I Love My Church, Part 2: Life Transformation

Life Transformation 1 Peter 4:3-6 (NLT)  You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead. That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit. John 10:10 (NLT) The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. We bury it. (Proverbs 28:13)  "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." We beat ourselves up. (Romans 7:24)  "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Psalm 38:4-8)  "I am drowning in the flood of my sins, they are a burden too heavy to bear.  Because I have been foolish, I'm utterly worn out and crushed, my heart is troubled…" We blame others. (Genesis 3:13)  "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. We build on it. (Isaiah 43:18-19)  "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." How do I find real life transformation? 1.     Forgive yourself. (John 8:9-11)  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (Romans 8:1-2)  "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." 2.     Forgive others. (Matthew 6:14-15)  "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."      (Matthew 18:21-22)  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." 3.     Forgive God. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Psalm 145:13-14, 17-20) The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down…The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth…he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him…   (Philippians 3:13-14)  "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."For more information on the vision of Freedom Church, please visit our website at www.freedom-church.org.