Christ is enough for me.
Paul puts it this way.
He says,
For me to live is Christ
where our own hearts might be
related to this question.
And that is,
if you could have heaven
and all the joys of heaven
that's represented,
the freedom from suffering,
the joys that are there,
the fellowship with loved ones,
the bounty that is available to you,
no needs and full satisfaction of heaven,
but Christ wasn't there,
could you be happy?
That's an interesting question.
Because if we were really
to evaluate our own lives
in relationship to that question,
it is very similar.
And that is,
do you find yourself
more caught up with the gift
or the giver?
When God takes away
the joys of all of His blessings from you
so that you can delight in Him alone,
does that cause you angst?
Does it cause you sorrow?
Does it cause you frustration?
Or is there a settling in your heart
that says,
if I have Him,
I have everything?
That's really what we're talking about
this morning.
That's what we talked about last week
when we're in 1 John 5.
And we're talking about
those who believe
that Jesus is the Christ.
What that means
is that Jesus is Lord of all.
That He is the one
who is supremely valuable.
Nothing else compares
to the supremacy of God
in terms of power,
but also in terms of worthiness.
That's where we're going today.
And that's the road that leads
to the victorious
and abundant life.
The abiding life
can be characterized
by your relationship
to Jesus Christ
and whether or not
your relationship with Him
is enough
to overcome any adversity.
That it satisfies every longing.
And everything else
is just an extra.
If and only if that
is true of your life,
can you really experience
victory and triumph
in the Christian life?
That's what I want for myself.
And that's what I want for you.
I want us as a church,
as people,
as believers,
to experience
not only the abundant life
that we've been talking about
through this series of 1 John,
but I want you to experience
the fulfilling
healing
and eternal
and abundant
and joy-filled
fellowshipping life.
There aren't enough adjectives
to fill in the blank.
It is the kind of life
that God wants for you
as well,
but it only comes one way.
So let's pray for divine help
as we look
into the Word of God
and we seek
to be informed
by the Scriptures.
We seek to be convicted
by the Spirit
and we seek
to be transformed
by the renewing
of our minds.
Let's pray.
God, what we are doing
in this moment
is a work
that only you can accomplish.
We are desperate
for you
in these moments.
moments.
We plead with you
for help
in these moments.
Moments to overcome
our own arrogance,
to think we have
this all figured out.
Moments
that we think
we have
under control
and we think
we're living
the Christian life
the way that you've
called us to live.
Please expose
our own pride
and arrogance
this morning.
create in its place
brokenness.
Oh God,
may there be
in our hearts
and lives
a desperation
for the true
abiding life
that can only
be found
in Jesus Christ.
May we then
be those
who truly love,
truly love you
and truly love others.
And may that loving
lead to true
obedience.
Obedience
that sanctifies
and purifies
our lives.
Obedience
then that leads
to certain
victory
in the Christian life.
And certain
victory that then
leads
to continuing
and progressive
faith
that deepens
with every day.
With new
experiences
of the
faithfulness
of our God
and new
experience
of your ability
not only
to meet
our deepest
longings
but to
demonstrate
that you
are truly
faithful.
So God,
will you please
help us
in these moments
as we look
into your word,
tenderize
our hearts,
open our minds,
awaken us
to the truth
of your scripture
and allow
your Holy Spirit
to have his way
in us.
Remove
every distraction,
remove
every obstacle,
every hurdle
this morning
so that we
can rightly
represent
our Savior
as we leave
this place.
That we can
represent you
and call attention
not to ourselves,
but we can call
attention
to the wonder
of the gospel
and the wonder
of the God
whom we serve.
So,
we plead with you
to do your work
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well,
Friday,
our family
went through
another subtraction.
So,
our number two
daughter
was delivered
to college
and it
was hard
enough to say
goodbye to
number one
daughter a week
ago,
but then
I think
really the reality
kind of hit me
like a two by four
yesterday
as I'm
preparing,
helping to prepare
dinner and
a song is playing
and I know
that that particular
song,
when it's on the radio,
I hear this little
singing in the
background
and it's the
singing of
Allison,
she just
sings all the
time.
