Romans 9:30-33 ASV, Romans 10:3-4 ASV and Romans 10:9-10 ASV

Nothing I do will ever make me righteous- truth is I already am! But this seems to be the stumbling block for so many Christians. We keep trying to obtain something that was freely given to us. We keep working for something that could never be earned. Withouth faith it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to ever please God! Only faith in Him! I know that when I was a teenager, I lived this way- thinking things I did made God kind of love me more- I performed for Him. But what I lacked was relationship- I didn't have faith that I could be loved just as I was. I did the right things, I acted right, I was a good person who went to church- but I didn't really KNOW God. Maybe many folks approach their relationship with God as they do people- the sort of hide the bad stuff, major on the good things and never really expose that real self for fear of rejection and disappointment. But herein lies the basis of knowing God- my faith in a God I can have relationship with. He sees all that is in my heart, every place, every secret, every motive. And here's where the faith comes in- He loves me anyway.