Recapturing the Doctrines of Grace

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: - Eph. 2:8 KJV

Far to often I find myself in the midst of life relying more on myself than on Jesus Christ my Savior and King. I have been thinking about why this is often the case and here is what I have come to understand:

1. America wants me to be self-reliant and self-supporting. The idea that we need to be self-sufficient is an American idealism. We want nothing more than to succeed without any ones help and along the way making money would be really nice. We can't share our ideas or thoughts without thinking about how we can make $$ off of them to live the American dream.
2. The church in America has lost the doctrines of grace. I came across the following article that provides detailed Scripture references worth recalling when in the midst of a culture the worships self-achievement and success.

Grace Greater Than All My Sins - Julia H. Johnston 1910
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sins.

May God's grace and mercy be with you abundantly today and forever more. Amen.
RJO