“Circle of Grace”: Full Content
UNTOME
Completing the “Circle of Grace” in East Hawaii
A Community experience in Aloha, Compassion and Grace.
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As humans, we are All called to:
Love our Neighbors – as we love ourselves.
HINT: IN EAST HAWAII, WE ARE ALL NEIGHBORS.
Who Are Our Homeless/Houseless Neighbors?
There are ACTUALLY three main groups of homeless people in East Hawaii:
(*Yes, this is oversimplified but important for a basic understanding - No disrespect to our homeless neighbors.)
1. Your Neighbors Dealing with Mental Illness
People who lack the mental, physical and nervous system capacity to be able to fully integrate into our East Hawaii Community. These people require grace from our community to ‘make it’ through each day.
2, Your Homeless Neighbors (Houseless by Choice)
People who simply do not want to work or integrate into certain aspects of our East Hawaii Community. These people are usually very resourceful, are not always receptive to County or State ‘assistance’, and are aware of every ‘free’ meal, shower, and place to stay. These people could really benefit by learning how to receive more of God’s Grace and human grace into their lives.
3. Your Neighbors Dealing with Catastrophe and Hardship (lava, job loss, divorce, sickness, etc.)
People who, for many reasons, have ‘fallen through the cracks’ and presently have no ‘safety net’- no money, no family, nobody to help them. These people desperately want to re-integrate into our community and be contributing members of our East Hawaii Community. These people could really benefit by learning how to receive more of God’s Grace and human grace into their lives.
KEY TRUTH:
EVERY PERSON, and our community could benefit by learning how to receive more of God’s Grace (activating THEIR PERSONAL Circle of Grace) and to give human grace into the lives of those less fortunate (activating OUR COMMUNITY Circle of Grace.)
What is Grace?
Grace is un-deserved, un-merited, un-earned Favor.
Grace is spiritual, not religious. Grace is a common-denominator spiritual (and real) currency in God’s economy, to be used by all people.
GRACE IS NOT RELIGION.
KEY: LEARN THIS!
There are two kinds of Grace:
Big ‘G’ Grace = The ‘Grace of God’ to people.
Little ‘g’ grace = the ‘grace of people’ to people.
What is the definition of Grace?
1. An excellence or power granted by God. = gifts, talents, and ability to learn and earn money, to prosper, to achieve and enjoy ‘success’ in life.
2. Divine favor bestowed freely (by people) on people. = love, hope, charity, aloha.
3. A disposition to be generous or helpful = simple or profound goodwill to other people.
Human grace is a favor rendered by one who need not do so = like participating with UNTOME. The act of giving to ‘the least fortunate among us’ defines you in the eyes of God.
UntoMe is teaching our community about Grace:
Teaching some people how to more fully receive big ‘G’ Grace, the Grace of God.
Teaching some people how to give away little ‘g’ grace, the grace of people.
Teaching EVERYONE how to fully activate their personal ‘Circle of Grace’ and how to participate in activating our East Hawaii Ohana ‘Circle of Grace’.
Rich, poor, it doesn’t matter! Grace is for everyone!
Grace is Gifts & Favor: from God to people, or people to people.
Or, you could say:
Grace is Gifts & Favor: from God to You, and You to People.
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Receiving God’s Grace
For those having a hard time receiving God’s Grace:
PERSONAL FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY OHANA
Almost every family in East Hawaii has AT-LEAST one child or adult who requires MORE LOVE, MORE TIME, MORE MONEY, MORE PATIENCE, MORE UNDERSTANDING. = MORE human grace. Is this the truth?
THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY BAD, EVIL PEOPLE. Many have been raised by parents who were unable to properly model or teach how to receive Grace, or have been abused and/or traumatized early in life, or simply were not able to receive the grace many ‘fortunate and successful’ people did receive. These people are Grace deficient, and for whatever combination of reasons, they find it difficult or are not able to assimilate into our community and enjoy the jobs, housing and regular meals that many take for granted (we who can receive Grace believe ‘that God’s Grace’ will always be there for us). CORRECT?
