Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us direction.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Goal–To please God by your own good deeds.           Trust in Christ and then live to please God.

Means– Practice, diligent service, discipline                 Confess, submit, and commit ourselves to

.             and obedience, in hope of reward.                         Christ’s control.

Power–  Good, honest effort through                           The Holy Spirit in us helps us do good

.             self-determination.                                               work for Christ’s kingdom.

Control-- Self-motivation; self-control.                          Christ is in us; we are in Christ.

Results– Chronic guilt, apathy, depression                    Joy, thankfulness, love, guidance,

.                 failure, constant desire for approval.                   service, forgiveness.

Now this seems strange if not unbelievable that you could or would lose Jesus, the Son of God, for 4 days.

Let me ask you, how often have you “lost Jesus” from your life?

This story reminds us that we too get so busy that we leave Jesus out of our lives for a day or sometimes for many days.

This story also illustrates that once we leave Jesus out of our lives it can take us some time before we restore him to his proper place in our lives.

Pray for Jesus and the Holy Spirit to be present in your life for all of your days.

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot

tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not,

and have found them false. ³You have persevered and have endured hardships for my

name, and have not grown weary. ⁴Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken

your first love. ⁵Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do

the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your

lampstand from its place. ⁶But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices

of the Nicolaitans**, which I also hate. ⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit

says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree

of life, which is in the paradise of God.

** Nicolaitans- a heresy of the early church that many authors relate to sexual immorality.

This is a practice that Christ condemns.

The actions of national church bodies could be related to these warnings in the book of

Revelation.

1. What to believe.
2. Why they should believe it.
3. Why it is important.

This current state of theology has been developed by leadership that has dropped preaching and teaching the Truth. Many have expressed ideas that they have a “new” way of understanding the Truths of the scriptures. This is a dangerous path to take. Since the early church this has been a recurring problem.

It is God’s rules that count. God created everything. God is perfect. The theology of many church leaders make us question the perfection of God.  If God is not perfect what then should we believe?

Many fall into the lukewarm Christianity where they only do what is comfortable. God does not want leftovers. God wants all of our love and attention. That may make lukewarm Christianity uncomfortable.

Asking and expecting less of ourselves does not lead us closer to God.

Do you believe in God? Or do you believe God?

Is their absolute Truth?  If you say no- is that true?

Authority of Scripture

John 14:24-26  ” He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (25) All this I have spoken while still with you. (26) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.“

God wants the first fruits, not the left overs.

God is crazy in love with you. He only wants the same in return. From Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Jesus came to fulfill Old Testament teachings, not to abolish the Law. Matt 5:17 ” Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (18) I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Early in Christ’s ministry, when he began to preach the good news of God, He preached of repentance - Matt 4:17, From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Mk 1:15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.”

In Acts 2:38 after Pentecost Peter preached “Repent and be baptized . . .  for forgiveness of your sins.”

Also see Luke 24:46-47

2 Tim 4:3-4 “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (4) They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

In 1 John, John writes to counter the Gnosticism that has come into the church. Gnostics consider the body evil and it is the the spirit that is saved.  Therefore you can do what ever you want  to the body. This would disregard that our bodies are created by God and to abuse and misuse the body is of no matter. John warns of this evil.

Some in the Church today seem to be preaching elements of Gnosticism. Many faithful followers are fighting this. As John wrote in 1 John 2:26 “I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.”

God wants us to be in  relationships. Atonement Lutheran Church is a church of small groups.
There is a small group for you.