From the beginning of human history, the desperate need for man to have fellowship with God is obvious. When Adam & Eve rebelled against God and fell to sin, that fellowship was broken. Man’s sin would forever estrange him from God--bar a miracle. That miracle came to us in the form of God’s Son, Jesus. He didn’t only show us how to live. He was also the Lamb of God who “takes away the sin of the world.” His sacrifice made reconciliation possible for “whosoever” would believe on Him. Man could be saved, not because of anything he did but because of what Jesus did for him.
The story of Adam and Eve; however, shows us two options in how we approach God. They first tried to relate to God by covering themselves with fig leaves. They tried to have a relationship with Him based on their works. Another word for that is religion. God showed the better way. God provided a sacrifice that would atone for their sins and cover their nakedness. He would restore their relationship by what He did, not what they did. One is religion; the other is grace. You have to choose which one will govern your life.
Week 1 - Freedom from Religion
(Grace)
September 19, 2021
Week 8 - Freedom from Strongholds
November 7, 2021
Have you ever had a season in life that made you ask yourself, “How did I get here? Why do I do the things I do? What makes me continue to act that way? Why am I in this situation? The truth isn’t too complicated: each of us are in our current situation or current struggle because of one or a combination of three things:
Week 6 - Freedom from Rejection
October 24, 2021
Proverbs 18:21 says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Obviously, words are potent and significant. With words, God spoke the entire universe into being. Words and language were His idea. He gave them to man and created man in His image so that our words carry power as well. Every time we open our mouth, we either build up or tear down. Our words can encourage someone or take the wind out of their sails. Our tongue can either advance the kingdom of life or advance the kingdom of death. God desires for us to speak words of life that build up, bring healing, and offer encouragement.
Week 5 - Freedom from Bitterness
October 17, 2021
Let’s start this week by facing facts. We live in a fallen, messed-up world. Things often won’t go as planned. People do stupid things. Hurting people hurt people. And in spite of what the age-old quote says about sticks and stones, words can hurt. To sum up this dreary opening paragraph, we will all face hurts and offense frequently in life. As with many other things in life, what happens to us is not nearly as important as our response to it. Offense can be difficult. Too often we end up harboring unforgiveness and getting bitter. Unfortunately, this does much greater harm to us than to the person we refuse to forgive. Offense is the bait that the enemy uses to lure us into bondage, and it causes us to build up walls around hearts. Walls may keep out the bad stuff, but they also keep out the good. It may protect us from the pain of hurt and rejection, but it also prevents us from experiencing love and life-giving relationships.