Where do many of these ‘kids and adults’ end up living? We see them every day at the bandstand, the local parks and beaches. However, this is ‘just the tip of the iceberg’ of homelessness in East Hawaii. The visible homeless in East Hawaii only make up 10-20% for the homeless individuals and families in East Hawaii.
There aRE COMMON THEMES AMONG THE HOMELESS:
i WAS RAISED IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE I ENCOUNTERED ABUSE: PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND/OR SEXUAL ABUSE.
AND/OR-
“I MADE PLENTY MISTAKES (DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SEX, UNETHICAL, IMMORAL & ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES). I GREW UP FAST - AND LOST MY INNOCENCE, NOW I’M TRYING TO LOSE MY GUILT, SHAME AND REGRET.”
In East Hawaii, many people are dealing with guilt and shame, not realizing that believing you are guilty and shameful can seriously affect your ability to receive God’s grace.
Self-condemnation becomes self-sabotage.
This is when: “I DON’T BELIEVE I AM WORTHY OF GOD’S GRACE” BECOMES “I CANNOT RECEIVE OR ACCEPT GOD’S GRACE.”
Let’s Make This Personal:
Do you believe the following statement?
God intends ALL people to receive His Grace, Favor and Blessings.
If this is true, why aren’t people just living happily blessed lives?
Perhaps the ‘Grace shortage’ does not lie with God.
KEY TRUTH:
Perhaps the ‘Grace shortage’ is due to the negative beliefs (Shame, guilt, remorse, & others) of the very people who are supposed to be freely receiving God’s Grace.
Question:
Could your ‘Grace shortage’ be due to your ‘incorrect’ beliefs?
God intends that you should receive Grace.
HOWEVER, Your Guilt, Shame & Regret don’t think so….
How and Why does this Happen?
Guilt and Shame can limit a person’s ability to believe for and receive God’s Grace.
“I am Shameful.”
“I am guilty.”
“I am not good enough, smart enough, pretty or handsome enough, ______ enough.”
“I DON’T BELIEVE I SHOULD GET GRACE” equals I DON’T RECEIVE GRACE.
“I DON’T BELIEVE” = I DON’T RECEIVE.
KEY TRUTH
These ‘negative feedback loop’ beliefs poison everything- relationships, jobs, opportunities, experiences, fun, you name it….
KEY TRUTH:
Proverbs 23:7 tells us:
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
What you believe in your heart about yourself creates your world.
The world and people around you will conform to what you believe about yourself.
You are what you believe in your heart.
READY FOR A FRESH, NEW START?
How Do I Begin?
First, receive this truth: God is delighted with you because you are His precious child. This pleases God more than anything you can do. Dwell on this. God loves you. You cannot escape this fact. If ‘human’ love has failed you, seek God’s love.
Next, know that because of His love for you, God has gifts for you. This is the ‘amazing Grace’ of God.
Grace, or ‘un-merited’ favor doesn’t make sense to worldly and even some religious people.
Here’s the ‘catch’: You must BELIEVE you are able to receive God’s Grace.
You start by choosing to believe that your past does not define you.
in God’s eyes, you are more than the sum of your past mistakes. God totally loves DESPITE your past mistakes! God wants to bless you - if you let Him.
The only good thing about your having made poor choices and living with the ‘negative’ consequences – is that you can replace them by making and practicing new, upgraded beliefs and choices - and co-create ‘positive’ outcomes or consequences.
As your beliefs are upgraded the world (and people) around you will conform to your ‘new’ thoughts, beliefs and actions.
First, we all must learn – What are our ‘better’ choices?
Key Truth:
God intends for everyone to receive Grace.
It is now up to you – to choose what you believe.
It is your past that defines you – or your ‘present and future’?
Do you choose to maintain the limiting beliefs from your past? - or do you choose a new, ‘upgraded’ present and future truth and beliefs for yourself?
We all have to choose what we believe about our self. To ‘not choose’ is a poor choice that leads to negative consequences.
How can a person rid themselves of the lie that they can’t receive God’s Grace?
By gaining new knowledge regarding the truth about Grace.
By practicing and speaking these ‘new beliefs’ until you ‘own’ and believe them.
By acting upon these new beliefs.
Think, speak and act these new beliefs. Practice makes perfect.
