Man’s Rebellion (Pt. 2)

We once lived in darkness,
at enmity with God,
rebellious,
disobedient,
unloving at our core.
We were
dead in our 
trespasses and 
sins.

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

Sin separates us from God, 
the creator and sustainer of life. 

Sin did not result in the
immediate physical death of 
Adam and Eve,
but immediate spiritual death.

All of us are descendants of 
Adam and Eve.
We have all been born 
with the disease of sin,
we are all born
spiritually dead.

When we put our faith in 
Christ we are rescued from 
ultimate spiritual death 
and brought into 
ultimate spiritual life. 
Paul continues in Romans 6:23 
to say, “…the gift of God is 
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” 

As believers even though 
we have been rescued from the 
ultimate “wages of sin”
we still experience the 
effects of sin. We still battle 
against the sin that remains.
We feel guilt, shame,
discouragement, emptiness,
and even despair.

As hard as it is to accept,
the truth is 
that even as believers
we will still continue to sin.
We will act just like unbelievers.
We will rebel against God.
We will love ourselves 
before we love others.
We will go our own way
and do our own thing.

Our remaining sin 
is ugly.

It is hard to live with
the continuing realization
that we are still sinners.

It is hard to believe 
that Christ loves us
when we still sin.

It is hard to 
comprehend the full
reality of what Christ did for 
us on the cross –
to reconcile 
in our minds that 
He who knew no sin 
took our sin upon Himself.

We no longer bear the guilt of
our sin. 

Christ took it all.

He the paid the entire
penalty of our sin!

For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

So now as we live in 
Christ we look to Him
to help us no longer live
like we once were…
dead in sin…living for 
SELF
but let us live for 
CHRIST!

Let us look to CHRIST!
He is in us and we are in Him.
Let us live in Him, for Him,
and through Him.

Taking the Truth to Heart

One of my favorite passages of 
Scripture comes to mind
when I consider that in 
exchange for the wages
we deserve that we were 
given Christ. It is a bit long
but I encourage you 
to read it and meditate on
it today as you enter this 
new year.  

For the love of Christ
controls us, because we have 
concluded this: that  one has 
died for all, therefore 
all have died; and he died for all,
that those who live might no
longer live for themselves but 
for him who for their sake died
and was raised.
From now on, therefore,
we regard no one according 
to the flesh. Even though we 
once regarded Christ according
to the flesh, we regard him 
thus no longer. Therefore, 
if anyone is  in Christ, he is
a new creation.   The old has 
passed away; behold, 
the new has come.
All this is from God, 
who through Christ reconciled 
us to himself and gave us 
the ministry of reconciliation; 
that is, in Christ God was
reconciling  the world to 
himself,  not counting 
their trespasses against them,
and entrusting to us 
the message of reconciliation. 
Therefore, we are ambassadors for
Christ, God making his appeal 
through us… 
For our sake he made him to be 
sin who knew no sin, so that
in him we might become 
the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:15-21

Close in prayer and
a song of praise.

Heavenly Father,
We come before you
not fully understanding
the darkness within 
and the darkness without.
Why does this resistance to 
the truth and the light 
have to remain?
Help us Lord God!
Help us know the 
love of Christ 
Help us live IN CHRIST
and not in our flesh! 
May I live
knowing that the light 
of Christ overcomes 
the darkness within.
May I remember to put my trust in 
His death on the cross
and in His righteousness
and no longer live in despair,
discouragement, or fear but be free,
since Jesus has set me free.

He lives!

I live in Him!

Each and every moment
of each and every day 
of 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.

 

/by

Man’s Rebellion

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.

 

/by

Gospel Moments (12): Made in the Image of God (Part Six)

 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.

/by