God saw all that He created
and called it very good.
HOWEVER,
man fell
prey to temptation
and into sin.Man rebelled
against his maker,
his Lord, and
his provider,
doubting His goodness,
disobeying His command,
desiring for himself
that which only God deserved,
bringing death to his soul.

For the wages of sin is death. . .
Romans 6:23 ESV

…just as sin came into the
world through one man,
and death through sin,
and so death spread
to all men because all sinned.
Romans 5:12 ESV

And you, who once were alienated
and hostile in mind,
doing evil deeds . . .
Colossians 1:21 ESV

Taking the Truth to Heart

God created Adam and Eve
for His pleasure, His glory, and
their enjoyment.

He established mankind’s rule
and dominion over all the
creatures and the earth.

He placed them in the
Garden of Eden
and explained
that they could
eat of any tree in the
garden except one.

There they were in the midst of a
beautiful garden,
with every need provided for,
in intimate companionship
with God and one another,
and yet they came to desire…
through the deception of the
enemy they desired that
which was not theirs.
Entertaining the serpent’s lies,
doubting God’s faithfulness.
They chose to take for themselves
that which was not theirs
for the taking…
Fearing they would be left
without…
Not believing God and
His love.
Ultimately they acted
in selfishness and
unbelief. They turned against
God and became His enemies.
They broke their intimate
fellowship with Him.

What is this darkness within
and without?
Why this resistance to
the truth and the light?

SIN.

…just as sin came into the
world through one man,
and death through sin,
and so death spread
to all men because all sinned.
Romans 5:12 ESV

Close in prayer and
a song of praise.

Heavenly Father,
May I live free
knowing that the light
of Christ overcomes
the darkness within.
May I trust in His precious blood
and in His righteousness
and no longer fear but be free,
since Jesus set me free.

Help me remember Christ,
remember that He lives,
remember the hope
I have in Him –
each and every moment
of each and every day
this coming year.
May I live through Him
for Him
and because of Him!

No more fear!
No more unbelief!
No more discouragement!

“Why This Fear and Unbelief?”
LINK TO YOUTUBE WORSHIP VIDEO

Now why this fear and unbelief?
Has not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for us?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Now canceled at the cross?

CHORUS
Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood
Jesus, You’ve rescued us
Through Your great love

VERSE 2
Complete atonement You have made
And by Your death have fully paid
The debt Your people owed
No wrath remains for us to face
We’re sheltered by Your saving grace
And sprinkled with Your blood

BRIDGE
How sweet the sound of saving grace
How sweet the sound of saving grace
Christ died for me

VERSE 3
Be still my soul and know this peace
The merits of your great high priest
Have bought your liberty
Rely then on His precious blood
Don’t fear your banishment from God
Since Jesus sets you free.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

 

 Genesis 1:27 ESV
So God created man 
in his own image,
in the image of God 
he created him;
male and female 
he created them.

It is the first Monday morning
of a new year, a new beginning.
The first day back to work for
many people, the first day back
to school for many children…
daily life begins again.

It is the first day of the rest
of our lives…

We have the love of Christ.
We have the image of the
firstborn in our hearts.
We want to make our life count,
not just for something,
but for the gospel.

The glorious gospel!
We who were created in
the image of God rebelled,
sin entered the world,
and the image was distorted and
marred because of that sin.
BUT NOW
because of the gospel,
because of Christ,
we no longer live but
Christ lives within us.
The light of Christ
lives within.

We want this truth of
the gospel to
pulsate through our veins
in a regular cadence
unhindered,
unobstructed
by our sin,
by our weakness,
by other people’s sins.
or by the devil,
because of Christ!

C H R I S T
Hear the writer of Hebrews

Hebrews 1:1-4
Long ago, at many times and in
many ways, God spoke to our
fathers by the prophets, but in
these last days he has spoken to
us by his Son, whom he appointed
the heir of all things, through
whom also he created the world.
He is the radiance of the glory
of God and the exact imprint of
his nature, and he upholds the
universe by the word of his power.
After making purification for sins,
he sat down at the right hand of
the Majesty on high, having
become as much superior to
angels as the name he has
inherited is more excellent
than theirs.

