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It takes all kinds of people to advance the gospel. Be encouraged and inspired by these real life examples.
In this passage Paul reveals his heart and attitude toward his ministry. He sees his ministry not as something optional that he only does when he feels like, he sees his ministry, his service toward others, as a loving and joyful obligation. Here we learn what Paul saw as his joyful obligations and how we can apply these to our own lives.
Under the umbrella of 'living sacrifices', Paul gives God's people another command of what life should look like within the Body. Unity is key - especially in light of disputable matters. Our freedom in Christ should never come at the price of division and disunity among the Church.
Disagreements are unavoidable, but they don't have to lead to division or broken relationships within the body of Christ. Our Father has kindly given us some principles to take into account as we engage with those we strongly disagree with.
God wants us to be 'living sacrifices' offered to heaps. Sounds super spiritual but what does it mean exactly? How do we do that?
Well, the clue is in the term! Join us as we have a look at the practicalities of living this way in Forster.
True worship is a wholehearted response to God's mercy.
It's much more than singing! It involves giving our whole lives in sacrificial and humble service to God and others.
Does God always reject people who reject Him? No!
He is gracious and merciful. He can soften the hardest heart and save the most unlikely rebel. So don't give up on people.
If God is sovereign and has everything planned out - what's the point in praying or sharing the Gospel? If people are predestined anyway then is it really necessary to go out of our way to share the good news? Join us as we check out what Paul says the believer's role is in God's sovereign plan.
God is Sovereign and He chooses who he will graciously save. This is a great encouragement and comfort for His people, but it also raises a lot of questions. How does God choose? Why doesn't He choose everyone. Is God unfair for choosing some and not others? What about Free Will? How do I know if I am chosen? Why bother praying for people or sharing the gospel?
What if I keep falling into temptation? Surely God's love has a limit. If the sickness doesn't go away does that mean that God's love and care for me has lessened? Join us as we check out some of the most encouraging and powerful verses in the Book of Romans!
We live in a broken world, so suffering and groaning is unavoidable. But the Lord gives us resources to face our hardest times and to patiently endure. We groan with the hope of the glory to come; we groan with the help of the Holy Spirit; and we groan with confidence, knowing that God will complete his work in us, and even use our hardest times for our ultimate good.
When we put our trust in Christ, we receive a bunch of new things:
a new verdict before God (righteous, not condemned);
a new mind-set (lead by the Spirit, not the flesh) and
a new identity (sons of God, not slaves to sin and fear).
These blessings are the key to spiritual confidence, direction, intimacy with God and hope for the future.
As we follow Jesus, life can feel like a hard slog when temptation comes knocking. As we look at the last part of Romans 7, Paul's frustration is evident as he knows his 'flesh' is captivated by sin. Join us as we look at the things he holds onto during the struggle of sinful desire.
What should our lives look like now that we've received God's grace and been declared righteous in his sight? We should walk in newness of life. We should live righteously because our old self has died, our future self will be glorious and our new self has been set free from slavery to sin.
What should our lives look like now that we've received God's grace and been declared righteous in his sight? We should walk in newness of life. We should live righteously because our old self has died, our future self will be glorious and our new self has been set free from slavery to sin.
We are all born on Team Adam: sinners by nature and choice, and facing death.
But by faith, we can be born again onto Team Jesus: justified by grace, and reigning in life
Which team are you on?
From our 'right standing with a holy God' so many good things flow! Paul begins fleshing out what it means to have peace with God and he kicks off with a whole lot of joy!
Join us as we check out what God's good gift of grace looks like through the life of Abraham. The Apostle Paul takes a look at the Old Testament hero and the faith he had in God's promise of righteousness.
The Gospel is like a Diamond on a black cloth of sin. The first couple of chapters of Romans, Paul has been laying out the black cloth, so that the Gospel can shine. In this passage we finally get to the diamond and spend some time exploring the goodness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thinking you're right with God because you're a good person, or a religious person is very dangerous.
The problem with being a "good" person is you can never be good enough.
The problem with being a "religious" person is you can never be religious enough.
Hope is only found in the only One who was Truly Good, and who gave Himself for us.
When we suppress the truth about God and exchange it for lies and idolatry, God in his wrath delivers us over to our ungodly passions and corrupt thinking. This devastating critique of sinful human nature is the dark background that makes the good news of the gospel shine even brighter.
As Paul launches into his letter to the church in Rome he encourages the believers by reminding them that God is a God of power! A power that is displayed in and through His people, His sovereignty, and most especially through the saving work of the Gospel.
The gospel is good news about Jesus Christ and what He has done. It has the power to transform our identities, our relationship and our priorities. Have you understood the transforming power of the power?