Lesson Two - Warm-up

Imagine for a moment that next time you pray you will have to come into God's presence based on your own merit. What things would you be able to say you have accomplished? Do they outweigh the times you have failed God? Now, give each person a chance to answer this question: "How does trying to come into God's presence on your own merits make you feel?"

I know that I wouldn't be able to say anything I have accomplished because everything I do is His doing... but I would want to take credit for the things "I've" done and even if I did try to take credit for them, they wouldn't outweigh the times I've failed.

Thinking about standing in front of God on my own merits terrifies me. Because when I think about everything I've done "right" I think of everything I've done "wrong" and it puts me in mind of a judgemental God...

But trying to stand on merits is like looking at Gods grace as a loan instead of a gift. If it's a loan, you worry so much about paying it back that you can't enjoy having it. Then, if you can't pay it back you feel guilty and try to make excuses why you haven't paid it back yet...

Whereas if you accept grace as a gift - you say thank you and you enjoy it. Sometimes you feel guilty because you think it's too expensive a gift, but it makes you appreciate it more. So when you stand in front of God you can relax because you know He isn't expecting you to pay Him back because He loves you.