25 Woods Lake Road, Building 8, Greenville, SC
Surely no one would ever walk up to a sick person and ask if he really wanted to get well; unless the one asking the question knew that this person had deeper issues that first needed to be dealt with. Even as Christians, we can get stuck in ruts of sin or excuses that keep us immobilized, and sometimes we prefer to just stay there. Are there any ruts in your life that you need to get out of?
Today we stop and look back over the years to remember God’s faithfulness to us as a church family. It is astounding and humbling to see just how good God has been to us along every mile of our journey, from the very first day until now. Join us as we give thanks to our gracious heavenly Father for His unending faithfulness to us.
In a culture that constantly urges us to strive to get ahead, to climb the ladder of success, to never settle for second place… what motivation could there possibly be to completely surrender our lives to the will of someone else? This command of Jesus comes as a startling shock to our senses. Surely no one would ever demand such a thing! And yet that’s precisely what Jesus demands. Could there be any reason compelling enough to make us not only obey this command, but to do it willingly?
When a prisoner is pardoned and set free, he doesn’t live the rest of his life hanging around the prison yard and sleeping in his old cell at night. He lives in freedom! When a person receives Jesus as his Savior, he is forgiven and set free from his sin, but unfortunately, many Christians cannot believe they are really free, so they continue to live each day trapped by the power of sin. The Bible tells us that because of Christ, we have been set free from the power and the penalty of sin. This is great news! Listen to today’s message and learn how to live in the freedom you’ve been given!
In order to rise-up beyond the lowlands of salvation, we must first be resolute in our understanding of God’s character when it comes to sin. God has not changed, and repentance is a foundation stone on which the new life must be built.
We have all done things in our lifetime that we know are wrong. Sadly, many people go through their entire life carrying the guilt and shame of things from their past, never feeling worthy, loved or accepted by God. But because Jesus died on the cross and rose again, we can break free from a life of guilt by receiving the forgiveness and grace He offers to us. Regardless of who you are or what you’ve done, God’s grace is greater than all our sin, and you can receive that grace today!
When Jonah rebelled against God and got thrown overboard into the ocean, God would have had every right to let him drown. But once again we see the gracious heart of God in Jonah 3:1 – The word of the Lord came to Jonah a SECOND TIME. Where would any of us be right now if we had not been given a second chance by God? His mercy and patience are astounding. But the question is, what have we done with the second chances God has given us? Are we using them to live for ourselves or to live out His mission?
Jonah’s rebellion ended up getting him thrown into the sea to drown, and in reality, he was getting exactly what he deserved. But once again we see the loving heart of God; that His grace is bigger than our failures. God sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, and although Jonah thought that fish was going to be the death of him, it turned out to be the very thing God used to rescue him. What “fish” is in your life right now that you think is going to be the death of you? That may be the very thing God will use to rescue you!
Failure to see our past through God’s eyes can be crippling to our future. Sins and hurts from years gone by often continue to haunt us, making us doubt whether God has really forgiven us. But what we must understand is that God sees our past differently than we do because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. It is vitally important that we learn to see our past as God does, or it will keep us from a life of effectiveness for Him.
Is there anything in your past that is holding you back from becoming all that God wants you to be? No matter who you are, no matter where you’ve been, no matter what you’ve done, God can take your past and turn it into something beautiful for Him. Because of what Christ did on the cross, you can get past your past!
From a very dark time in history when corruption was rampant and every man did what was right in his own eyes, there emerges a story of grace and hope. A young woman named Ruth makes a choice to follow God, and her life is forever changed. Regardless of how dark or hopeless your surroundings may be, you can be that one person who chooses to rise above it all, follow God, and make a difference!
From a very dark time in history when corruption was rampant and every man did what was right in his own eyes, there emerges a story of grace and hope. A young woman named Ruth makes a choice to follow God, and her life is forever changed. Regardless of how dark or hopeless your surroundings may be, you can be that one person who chooses to rise above it all, follow God, and make a difference!
