STEP 3 – WE MADE A DECISION TO TURN OUR WILL AND OUR LIVES OVER TO THE CARE OF GOD AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM.

LIFE FIX 5 – STEP 3 – DECIDE TO TURN, 7-20-25, Lead Pastor - Jeff Aenk, New Hope Christian Church

Key Verse – John 14:6 - Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through me.

Matthew 11:28-30 - 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

*The Good News of Gospel of Jesus in Short Form, is - Letting Go & Letting God. Step 1 – I Can’t. Step 2 – God Can. Step 3 – I’ll Let Him.

5 KEY TRUTHS ABOUT TURNING OUR WILL & LIVES OVER TO THE CONTROL OF JESUS:

1. There is No Un-Messing Our Messed Up Life, Until We Surrender the Director’s Chair, the Steering Wheel, to Jesus.

Romans 10:9 - If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

2. Who's Responsible for What Spiritually? God or Me? Grace – God Gives, I Receive. Why Work to Try to Earn a Gift - God's Love?

Ephesians 2:8-9 - 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (Faith – Trusting – Believing. The Gospel is NOT about Reformation, But Transformation. Best Definition of Faith – Let Go.

3. Changing Direction & Turning the Control of our Will & Lives Over to God, Will bring Refreshment! (God’s in Control & I’m NOT!!!)

Acts 3:19 - Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

4. Repent – Turn Away from Controlling Our Own Life, & Be Baptized – Give the Leadership & Control of Our Life to Jesus.

Acts 2:38-39 - 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

*****Baptism (Like a Wedding) Unites Us with Jesus, as we Symbolically Die to our Old Life of Sin We were in Charge of & Bury it (Like a Funeral), & are Raised to a New Life (Like a Birthday) Putting Jesus in Charge, Giving Him Control, & Following Him –

Romans 6:3-5 – 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

Step 3 Prayer – From Bill Wilson in the Big Book of AA:

“God, I offer myself to you, to build with me & to do with me, as you will. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do your will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help, of your power, your love, & your way of life. May I do your will always.”

*Another Step 3 Prayer: “Lord Jesus, I have Disobeyed you (Sinned). Forgive me. I Believe you are God, that you Died in my place to pay the punishment for My Sins, you were Buried, Rose Again & Live Today. Send your Holy Spirit into my Heart & take Control of my life. I want You to be my Leader & Savior. From this day on, I want to Follow & Serve You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!”

5. A Spiritual Awakening has happened when We Begin to be able to Think, Believe, & Act in ways We could Not before on our Own.

*****We’ve laid hold of a Source of Strength & Power in Jesus & His Holy Spirit, that we Never had access to before.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Here’s What I Want us To Do This Week

1. MAKE A DECISION TO TURN OUR WILL AND OUR LIVES OVER TO THE CARE OF GOD AS WE UNDERSTAND HIM.

*Read Chapter 3 – Step 3: Decide to Turn - Pages 23-32 in Black “The Fix Workbook” below to Left, & Answer the Questions in it in Writing. *Also, Attend your “Life Fix” Group this week. If you’re Not in one, Get the following Workbook, & Book or AudioBook, & go through them Yourself.

ß “The Fix Workbook: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone in Between.” by Ian Morgan Cron.

***Amazon carries the Paperback & Kindle Version of the Black Workbook.

*This is the Workbook with Lots of Questions you will Write Answers In, Working you through the 12 Steps.

“The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the à

Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between.” by Ian Morgan Cron.

***Amazon carries the Book Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, & Audiobook Version of this Book through Audible.

*This is the Crème Book – which gives much more detail & perspective of the 12 Steps & how to work them.

2. Sign Up TODAY to be Baptized Next Sunday July 27th, through our Church App. Scan the QR Code on the Back of the Chairs & Scroll to the Bottom of the Home Page to Click & Download our New Hope App, OR Search “New Hope Thornton” in your App Store & Download. Open our App, Click the Connect Button on the Bottom Left, Click on the Baptism Photo & Register.

*Scripture Assignment this Week: 1. Write/Type following Verses, One Each Day, in your Own Words. 2. Write/Type what God is Saying to You Personally through it. 3. Write/Type what You will Do as a Result. *Mon – Matt. 11:28-30, Tue – Rom. 10:9, Wed – Eph. 2:8-9, Thu – Acts 3:19, Fri – Acts 2:38-39 & Rom. 6:3-5, Sat – 2 Cor. 5:17

(All Scriptures used are from the NIV 2011 unless otherwise noted.) *If you miss a Sunday & want to catch up, want to watch or listen to a message again, or want a friend to see it, visit our Church App, Website www.gothope.cc , FaceBook, or YouTube.