And then,
to then prepare
the meal and
sit down at
the table
and to sense
the subtraction
at the table
where there's
no longer
six extra
spots,
there's only
four.
And I love
my four kids
that are there,
but having two
that are missing,
just,
there's a
vacancy.
there's a
sense of
distance
and there's
not wholeness
that there was
just a few
weeks ago.
Because I
think through
the,
through 18
years of
building
relationship
and loving
on your kids,
when you
finally let
them enter
or at least
move into
independence
in adulthood,
there has to
be a letting
go.
There has to
be a turning
loose.
And no one
ever prepared
me for this
part of
parenthood.
It's,
it's kind
of a,
not necessarily
a brokenness
of fellowship,
but there is
certainly not
the intimacy
of fellowship
that there was
when they're
present.
Because
presence
helps to
lead to
intimacy.
Now,
we've been
talking about
the significance
of intimacy
and fellowship
with God.
We've been
talking about
the significance
of that
fellowship with
Him and
right out of
the gate,
the very
first thing
that the
Apostle John
wants this
church of
Ephesus to
understand,
is if you
are really
going to
experience joy,
you have to
know Jesus.
joy begins
and ends
with the
source of
joy.
It begins
with Jesus
and fellowship
with Jesus
is possible
only through
relationship
with Jesus.
And fellowship
with Jesus
involves
intimacy
with Jesus.
So the
subtraction
that I
felt at
my
dinner
table,
however,
is not
always the
same
subtraction
that I
feel in
my
spiritual
life.
I mean,
if I
was to be
honest with
myself and
you were to
be honest
with yourself,
my guess
would be
that there
are often
days that
go by
without any
fellowshipping
with Jesus
takes place.
perhaps
weeks
go by
with really
intimate
fellowshipping
taking place
in your
life with
Jesus.
So how
do you
describe that
as an
abiding
life?
How is
it that
we can
feel this
loss of
connection
with family
but when
it comes
to our
relationship
with God
it is
just so
okay,
well I guess
just not
happening.
Somehow
we have
to move
to the
point
where
our
intimacy
with God
is something
that we
feel
and I
think the
problem
is that
our
relationship
with God
is so
mechanical
our
relationship
with God
is so
routine
and
traditional
it is not
initially
an abiding
relationship
so we
don't have
that intimacy
to start
with
and so
when we
don't spend
time with
God
there is
really
nothing
to lose
except
for the
burden
that
comes
on us
with
having
to
perform
of
having
to
go
through
the
motions
of
having
to
check
the
boxes
and so
we
don't
miss
that
intimacy
because
we
never
had
it
in
the
first
place
there's
no
wonder
why
there's
no
fruitfulness
in our
lives
there's
no
wonder
why
there's
no
potency
or
power
in the
Christian
life
there's
no
wonder
why
there's
no
real
affection
for
our
brothers
and
sisters
there's
no
wonder
why
there's
no
victory
over
sin
because
we
haven't
gotten
the
starting
point
right
we're
really
not
believing
the
right
things
we
say
we
believe
the
right
things
but
the
reality
is
it
hasn't
really
changed
us
this
morning
I
want
to
encourage
us
in this
journey
because
just
because
that's
not
true
of
the
past
doesn't
mean
it
can't
be
true
of
the
future
you
can
have
an
abiding
relationship
you
can
have
intimacy
you
can
have
a
victorious
life
that
leads
you
to
love
and
obedience
and
to
deeper
faith
that's
what
John
wants
for
the
people
of
Ephesus
and
that's
what
we're
going
to
continue
to
talk
about
this
morning
we're
going
to
talk
about
the
abiding
life
and
in
this
time
kind of
concentrating
on
obedience
but
still
picking up
on our
theme
from last
week
and
really
helping
to
fill
out
the
steps
for
how
to
have
a
victorious
life
God
wants
us
to
move
to
victory
that
can only
happen
is
correct
for
us
let
me
read
