losing my religion fixing it… jesus changed my life…!

Losing My ReligionLosing My Religion

Fixing It…Fixing It…

Jesus changed my life…!Jesus changed my life…!

Started to see ProblemsStarted to see ProblemsIssuesIssues

SinsSins

God's Spirit and the ScripturesGod's Spirit and the ScripturesPeople and ReligionPeople and Religion

Felt I needed to live upFelt I needed to live upTo "God's Standard" To "God's Standard" To be accepted by GodTo be accepted by God

Feeling like God can't accept meFeeling like God can't accept meOr use me for anything Or use me for anything until…until…

So I benched myselfSo I benched myself

11stst Mistake Mistake

11stst Mistake MistakeAnd the power of GodAnd the power of God

Was abdicatedWas abdicated

Even though I didn't know itEven though I didn't know it

Resolved to do betterResolved to do betterMake changesMake changes

Try harderTry harder

22ndnd Mistake Mistake

22ndnd Mistake Mistake Didn't workDidn't work

Left me feeling defeatedLeft me feeling defeatedWanting to give up on the FaithWanting to give up on the Faith

Frustrated, Continuing to fall Frustrated, Continuing to fall Wanting to quitWanting to quit

OR…OR…

Frustrated, Continuing to fall Frustrated, Continuing to fall Wanting to quitWanting to quit

OR…OR…

Began to justify and rationalizeBegan to justify and rationalize

Either wayEither wayMy enemy is overjoyedMy enemy is overjoyed

I'm not experiencing the PowerI'm not experiencing the PowerChrist died to give meChrist died to give me

What happened was…What happened was…ReligionReligion crept in crept in

And ended Real FaithAnd ended Real Faith

What happened was…What happened was…ReligionReligion crept in crept in

And ended Real FaithAnd ended Real Faith

"I"I must be good to be accepted" must be good to be accepted" "I"I must do…in order to be good" must do…in order to be good"

Only when we discard Only when we discard Man-centered Man-centered religionreligion will we will we Discover God-sized Discover God-sized powerpower

If you are a follower of Christ If you are a follower of Christ

How did you get to GodHow did you get to GodOriginally?Originally?

For Christ also For Christ also sufferedsuffered once for once for sins, the righteous for the sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might unrighteous, that he might bring us to Godbring us to God- 1 Peter 3:18- 1 Peter 3:18

He He hashas delivered us from the delivered us from the domaindomain of darkness and of darkness and

transferred us to the transferred us to the kingdomkingdom of his beloved Son, of his beloved Son, in whom in whom

we have redemption, we have redemption, the the forgiveness of sinsforgiveness of sins- Col. 1- Col. 1

How much of thisHow much of thisIs a result of our own efforts?Is a result of our own efforts?

The moment my acceptanceThe moment my acceptanceFrom my God is tied to myFrom my God is tied to my

Morals or good behaviorMorals or good behaviorI I loselose the the gospelgospel and and

The Power that comes with itThe Power that comes with it

Only when we discard Only when we discard Man-centered Man-centered religionreligion will we will we Discover God-sized Discover God-sized powerpower

Are you so foolish? Having Are you so foolish? Having begunbegun by the Spirit, are you now by the Spirit, are you now being being perfectedperfected by the flesh? by the flesh?

Translation: Translation: Doing good thingsDoing good thingsNever got you anywhere with GodNever got you anywhere with God

So why would you think they'llSo why would you think they'llKeep you cool with God?Keep you cool with God?Or mature you in Christ?Or mature you in Christ?

……Does he who supplies the Spirit Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles to you and works miracles

among you among you do so by works of the do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith- law, or by hearing with faith-

……just as Abraham just as Abraham “believed “believed God, God, and it was and it was countedcounted to him as to him as righteousness”?righteousness”?

Credited to his accountCredited to his account

Acceptance from GodAcceptance from GodWill never be conditioned uponWill never be conditioned upon

Right actions from youRight actions from youBut But givengiven through faith in Jesus through faith in Jesus

...all who ...all who rely on rely on works of the works of the law are under a law are under a curse;curse; for it is for it is written, "Cursed be everyone written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, written in the Book of the Law, and do them"and do them"

If I have to be good enoughIf I have to be good enoughTo get to GodTo get to God

Then I have to be perfectThen I have to be perfectAnd I'll never get thereAnd I'll never get there

I've just emptied the gospelI've just emptied the gospelOf it's powerOf it's power

Because it's about meBecause it's about meAnd what I doAnd what I do

For For freedomfreedom Christ has set us Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and free; stand firm therefore, and do do

not submit againnot submit again to a yoke to a yoke of of slaveryslavery

I have to be good…is slaveryI have to be good…is slavery

Slavery:Slavery:Feeling defeatedFeeling defeatedBecause I can't be good enoughBecause I can't be good enough

Or justifying and rationalizingOr justifying and rationalizingBecause I'm better than they areBecause I'm better than they are

Look: I, Paul, say to you that if Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, you accept circumcision, Christ Christ will be of no advantagewill be of no advantage to you to you

"Jesus' death wasn't enough"Jesus' death wasn't enoughThe cross was weakThe cross was weak

And incomplete"And incomplete"

Tetelestai!Tetelestai!

