The Church of Eleven22

"Lord, let me make a difference for you that is utterly disproportionate to who I am."– David Platt

We are all snake bitten. You can either continue to DENY it and cover it, or DIAGNOSE it and be Cured. The Hope found in Jesus is Greater than your Despair. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God". John 3:14-18

"Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil." Ephesians 4:26-27 "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." James 1:19-20 "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32

The opposite of Faith is FEAR (not doubt). Fear paralyzes. Faith produces. Without Faith it is impossible to please God. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:17-20

Complaining is rooted in putting our hope in ever changing circumstances. Contentment is found in putting our hope in the never changing Christ.

There is one certainty for all humanity. We each will have to atone for the guilt of our sins. Each of us has two options; either we self-atone or we surrender to Christ’s atoning work on the cross.

The Point: Where sin runs deep, grace runs deeper.

The Point: Get off of the merry go round of normality and LIVE the Life that Jesus has for you. Final Thought: "If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." – CS Lewis "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world." – CS Lewis

Big Idea: Victory does not start with bold actions or rigorous obedience but with intimate faith in Jesus Christ. We overcome the world because He overcame the world!

Love is revealed in Freedom and Forgiveness while FEAR is rooted in control and condemnation. Perfect Love (Jesus) casts out fear. Final Thought: And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:23-26 "So, we know and believe as a settled reality in our souls that the God who is love indeed loves us. Furthermore, as we abide in the love of God, the God of love abides in us! Thus we see faith and love and knowledge working together to assure our hearts that this God of love is our God and Father" – Daniel Akin