for
us
the
first
five
verses
of
1st
John
chapter
five
and
then
we'll
kind of
move
quickly
through
our
first
point
from
last
week
and
hopefully
get
to
the
other
points
this
week
we
missed
them
the
last
time
if
you're
a
guest
with
us
this
morning
in
the
pew
Bible
you'll
find
1st
John
chapter
five
on
page
1023
here's
what
it
says
everyone
who
believes
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
has
been
born
of
God
and
everyone
who
loves
the
father
loves
whoever
has
been
born
of
him
by
this
we
know
that
we
love
the
children
of
God
when
we
love
God
and
obey
his
commands
for
this
is
the
love
of
God
that
we
keep
his
commandments
and
his
commandments
are
not
burdensome
for
everyone
who
has
been
born
of
God
overcomes
the
world
and
this
is
the
victory
that
has
overcome
the
world
our
faith
who
is
it
that
overcomes
the
world
except
the
one
who
believes
that
Jesus
is
the
son
of
God
last
week
as
we
as
we
came
to
this
the
first
step
in
the
victorious
life
is
having
the
correct
faith
do
you
have
the
right
faith
we
find
right
here
at the
beginning
of
chapter
5
everyone
who
believes
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
has
been
born
of
God
and
last
week
we
talked
about
some
of
the
specifics
of
what
this
means
to
believe
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
for review
let me
just
walk
through
them
one
at a
time
what
does
it
mean
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
first
it
means
that
Jesus
is
one
with
the
Father
Jesus
is
one
with
the
Father
he's
one
in
origin
he's
one
in
identity
he's
not
just
another
man
another
prophet
Jesus
was
God
in
the
flesh
as
John
says
earlier
in this
little
letter
in chapter
2
verse
22
he says
who is
a liar
but he
who denies
that Jesus
is the
Christ
he is
denying
the
Father
and
the
Son
because
you
cannot
have
one
without
the
other
there
is
an
inseparable
link
between
Jesus
and
the
Father
now
this
would
have
been
incomprehensible
for
a normal
Jew
because
any
good
Jew
who
knew
the
law
would
have
known
in
Deuteronomy
chapter
6
this
great
Shema
that
was
repeated
on
a
constant
basis
it
says
the
Lord
our
God
the
Lord
is
one
it's
inconceivable
here
is
this
man
Jesus
who
I
know
was
born
in
Nazareth
I
know
who
his
mom
and
dad
are
Mary
and
Joseph
I
know
that
Joseph
was
a
carpenter
I
grew
up
with
this
kid
he
was
in
my
Sunday
school
class
I
know
this
person
and
he's
claiming
to be
God
that is
just
not
a true
statement
it can't
be
because
I
know
that
God
is
one
do you
begin
to
understand
the
tension
and the
difficulty
of what
we've
just
come
to
accept
carte
blanche
as
no
problem
the
Jews
wrestled
with
this
truth
because
Jesus
helped
to identify
himself
as
God
and as
we
understand
in this
immense
and
inexplicable
truth
the
trinity
one
God
three
persons
manifesting
themselves
in
father
son
and
holy
spirit
we
have
come
to
embrace
that
truth
however
complex
and
difficult
that
is
but
here
is
here
is
the
consequence
here
is
the
significance
of that
truth
is
you
cannot
have
God
without
Jesus
I
don't
care
what
religious
background
you
come
from
you
cannot
embrace
or have
a relationship
with God
without
Jesus
Christ
you
cannot
worship
the
pantheon
of
gods
there
is
only
one
as
defined
by
John
and
Jesus
it
is
the
one
God
represented
in
the
father
and
the
son
and
the
holy
ghost
Jesus
is
one
with
the
father
the
second
implication
is that
Jesus
is the
fulfillment
of
old
testament
promise
Christ
was
another
word
for
the
Messiah
and
all
of
the
hopes
of
the
Jewish
nation
for
that
which
would
be
fulfilled
for
them
in
terms
of
this
great
blessing
and
promise
to
their
nation
was
actually
fulfilled
in
Jesus
Christ
he
is
the
promised
one
he
is
the
hope
of
Israel
he
is
the
promised
seed
of
Abraham
he
is
the
promised
king
of
David
he
is
the
!
