Transforming - Walnut Grove Lutheran Church

Transforming 8: Transforming the Soul

November 20, 2022

Imagine a stream of fresh flowing water that brings nourishment, life, and direction to an otherwise parched and barren land. That is what your soul is to your life. But who or what is the source of the water that flows from our soul into the other aspects of our life? That is the critically important question. When the source is God, the water he pours into our soul brings abundant life to our heart, mind, body, and social context. Enlivened by this living water, we share the life God has given us with others. (Based on 1 Peter 2:11-25.)

Transforming 7: Transforming our Social Dimension

November 13, 2022

We need to be connected to and supported by others. Because of human brokenness, our supportive relationship circles inevitably break down and we are left wounded by the rejection we experience. By identifying the toxins in our relationships and applying the love of Jesus to the wounds that cause those toxins, we are able to experience healing, and then bless and support the people around us with God’s love. (Based on 1 John 3:11-24.)

Transforming 6: Transforming the Body

November 6, 2022

We might not be aware of the key role our body plays in our spiritual life, but it is essential in our spiritual life for we cannot engage with the world around us without it. God meant our bodies for good, but the corruption of our body by sin means that our body can lead us away from God. Thankfully, God the Son, Jesus Christ, came in a human body to redeem our human body. With the forgiveness Jesus gives us and the presence of the Holy Spirit living within our body, our body can become a faithful servant for God and for us. (Based on Romans 8:1-13.)

Transforming 5: Transforming the Heart

October 30, 2022

The human will is both precious and problematic. It is precious because it gives us the freedom to choose. It is problematic because, in its natural state, our will is splintered & entangled in many things which draw it away from God. Thankfully, our Savior Jesus said to his Father, “Thy will be done.” With his selfless obedience to his Father’s will, Jesus won forgiveness and healing for our wayward & misdirected wills. With our wills transformed by Jesus’s love, we are able to choose well. (Based on Mt. 7:13-29.)

Transforming 4: Transforming the Mind

October 23, 2022

On our own, our thoughts and feelings lead us away from God and into bondage to our own selfish, self-centered desires. But Jesus came into this world to heal our mind with his forgiveness and love. As we let God be God in our lives, he will give us new ideas and images to think about and help us to create the conditions for God-guided emotions to arise within us. (Based on Romans 12:1-13.)

Transforming 3: Evil, Goodness & Spiritual Change

October 16, 2022

When we buy something, the only way we know if we made a good deal is if what we bought is worth more to us than the money we exchanged for it. But how do we know we are choosing correctly when making life-changing decisions? When we see the ruined nature of our life apart from God, and the great value of the gift Jesus offers us of rich, full, abundant life with God, the decision becomes clear. We deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. (Based on Romans 3:9-26 & Matthew 16:24-25.)

Transforming 2: Renovating Human Life

October 9, 2022

When repairing something, it is really important to know how it works, because you (usually) can’t repair something without first understanding it. It is the same with human life. We need to understand it so that we are better able to enter into a process of renovating human life, a process that Jesus does in, through and for us. (Based on Mark 12:28-34.)

Transforming 1: What is Spiritual Formation?

October 2, 2022

The personal challenges we face & a quick survey of world news tells us that human beings need a renovation of their hearts. But how? Jesus offers hope through the spiritual transformation that only he can give. As we receive his love into the depths of our being, we grow in becoming more like him. (Based on Proverbs 4:18:27.)