On this first day “back”
we want to remind ourselves
of the hope and help
we have been given in Christ.
We are vessels of His glory.

We want to be distinctively
different not because we are any
better than anyone else
but because we have Christ.
Jesus came and lived and died
to redeem us so we no longer
focusing on self.

Jesus is the exact image of God.
Jesus perfectly reflected
His Father.
Let Him live in and through you!
Don’t let sin reign.
Allow Christ to reign.

Ask the Lord to meet
you right where
you are.

Close in prayer and
a song of praise.

Heavenly Father,
Help me remember Christ,
remember that He lives,
remember the hope
I have in Him –
each and every moment
of each and every day
this coming year.
May I live through Him
for Him
and because of Him!

No more fear!
No more unbelief!
No more discouragement!

May I live free
knowing that the light
of Christ overcomes
the darkness within.
May I trust in His precious blood
and in His righteousness
and no longer fear but be free,
since Jesus set me free.

“Why This Fear and Unbelief?”
LINK TO YOUTUBE WORSHIP VIDEO

Now why this fear and unbelief?
Has not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for us?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Now canceled at the cross?

CHORUS
Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood
Jesus, You’ve rescued us
Through Your great love

VERSE 2
Complete atonement You have made
And by Your death have fully paid
The debt Your people owed
No wrath remains for us to face
We’re sheltered by Your saving grace
And sprinkled with Your blood

BRIDGE
How sweet the sound of saving grace
How sweet the sound of saving grace
Christ died for me

VERSE 3
Be still my soul and know this peace
The merits of your great high priest
Have bought your liberty
Rely then on His precious blood
Don’t fear your banishment from God
Since Jesus sets you free.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

 Genesis 1:27 ESV
So God created man
in his own image,
in the image of God
he created him;
male and female
he created them.

What does it mean to you
that you have been created
in the image of God?

It is important that we don’t
follow our own ideas
and inventions
but that we take what is plainly
stated in God’s Word
to heart.

As one who was created
in God’s image
we are commanded
to put off our old ways,
our old thinking,
to reflect God and His glory.

When we follow our old ways
of thinking, cling to our desires,
trust in ourselves,
we distort God’s image.

When we worry about
what others think of US…
When we compare
OURSELVES to others…
When we seek attention,
accolades, or
glory for OURSELVES…
We are focusing on OUR
OWN image.

We are to put off the old
put on the new self,
created after the likeness
of God in true righteousness
and holiness.

We must take our eyes off of self,
turn them onto Jesus,
and keep them there
by God’s grace.

Jesus is the exact image of God.
Jesus perfectly reflected
His Father.

Hebrews 1:3-4
He is the radiance of the
glory of God and the exact
imprint of his nature,
and he upholds the universe
by the word of his power.
After making purification for sins,
he sat down at the right hand
of the Majesty on high,
having become as much
superior to angels as the
name he has inherited is
more excellent than theirs.

Ask the Lord to meet
you right where
you are.

Tell Him simply what causes
to take your eyes off of Him?

Fear?
Insecurity?
Selfishness?
Unbelief?

Do you listen to the lies of the
enemy?

Bravely and plainly
tell the Lord
where you see yourself failing
and confess your sins,
your weaknesses,
your shortcomings, your failures.
Put your faith in Him
and not yourself…
trust in His power
trust in His forgiveness,
trust in His love…
and ask Him to cleanse you
from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 12:1-2
let us also lay aside every weight,
and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder
and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is
seated at the right hand
of the throne of God.

What is that sin that clings so
closely that is keeping you
from reflecting the image of God?

Draw near
to Jesus in faith.

Believe that His blood
is enough to
cleanse you from all
unrighteousness.

Pray through the
following hymn asking the
Lord for His help believing that
He will do it.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will
grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion-
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you-He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.