the
lamb
of
God
all
that
Israel
had
hoped
for
could
only
be
found
in
Jesus
Christ
everything
good
everything
necessary
everything
that
you
should
set
your
hope
on
can
only
be
found
in
Jesus
but
here's
the
problem
the
problem
is
that
we
actually
set
our
hopes
on
so
many
other
things
we
set
our
hopes
on
the
world
strategy
for
parenting
we
set
our
hopes
on
the
world
strategy
for
how
to
get
our
kids
into
college
and
pay
for
that
enormous
bill
we
set
our
hopes
on
the
business
strategies
that
corporate
America
has
put
together
we
set
our
hopes
on
for
you
students
you
set
your
hopes
on
popularity
and
wearing
the
right
things
in order
to be
accepted
you see
satisfaction
for this
world
is wrapped
up in
everything
but
God
but
satisfaction
for those
who are
believers
must be
found
in
Christ
alone
he
is
our
only
hope
and
only
then
will
Jesus
be
Christ
for
you
only
then
will
Jesus
be
Christ
if
he
is
your
only
hope
so
God
has
to
rip
away
from
us
those
things
that
we
place
our
confidence
in
so
that
he
can
make
himself
supreme
it
is
a
gift
and a
blessing
to
us
not
something
that
should
lead
us
to
frustration
and
bitterness
it
is
a
grace
of
God
to
make
himself
supreme
for
you
to
prove
himself
to
be
the
Christ
for
you
your
only
hope
third
Jesus
is
the
only
way
of
salvation
as
John
says
here
in
this
verse
everyone
who
believes
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
has
been
born
of
God
no
other
way
no
exception
Jesus
is
the
only
means
of
new
birth
you
must
look
to
Jesus
forgiveness
is
found
in
him
cleansing
is
found
in
him
righteousness
is
found
in
him
deliverance
is
found
in
him
help
from
day
to
day
is
found
in
Jesus
salvation
not only
for the
future
but salvation
for today
can be
found
alone
in
Jesus
not
in
all
the
other
things
you
put
your
hope
and
confidence
in
it
can
only
be
found
in
Christ
and
if
he
will
be
the
Christ
for
you
will
plead
with
him
to
help
you
understand
that
he
is
the
only
means
of
deliverance
the
only
means
of
salvation
the
fourth
implication
is
that
Jesus
as
Christ
means
that
he
is
Lord
of
all
is
he
Lord
of
your
life
today
meaning
is
he
the
one
to
whom
you
submit
all
of
your
purposes
all
of
your
future
plans
all
of
your
current
priorities
are
they
aligned
underneath
the
lordship
and
headship
of
Jesus
Christ
Jesus
wants
to
be
supreme
for
you
he
wants
to
be
the
lord
of
all
and
only
when
you
confess
Jesus
as
Christ
will
you
come
to
the
place
where
you
make
him
the
lord
of
all
the
supreme
authority
over
every
area
of
life
but
that
leads
us
to
our
next
point
this
morning
and
that
is
a
correct
faith
leads
to
Christ
exalting
love
correct
faith
leads
to
Christ
exalting
love
we
see
that
here
at
the
end
of
verse
one
it
says
everyone
who
believes
that
Jesus
Christ
has
been
born
of
God
and
everyone
who
loves
the
father
loves
whoever
has
been
born
of
him
let
me
read
that
one
more
time
everyone
who
believes
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
has
been
born
of
God
and
everyone
who
loves
the
father
loves
whoever
has
been
born
of
him
now
this
really
should
take us
by surprise
because
what John
does
he drops
in a
brand new
word
in the
second
phrase
to
almost
make a
direct
correlation
to
faith
he
begins
this
with
faith
everyone
who
believes
that
Jesus
is
the
Christ
and
then
he
talks
about
another
everyone
the
same
everyone
now
loves
the
connection
is
that
those
who
truly
believe
will
truly
love
that
is
not
only
the
natural
byproduct
that
is
the
necessary
byproduct
of
anyone
who
is
a
true
believer
in
Christ
because
true
faith
leads
to
true
action
and
here
the
true
action
the
action
that
best
expresses
and
conveys
the
worthiness
of
Christ
and
an
affection
for
Christ
and
a
confidence
in
Christ
is
love
itself
this
passage
and the
passage
preceding
it
is
dripping
with
love
no
other
place
in
scripture
has
this
heavy
concentration
of
this
little
word
love
even
the
love
chapter
in
first
Corinthians