I testify again to every man who I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is accepts circumcision that he is obligatedobligated to keep to keep the whole lawthe whole law

You are You are severed from Christ, severed from Christ, you you who would be justified by the who would be justified by the

law; you have law; you have fallen away fallen away from gracefrom grace

There goes the powerThere goes the powerOf the gospel in your lifeOf the gospel in your life

Only when we discard Only when we discard Man-centered Man-centered religionreligion will we will we Discover God-sized Discover God-sized powerpower

……For in Christ Jesus neither For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision circumcision nor uncircumcision

counts for anything, counts for anything, but only but only faith working through lovefaith working through love

- Galatians 3,5- Galatians 3,5

The moment I add anything to The moment I add anything to The cross in order to gain The cross in order to gain God's AcceptanceGod's Acceptance

I lose both acceptance & powerI lose both acceptance & power

For Christ did not send me to For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, baptize but to preach the gospel,

and not with words of eloquent and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ wisdom, lest the cross of Christ

be be emptied of its poweremptied of its power- 1 Cor. 1- 1 Cor. 1

CreationCreationFallFallRedemptionRedemptionRestorationRestoration

Our only contribution Our only contribution To the gospelTo the gospel

Is the sin that makes Is the sin that makes Christ's crossChrist's cross

NecessaryNecessary

11stst - I have to be good - I have to be goodTo be accepted by GodTo be accepted by God

22ndnd - I'll do these things - I'll do these thingsSo I can be good enoughSo I can be good enough

Only when we discard Only when we discard Man-centered Man-centered religionreligion will we will we Discover God-sized Discover God-sized powerpower

You already have the power You already have the power You need to live the Christian lifeYou need to live the Christian life

By knowing and walkingBy knowing and walkingWith JesusWith Jesus

His divine His divine powerpower hashas given us given us everythingeverything we need for a godly we need for a godly

life through our life through our knowledge of knowledge of himhim who called us by who called us by hishis own own

glory and goodnessglory and goodness

And when you seek to And when you seek to Change yourselfChange yourself

You discover frustrationYou discover frustrationBecause God isn't interestedBecause God isn't interestedIn self-improvementIn self-improvement

For I am not ashamed of the For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the gospel, for it is the powerpower of God of God for salvation for salvation to everyone who to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greekto the Greek

Past- Have been savedPast- Have been savedPresent- Are being savedPresent- Are being saved

Future- Will be savedFuture- Will be saved

All JesusAll Jesus

For in it the righteousness of God For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The it is written, “The righteous righteous shall shall live by faith”live by faith”

We don't create righteousnessWe don't create righteousnessGod's grace through our faithGod's grace through our faith

Secures itSecures it

And we walk in itAnd we walk in itBy Faith in JesusBy Faith in Jesus

The power that saved youThe power that saved youIs the power at work in youIs the power at work in youChanging youChanging you

Only when we discard Only when we discard Man-centered Man-centered religionreligion will we will we Discover God-sized Discover God-sized powerpower

The grace that accepted youThe grace that accepted youBefore you ever changedBefore you ever changed

Is the grace that you walk in Is the grace that you walk in Even if you never changeEven if you never change

So I see things in my lifeSo I see things in my lifeThat need to changeThat need to change

Through the Spirit, the WordThrough the Spirit, the WordFellowshipFellowshipWhat do I do?What do I do?

"The Accuser of the Brethren""The Accuser of the Brethren"

Know that I'm acceptedKnow that I'm acceptedBecause of the cross of ChristBecause of the cross of Christ

RegardlessRegardless

Confess, repentConfess, repentMake Spirit-empowered changes Make Spirit-empowered changes

As God leadsAs God leads

And press into JesusAnd press into Jesus

Not to earnNot to earnBut because I already haveBut because I already have

All things in ChristAll things in Christ

And I discoverAnd I discoverGod-sized powerGod-sized power

To change my lifeTo change my lifeAs I daily walk with himAs I daily walk with him

Only when we discard Only when we discard Man-centered Man-centered religionreligion will we will we Discover God-sized Discover God-sized powerpower

Get rid of that musicGet rid of that musicHere's the rules for moviesHere's the rules for movies

Cut your hairCut your hair

From frustrationFrom frustrationTo hiding sinTo hiding sin

And looking down onAnd looking down onEveryone elseEveryone else

Christ aloneChrist aloneThrough grace aloneThrough grace alone

Set me freeSet me freeAnd his power is at workAnd his power is at workChanging meChanging me

Not whether I confessNot whether I confessAnd repentAnd repent

But whyBut why

Not a plan I makeNot a plan I makeBut a relationshipBut a relationship

I pursueI pursue

Am I feeling condemned?Am I feeling condemned?Why?Why?

Am I trying to get to God?Am I trying to get to God?

As a ChurchAs a ChurchNot a list of rulesNot a list of rules

But a relationshipBut a relationshipWe encourage each other inWe encourage each other in

Q and AQ and A

Noon- Great Clothes ExchangeNoon- Great Clothes Exchange6 PM- Break Free Class6 PM- Break Free Class

Thanksgiving Dinner, 6 PMThanksgiving Dinner, 6 PM

Thanksgiving Dinner, 6 PMThanksgiving Dinner, 6 PM

Christmas OfferingChristmas Offering