The Church of Eleven22

If God is fighting for us, what could stand in our way? 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[i] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[j]35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-37

Jesus is THE Lamb of God that has come to take away YOUR sin. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 Have you personally experienced the forgiveness of your sins through the shed blood of the Lamb? Why put it off? Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the LORD to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” 10 And he said, “Tomorrow.” Exodus 8:8-10

You can make excuses or make a difference. Excuses are rooted in fear because they focus on your shortcomings. Making a difference is rooted faith because it focuses on God’s faithfulness.

Sovereign God orchestrates the details of our lives for His glory. He uses both pain and provision to accomplish His plans. He’s still got the whole world in His hands. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, Matthew 10:29-32

Rest is found in Jesus alone.

We are not mistakers in need of a life coach, but sinners in need of a savior. “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis

From a heavenly perspective Jesus isn’t simply a cuddly little baby born into a silent night, but God’s Almighty Son sent behind enemy lines on a rescue mission. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 As soon as you were rescued you became a part of the rescue team: 1.Pray for someone specifically that doesn’t know Jesus. 2.Invite someone to church next week (salvation message) 3.Host a Christmas in Box service 4.COMMIT TO ATTEND THE 1:30 SERVICE FOR 4 MONTHS BEGINNING JAN 11.

"And the King answered them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me" Matthew 25:40

When ordinary people walk in extraordinary obedience they get to witness God’s Word made manifest.

Those who have experienced the freedom of being forgiven freely extend forgiveness. Who do you need to forgive? Will you leave a LEGACY of grace, mercy, and forgiveness or anger, bitterness, and resentment? 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[k]until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:33-35