chapter
13
has
nine
instances
of love
in 13
verses
so
one
instance
of the
word
love
in
about
every
verse
that is
communicated
well
in
first
John
chapter
four
seven
to
twenty
one
if I
did my
math
right
you got
fifteen
verses
and you
have
love
twenty
seven
times
yowzers
that's a
lot of
love
almost
two
times
for
every
single
verse
you
think
John
is a
little
interested
in this
idea
of love
you
better
believe
it
because
he
wants
you
to
recognize
that
you
cannot
know
God
unless
you
love
God
and
you
love
the
people
that
God
loves
love
he
has
described
this
love
throughout
chapter
three
throughout
chapter
four
we're
not
going
to
regurgitate
that
for you
this
morning
but
it
is
a
Christ
exalting
self
sacrificing
others
focused
laying
down
your
life
kind
of
love
it
is
a
love
that
goes
to
the
end
that
is
the
kind
of
love
that
Christ
demonstrated
a
love
to
the
cross
a
love
to
the
end
a
love
with
no
limits
that's
the
love
that
God
calls
us
to
interestingly
the
gospel
of
John
mentions
love
57
times
in
21
chapters
this
little
letter
of
five
chapters
has
46
occasions
of
love
in
just
five
chapters
in
terms
of
concentration
of
love
this
little
letter
is
far
superior
than
all
the
other
New
Testaments
books
as it
relates
to
love
interestingly
the
long
third
place
so it
goes
first
John
and then
the
gospel
of
John
and
wouldn't
you
know
the
little
letter
to
of
Ephesians
is
third
place
in
terms
of
talking
about
love
helps
me
should
help
us
come
to
grips
with
the
seriousness
of
love
because
if
God
had
to
communicate
to
the
church
of
Ephesus
the
significance
of
love
to
them
in
this
letter
and
then
in
Paul's
letter
and
then
in
Revelation
you have
left
your
first
love
we better
get
this
message
if we're
going to
really be
the kinds
of
Christians
that God
has called
us to be
we have
got
to
learn
to
love
that
is
what's
often
missing
in
our
true
relationship
with
God
we have
left
our
first
love
and
we have
forgotten
the
significance
of
this
Ephesus
had
all
of
the
duties
down
they
had
all
of
the
ordinances
down
they
had
all
of
the
doctrine
in
place
but
they
did
not
have
the
kind
of
love
that
God
had
called
them
!
So let's
talk a little
bit about
this kind
of love
what does
this love
really look
like?
I want
us to
just key
in on
two areas
and there
could be
so many
others
but I
think
in my
own
heart
these
are the
two
that are
most
significant
for me
at least
in the
immediate
context
and I
just want
to
lead us
through
these
two
thoughts
there are
so many
other
things
we could
talk
about
but
first
of
all
I
want
us
to
understand
that
any
obedience
that is
not
driven
by
love
is
insufficient
any
obedience
that is
not
motivated
and driven
by love
is
insufficient
because
you see
obedience
is coming
that's
the next
step
we're
going to
look at
that
next
but
before
we
get
there
we
need
to
understand
what
precedes
obedience
often
times
we
get
the
cart
before
the
horse
we're
all
about
the
duty
we're
all
about
the
regulations
we can
do
the
standards
but we
don't
often
have
the
love
we can
do
what
is
expected
of us
we'll
do it
as long
as people
are watching
but when it
really comes
down to
it
our heart
isn't in it
and we
really don't
like it
to begin
with
but any
obedience
that is not
driven by
love
is
insufficient
he
says
as much
in
chapter 4
verse 18
notice
where it
says
there is
no fear
in love
but perfect
love
casts out
fear
for fear
has to do
with punishment
and whoever
fears has not
been perfected
in love
what is that
talking about
there's no fear
in love
well
what that's
referring to
is
there is
not
in obedience
a fear
of future
judgment
you don't
follow
the motions
you don't
do the
checklist
because you're
afraid of
future
accountability
that's not
what true
obedience
is all
about
it's not
about the
future
fear
it should
be motivated
and driven
by love
you see
that's what
makes
Christianity
different
from the
other
deities
you see
when
all the
other