When your ‘new’ thoughts, beliefs and actions involve the truth of Grace, your world will change for the better.
Always remember: in the ‘war’ between guilt, shame and Grace, if you don’t give up - Grace wins!
O.K., Let’s begin.
Let’s gain new knowledge regarding the truth about Grace:
If you have had a hard time, for whatever reasons, receiving God’s Grace into your life you might consider learning and practicing the following:
Repeat the following until you ‘really get it’:
NO HUMAN DESERVES GOD’S GRACE.
God’s Grace is Un-Merited and Unearned, but I am supposed to receive it.
Repeat:
“I don’t deserve Grace, nobody does.”
“I can’t earn Grace, nobody can”
“I am a child of God, just like everyone else.
God intends for all people to receive Grace, favor and blessings.”
“I should be able to receive this ‘favor from God’ as much as anyone.”
“I believe I am able to receive God’s favor in my life, because God wants me to.”
“I now choose to receive God’s Grace into my life because God intends it. I choose to honor God’s desire to bless me with Grace,
The Holy Bible states, “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Say a prayer of ‘faith and thanks’: “God, I humbly and gratefully receive your Grace into my life today. Thank you!”
Or: ”God, I lift up my my faith to you, my belief in you. Please fill my faith with your Grace. I receive the Grace you have intended for me, now. Thank You!”
Believe and wait on God.
Practice
"God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-7
Choose to believe that “God is Good, God loves me, and I receive God’s Grace.” Then wait. God’s Grace always happens in God’s timing. You can’t ‘push the river’ of Grace. Don’t be surprised if God sends a human to ‘share their grace with you.
WARNING: Do Not attempt to ‘retake control’ while waiting on God’s Grace. This will only serve to move the process back under your own ‘little sphere of human power and influence’. Let Go, Let God be God in your life.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ‘RELIGIOUS’ OR SPIRITUAL’ TO UNDERSTAND THAT GRACE IS LIKE A CURRENCY OF GOODWILL THAT MOST ‘SUCCESSFUL’ PEOPLE HAVE FREELY RECEIVED – AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO FREELY GIVE BACK.
Receiving God’s Grace comes before giving human grace.
Spend time becoming a good receiver.
Believe God intends for you to have Grace.
"God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
Therefore submit to God. James 4:6-7
Receive Grace because God intended it, not because you deserve it. GRACE IS YOURS FOR THE RECEIVING. This is a spiritual truth.
Receiving God’s Grace is a great way to be introduced to God or to co-create a ‘working’ relationship with God. Once you understand how God’s Grace (free undeserved, unearned, unmerited favor) works - you will begin to understand the benefits of working with God - for improved outcomes in your life.
The world system is based on fear and debt (slavery).
If you choose to put your faith in man, you will often be disappointed.
Instead, put your faith where is actually works - in God!
Giving Away Human grace
To those who resist (or don’t understand the importance of) giving away grace:
First, be grateful that God’s Grace already found its way into your life.
PLEASE REVIEW THE “SUCCESSES” IN YOUR LIFE. HAVE YOU ALREADY FREELY ACCEPTED GOD’S GRACE IN YOUR LIFE?
Many people don’t realize that their ‘natural’ talents, gifts, and abilities, freely given to us by God, are the very things that have given some of us the ability to ‘get ahead’ in life: go to school, get a job, rent or buy a house or apartment, have a fridge with food inside, have a bank account, have a warm and secure place to sleep. Many people take God’s Grace for granted – or falsely believe that only ‘they’ created their own success.
KEY TRUTH
GIVING HUMAN GRACE TO THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF ATTAINING SPIRITUAL GROWTH, SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-LOVE, AND FOR BUILDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
God’s free Grace activated your ‘personal Circle of Grace’, however, to continue receiving ‘fresh’ Grace into your life you have to learn how to ‘spend’ some of your grace to uplift the lives people who are less fortunate than you – or those who didn’t learn how to properly receive God’s Grace.
Giving Away grace is Easy!
Simply find a way to uplift the life of someone less fortunate than you: a friendly smile and/or kind words are ‘free grace’ that everyone can spend. A gift of your time or helpful goods, or a monetary or other qualified charitable organization that upgrade the dignity and life of the most vulnerable and least-fortunate among us.
