing my “SELF,” why would I?

"For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." Romans 7:18

All of HEAVEN and EARTH know all about the wretched state of my Adam nature. So, I surrender. I absolutely surrender to HIS OBEDIENCE by Grace.

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Without God, I am pitiful, wretched, and completely incompetent. I desperately NEED HIM and HIS FULL GRACE, and HE DESPERATELY WANTS ME TO HAVE HIS FULL GRACE. HE LOVES ME ABSOLUTELY. He Humbled Himself and became a man, suffered and died for my sins, and was resurrected AFTER He justified all of us by forgiving our sins. Jesus is the definition of love. HE WANTS ME TO HAVE HIS FULL GRACE!

"so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth... for IT IS GOD who is at work IN YOU, both TO DESIRE and to WORK FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE" Philppians 2:10, 13

Without God, I am worthless, unable to stop sinning like Adam. However, WITH-GOD I can do all things. WITH-GOD, all things are possible! Unfortunately, UNBELIEF gets in the way. IT MUST BE REMOVED, AND IT CAN ONLY BE REMOVED BY HIS GRACE!

"Quite right, they were broken off for their UNBELIEF but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. See then the kindness and severity of God: to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness (GRACE), if you continue in His kindness (GRACE); for otherwise you too will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their UNBELIEF, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?" Romans 11:20-24

My Grace Awakening might have occurred in the early years of my WALK WITH CHRIST. But I failed--BIG TIME, and over and over again. The truth is, when tested, I failed under adversity. When I was tested, like Peter, I DENIED CHRIST, and I relied on my SELF. Looking at me then, you would have thought I was a super Christian. I wasn’t. There are no super Christians; we are all wretched sinners SAVED BY GRACE.

Under adversity, the entire universe found out about all my weaknesses. I could not hide, and playing the victim made it worse. He can't heal us until we surrender fully to Jesus and give Him all our sins. Unbelief stops the flow of Grace.

"Later He appeared to the eleven disciples themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reprimanded them for their UNBELIEF and hardness of heart, because they HAD NOT BELIEVED those who had seen Him after He had risen from the dead." Mark 16:14

Yes, for most of my 40 years of being a Christian, I relied on myself, my wisdom, and my strength, and I failed miserably repeatedly. In my efforts to direct and manage my life and the world around me through my self-righteousness, I was, in effect, DENYING CHRIST AND HIS GRACE.

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:29

I regret it all; all the hard “work” almost killed me. The good news is that by Grace and Mercy, I found His REST and His Peace. He even gave me His Faith and Grace to enter His rest.

"What then? If some did not believe, their UNBELIEF will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? Far from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found a liar, as it is written:" Romans 3:3-4

For most of my Christian walk, I have been practicing UNBELIEF. I have no problem confessing it; as a consequence, Jesus transforms me from the inside out. According to the Bible, all my PAIN, LOSS, and REGRET in this life is due to UNBELIEF. I concur. The good news is that I have been given GRACE TO BELIEVE!

"But as many as RECEIVED HIM, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, BUT OF GOD. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. John *testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’ ” FOR FOR OF HIS FULLNESS WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED, GRACE UPON GRACE. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth WERE REALIZED THROUGH Jesus Christ." John 1:12-17

Under testing, without His Grace, I trust my SELF. AND OH BOY, HOW UGLY IT IS! My UNBELIEF thwarts the love of God from pouring out Grace. How sad.

"And He could not do any miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He was going around the villages, teaching." Mark 6:5-6

Without Grace, I DO IT MY SELF. Instead of taking every thought into the obedience of Christ (all doubt, lack, and unbelief), I rely on my human wisdom and my human might, which is pathetic. The experiment is over, I NEED GRACE!

"For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all." Romans 11:32

Without Grace, I lean on my understanding and judgments--AND TRUST ME, IT’S NOT GOOD! Without Grace, I wouldn't trust me if I were you!

"I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully agree with the law of God in the inner person, but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my body’s parts. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:21-25

Without God’s Grace, I hold tightly to my own opinions and exert all the human energy and effort I can muster to GET THE JOB DONE. Without Grace, I am a tyrant IN UNBELIEF.

"Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:1-17

Imagine a world of absolute abundance, which is free-flowing Grace. Imagine the ABUNDANT LIFE Jesus promises. 

"and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:19-21

Because of MY Grace Awakening, a gift of love, I can now imagine.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Personally, MY Grace Awakening is ongoing and indescribable, beyond anything I can think or imagine. I have been in this AWAKENED STATE by Grace, and I don’t expect it to end, ever. 

"for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." Ephesians 4:12-16

Every day, by Grace, God reveals more of Himself and His glory in me and through me as He transforms me into the image of God and empowers me IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” Galatians 2:20-21

My first-ever “Grace Awakening” was and is still very personal, it's not over, it's only just begun. There have been many since. I hesitate to share the details here and now. However, I can share the Scriptures with you. It’s my honor and privilege to do so, and I hope that God gets all the glory! The first Scripture of my Grace Awakening came from 2 Thessalonians 7-8 when I came to understand that I AM THE TEMPLE OF GOD. We all are.

"No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, SO HE THAT HE TAKES HIS SEAT IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed. Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;" 2 Thessalonians 7-8

The first encounter came from reading, studying, and soaking several different chapters of the Bible, but primarily 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2. I was not looking for anything in particular; I was just curious. I had an encounter with Christ, and now, looking back, it was the first of many GRACE AWAKENINGS.

"DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOU ARE A TEMPLE OF GOD and that the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Knowing that I was SAVED BY GRACE, Jesus taught me that I, WE, are the Temple of God, and on the throne of my heart was my “SELF.” He showed me that the throne was made for Jesus alone and not for my SELF. Later, I came to realize that SELF is SIN, and satan is the father of SELF. For those who LOVE THE TRUTH, Jesus, the Word of God, will SLAY “SELF” WITH THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH, which is the Word of God.

"that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged WHO DID NOT BELIEVE THE TRUTH, but took pleasure in wickedness." 2 Thessalonians 2:9-8

I was a brand new Christian and had recently experienced a miraculous conversion and Baptism by fire in the Holy Spirit. Although my conversion and deliverance were in and of themselves a miraculous GRACE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS HIMSELF, I will tell that story later. The important thing to know, I was very young and immature in the Lord.

"But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

After the first Grace encounter, I approached several mentors and my pastors with my “awakening experience.” For me, the TRUTH ENCOUNTER was so beautiful and liberating, but to others, I got blank stares. My mentors and pastors were silent, and their silence was deafening. My enthusiasm irritated them. So, I dropped it. I regret doing so.

The good news is Jesus never dropped it, and He kept teaching me. Jesus is patient and merciful. Over the years, Jesus added Scripture after Scripture to His foundation of Grace, and my Grace Awakening experience grew. Grace grew in me. Today, I have a STACK of Grace Scriptures and Grace Awakening experiences I cherish. They have been a big part of my Spiritual Formation.

The first Scripture that moved me from the natural to the spiritual world was 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8. It was earth-shattering to me. That was the first of many Scriptures revealing God’s unlimited love through Grace.

Below, please enjoy reading, studying, and soaking in my top ten Scriptures Jesus used to reveal GRACE and TRUTH to me.

The following Scriptures have radically transformed my life in every way. These “Top Ten” represent only a smidget of my favorite “Grace Awakening “ verses. I hope that Jesus will do the same for you as He did for me.

Ask Jesus to reveal HIMSELF through GRACE… here are the Scriptures.

"And you were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:1-10

"Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" Romans 8:26-32

"for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:13

"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need." Hebrews 4:15-16

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:6-11

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"I am no longer going to be in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:11-26

"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And although you were previously alienated and hostile in attitude, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am supplementing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions in behalf of His body, which is the church. I was made a minister of this church according to the commission from God granted to me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ. For this purpose I also labor, striving according to His power which works mightily within me." Colossians 1:13-29

"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,"
Romans 8:3

"Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another." Romans 12:1-5