deities
and all
the other
people
who served
those deities
danced around
and cut
themselves
as we think
about in
the little
situation
with the
prophets of
Baal
back in the
Old Testament
they were
doing this
to try to
gain some
measure
of favor
and
acceptability
before their
deities
but those
who are
true believers
understand
that God
is always
watching
God
is always
concerned
and they
don't have
to perform
for him
because
true righteousness
only comes
through Jesus
they have
nothing to put
on the table
Jesus
has put it
all on the
table
all we have
to do
is pick
it up
and embrace
the righteousness
that he has
already fulfilled
for us
so what is
obedience
about
well
obedience
is about
demonstrating
affection
for him
obedience
is about
about
moving
into
a place
where
where your
heart
is so
filled up
with
a
satisfaction
in Jesus
that
that the
overflow
of that
is a
desire
to please
him
not because
you're
afraid of
the
consequences
but because
you just
want
to enjoy
him
more
that's
the
difference
is
obedience
about
enjoyment
is
obedience
about
delight
or is
obedience
about
regulation
and duty
and fear
that God
is just
going to
squash
you
as soon
as you
step out
of line
that is
not the
kind of
obedience
that God
desires
he wants
the kind
of obedience
that is
moving
closer
into
relationship
because
you want
to be
more
like
him
and you
want
to
represent
him
more
into
the
world
you
want
when
people
to see
your
life
to get
this
sense
of the
wonder
of the
gospel
when they
look at
your
life
wow
you
serve
an
amazing
God
just
look at
what he's
doing
for you
obedience
that is
not
driven
by love
is
insufficient
second
is
any
worship
that is
not
driven
by love
is
inadequate
any
worship
that is
not
driven
by love
is
inadequate
I go
back to
our study
in
Isaiah
the prophet
says
to the
people
right at
the beginning
of his
prophetic
vision
these are
the words
of God
coming
through
the prophet
Isaiah
what
to me
is the
multitude
of your
sacrifices
I have
had enough
of burnt
offerings
of rams
and the
fat
of
well-fed
beasts
I do
not
delight
in the
blood
of
bulls
and
lambs
or goats
rather
wash
yourselves
make
yourselves
clean
remove
the evil
of your
deeds
before my
eyes
cease
to do
evil
learn
to do
good
seek
justice
correct
oppression
bring
justice
to the
fatherless
plead
the
widow's
cause
come
now
let us
reason
together
says
the
Lord
though
your
sins
are
like
scarlet
they
shall
be
white
as
snow
though
they
are
red
like
crimson
they
shall
become
like
wool
there
is
a
hatred
of
God
for
duty
bound
worship
but
there
is
a
desire
a
deep
longing
in
God
for
repentance
on your
part
for
relationship
for
brokenness
and
for
cleansing
which
then
makes
worship
acceptable
because
it's
coming
through
the
heart
of
one
who
truly
loves
God
not
somebody
who
loves
themselves
because
really
that's
the reason
why we
go through
these
boxes
and
we'll
get
there
in
this
next
point
but
really
if we
were to
evaluate
the
reasons
why
we
often
do
the
right
things
it
has
nothing
to
do
with
glorifying
God
and
has
everything
to
do
about
getting
what
I
want
if
I
do
the
right
things
God
will
give
me
blessings
which
identifies
where
your
true
God
is
it's
not
the
God
and
Father
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
you
have
become
your
own
God
and
your
desires
have
become
more
important
you
are
delighting
in
the
gift
more
than
the
giver
how
easy
it
is
for
us
to
do
that
right
we
must
be
people
who
love
and
when
we
love
it
leads
to
consistent
obedience
that's
what we
find
in
verses
2
and
3
consistent
obedience
by
this
we
know
that
we
love
the
children
of
God
when
we
love
God
and
obey
his
commands
for
this
is
the
love
of
God
that
we
keep
his
commandments
!
And
his
commandments
are
not
burdensome!
verse 1
helped
to make
a
connection
between
true
faith
and
true
love
and
now
John
is
making
a
connection
between
true
love
that
leads
to
true
obedience
how does
that
happen?
