July 11, 2013 Get Christ

Read Galatians 5 Get Christ Galatians 5:7-9 & 13 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump…13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. YOU heard the message, “Jesus loves you. Jesus saves you.” And you received him as your Lord and Savior. What an incredible love gift has come to you from God the Father, through God the Son in the power of God the Spirit for you! You had good plans to follow Jesus, didn’t you? You could say, “I’m a Christian.” and life would be great. You’d say and do all the right things. You would let go of the sin (the leaven) that kept you from Jesus. Surely you know the wonder of the Living God alive in you! But then there was that one issue with your friend. You couldn’t forgive her for that insult. Then you remembered how much you really liked going out for a few drinks, so you thought, “Why not?” You really tried reading your Bible, but it was just too hard! And did being a Christian really mean you had to go to church every Sunday and that you had to always be so good? Your pre-Christian sin habits, the “leaven” in your life, kept infecting your heart, and you thought, “What’s the use?” What do you do? Focus on Jesus’ freedom for you. Stop thinking of your imprisoning sin and start thinking of Jesus’ freedom. Spend some time in the Gospels each day. Get to know Jesus, and the leaven in your heart will turn to love for Jesus. It’s True! Being a Christian requires Christ.