Giving grace today makes room for more of God’s Grace to flow into your life.
· God ‘Starts’ your personal Circle of Grace
· You ‘complete’ your personal ‘Circle of Grace’
· and your ‘Circle of Grace’ will grow with practice.
KEY: The ACT of giving away ‘human’ grace completes a full revolution of your personal “Circle of Grace” and positions you to receive more of God’s Grace into your life. It is by giving away human grace that positions you to receive more of God’s Grace.
When the receiver ‘passes on’ their grace to someone less fortunate, this act is an example of human nature at its finest.
Summary: Giving and Receiving Grace”
GIVING AND RECEIVING GRACE AFFECTS ALL PEOPLE IN A GOOD WAY.
KEY:
Receiving God’s Grace enables you to be able to give away human grace (pass it forward) human to human.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ‘RELIGIOUS’ OR SPIRITUAL’ TO UNDERSTAND THAT GRACE IS LIKE A CURRENCY OF GOODWILL THAT MOST ‘SUCCESSFUL’ PEOPLE HAVE FREELY RECEIVED – AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO FREELY GIVE BACK.
Giving grace to someone less fortunate than you in our community reveals your heart. There is ALWAYS someone less fortunate than you.
GIVING BACK GRACE IS A MEASURE OF YOUR PERSONAL HUMANITY.
KEY:
Giving away ‘human’ grace: positions you to receive more of God’s Grace into your life, completing a full revolution of the “Circle of Grace” in your life.
KEY POINT:
YOU DIDN’T (AND STILL DON’T) DESERVE GRACE. REMEMBER, IT IS UN-EARNED, UN-MERITED FAVOR.
GRACE COMES FROM:
GOD’S INTENTION AND YOUR ABILITY TO BELIEVE YOU CAN RECEIVE IT. (Receiving God’s Grace)
YOUR INTENTION TO BLESS SOMEONE WHO IS LESS FORTUNATE THAN YOURSELF. (Giving Away human grace)
GRACE FULLY WORKS IN A COMPLETE CIRCLE. This is a glimpse into God’s economy. God promises to bless people who bless those who are ‘the least fortunate’ in our community.
IMPORTANT: According to God: THIS ACT OF BLESSING THOSE WHO ARE THE LEAST AMONG US – DEFINES YOUR PERSONAL HUMANITY – AND WILL HAVE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES. (read Matthew 25: 30-46 to the end.)
The logo and trademark for UntoMe is
“Blessed to Be a Blessing”
The receiver is blessed.
The giver is blessed.
God gets the glory.
Join UntoMe to increase the full circle of grace circulating in our community.
This is your opportunity to participate in making true, long-lasting changes in people’s lives and to prove that Aloha is real.
How Much Should I Donate?
Grace should not be given grudgingly or under compulsion (humbug or forced).
Grace should be spent (given) out of what grace you have already received from God’s grace or human grace – as you have prospered from these gifts of grace in your life.
Be a Joyful Giver of Grace.
‘How Much’ isn’t important. Pray about it. Ask God and wait and listen. Gain peace in your heart regarding the amount. Remember, you are making way for new, fresh Grace into your life!
It is the act of giving grace that is important.
This is a dividing line in humanity.
Giving away grace has both current and eternal consequences. (Read Matthew 25 to the end)
CLICK HERE TO DONATE And Activate your personal ‘Circle of Grace’
At UntoMe, we believe there are “Hidden” Blessings waiting for those who have grace and share grace– waiting just for you when you complete the circle of grace in your life. The grace you have already received gives you the ability to do just that.
We complete our lives by serving and lifting up those who are less fortunate.
No, you DON’T HAVE TO SHARE.
Yes, you GET TO SHARE your grace and complete your circle of grace, then receive the blessings promised to those who assist God in caring for his children here in East Hawaii.
As recipients of grace we are privileged to serve as agents of grace.
Donate what you can to UntoMe and Be “Blessed to be a Blessing”.
UNTOME.ORG
Grace is Un-earned Favor.
Could you use more grace in your life?
A Community experience in Aloha, Compassion and Grace.
Find out how @ UntoMe.org