How
does
true
obedience
show up
in your
life?
Well I
want to
commend
to you
this
book
it's
called
The Pressures
Off
by
Larry
Crabb
and
I'm
just
going to
give
you
a
summary
of
some
of
the
things
that
Larry
Crabb
talks
about
and
I
think
it
describes
the
human
struggle
I
think
it
helps
to
describe
where
we
are
as
people
who
have
learned
to
do
the
right
things
with
the
hope
that
we
get
the
right
results
here's
how
Larry
describes
it
talks
about
two
paths
he
talks
about
the
old
way
which
is
the
way
of
the
law
and
the
new
way
which
is
the
way
of
Christ
here's
what he
says
either
you
have
decided
that
what
you
want
most
out
of
life
is
within
your
reach
and
you're
doing
whatever
you
believe
it
takes
to
get
it
or
you've
realized
that
what
you
want
most
is
beyond
your
reach
and
you're
trusting
God
for
the
satisfaction
that
you
seek
you
want
him
and
nothing
less
not
even
his
blessings
!
will
do
if
you're
walking
the
first
path
that's
the
path
of
the
law
that's
the
old
way
your
life
is
filled
with
pressure
inside
where
no
one
sees
your
soul
is
weary
you
see
no
way
to
step
off
the
treadmill
or
life
is
going
well
and
you
are
satisfied
but
you
sense
something
is
wrong
something
is
missing
the
pressure
is
still
there
but
if
you're
walking
the
second
path
you
have
hope
your
soul
may
be
weary
your
interior
world
may
be
filled
with
struggles
no
one
sees
but
you
have
hope
at
times
you
rest
something
is
alive
in
you
the
desire
of
your
heart
is
not
smothered
you
can
taste
freedom
and
the
taste
brings
joy
the
old
way
promises
a
better
life
filled
with
good
things
that
make
you
happy
most
people
who
live
the old
way
of
life
the
version
of it
goes
something
like
this
if I
want
happy
kids
if I
want
kids
that
turn
out
successful
if I
want
kids
that
don't
abandon
the
faith
then
I
follow
the
right
steps
in the
scripture
to train
up my
children
in the
way
they
should
go
and
when
they're
old
they
will
not
depart
from it
and I
cling
to that
process
so that
the
pressure
is on
because
if I
don't
perform
it's
possible
that my
kids
are going
to go
off the
rails
and if
they do
go off
the rails
then I
must
not have
had
the right
starting
point
I
must
not have
done
things
the right
way
so I
kind
of
need
to
figure
this
out
I
kind
of
need
to
find
a
better
way
and
then if
I
find
that
better
way
then I
will
get
the
result
I'm
looking
for
or
if
you
want
a
happy
marriage
I
follow
the
process
laid out
in
Ephesians
chapter 5
and that
will give
me the
kind of
wife
or the
kind
of
husband
I'm
looking
for
I
follow
the
checklist
A
plus
B
equals
C
and so
I
get
to
the
destination
and I'm
a
happy
person
that's
the
old
way
of
life
that
is
where
the
pressure
is
on
the
new
way
of
my
opportunity
for
Christ
to
make
himself
more
significant
in my
life
and grow
my
faith
so that
I
love
him
and
know
him
more
that's
the
difference
you see
it's
kind of
like
when we
go
on a
trip
kind
of
go
on
vacation
what
does
that
little
prayer
before
that
trip
sound
like
oh
God
please
help
us
to
be
safe
oh
God
please
help
daddy
not
to
get
a
ticket
please
help
us
not
to
get
in
an
accident
help
us
to
get
there
quickly
we
don't
want
any
traffic
we
want
things
that
go
well
we
want
this
trip
to
be
a
blessing
to
us
and
what
we
miss
is
the
true
blessing
perhaps
because
maybe
through
the
accident
God
will
press
you
in
to
deeper
faith
in
him
so
maybe
what
we
need
to
be
praying
instead
is
oh
God
please
make
us
know
you
more
through
this
trip
may
these
miles
and
these
hours
lead
us
to
loving
you
more
that's
the
new
way
and
the
pressure
is
off
because
we
forget
to
the
end
of
the
trip
in
the
old
way
we
say
flat
tire
ticket
hours
of
traffic
God
must
hate
me
we
get
to
the
destination
in
the
new
way
we
say
oh
God
I
don't
understand
maybe
I
do
you're
trying
to
teach
me
to
keep
the
law
okay
I
get
it
thanks
for
helping
me
and
you
say
I
don't
understand
the
traffic
but
I
recognize
the
impatience
in
my
heart
that
actually
is
keeping
me
from
intimacy
with
you
please
forgive
me
and
oh
God
help
me
love
you
even
in
the
midst
of
challenges
that
I
face
that's
the
new
way
are
you
walking
the
new
way
are
you
still
stuck
in
the
old
way
of
living
you
see
the
new
way
is
driven
by
love
for
Christ
the
new
way
has
as
its
orientation
a
desire
to
know
him
more
and
represent
him
more
whereas
the
old
way
only
cares
about
self
and
listen
here
here's
the
danger
you
may
actually
get
what
you
want
but
it's
not
what
you
need
you
get
the
blessing
but
you
don't
get
Christ
you
understand
the
significance
of this
issue
oh
God
help us
to love
you and
trust you
the way
we should
trust you
leading to
intimate love
of you
leading to
right obedience
of you
and leading
to consistent
victory
victory over
sin
that's where
we're
heading to
next
certain
victory
verse
five
verse
four
everyone
who has
been born
of God
overcomes
the world
can I
read that
again
everyone
who has
been born
of God
overcomes
the world
everyone
who has
been born
of God
overcomes
the world
what is it
that overcomes
the world
what does he
how does he
conclude this
he
says
that what
overcomes
the world
is our
faith
what gives
you victory
in those
quiet moments
where you
wrestle
with lust
what gives
you victory
is knowing
that God
will give
you everything
that you
need
that he
will meet
your needs
according to
his riches
and glory
in Christ
Jesus
and that
includes
that
satisfaction
is
Christ
enough
do you
have
the right
faith
and when
there is
conflict
in relationship
and your
heart's
desire
is to
get even
and to
make life
difficult
for that
person
who's making
life difficult
for you
what helps
you to
overcome
is confidence
in God
to do a work
in that person's
heart
and in the
meantime
to help you
have
persevering
strength
to show
the fragrance
of Christ
in spite
of it
all
faith
where does
faith
lead you
today
I want
to
encourage
you to
come back
tonight
because
we're going
to see
how this
shows up
in the
life
of an
Old Testament
prophet
so if
you think
if you
think
that you
struggle
with this
take
heart
because
so does
a person
in the
Bible
a person
who helped
to write
the Bible
okay
I love
that
thank you
God
for giving
me
examples
of people
who blow
it too
why can
we do
this
how do
we trust
this
testimony
is true
where if
you read
from verse
6 to
verse 12
God has
put proofs
and evidences
in your way
so you don't
have to just
believe
the substance
of his
doctrine
you can
see it
in the
life of
his son
we don't
have time
to really
talk about
that this
week
but we're
going to
talk about
that more
next week
when we
get into
communion
we're going
to fill
out and
finish off
1st John
chapter 5
and we're
going to
discuss the
significance
of this
testimony
that Christ
has given
to us
as a
remembrance
the blood
of Christ
the water
of Christ
his baptism
his purity
his
perfection
but as we
close our
time today
I want to
just plead
with you
this morning
that if the
Holy Spirit
has just
pinpointed
things in
your life
that need
correction
the joy
is we
don't have
to stay
the way
we are
and the
joy is
that there
is this
open
invitation
from an
almighty
pure
righteous
holy God
saying
come on
to me
and I
will give
you
everything
that you
need
it can
be found
in me
righteousness
and cleansing
and forgiveness
and freedom
from all
of these
pressures
you feel
just
come
to me
I just
want to
plead
with you
don't leave
today
without
doing
business
with God
whether
you're a
believer
or an
unbeliever
the invitation
is open
whoever
believes
that Jesus
is
the Christ
is born
of God
anyone
who walks
through
that gate
can have
entrance
into his
kingdom
hallelujah
let's pray