February 1/2—Shipwrecked, Part 1 Do you ever feel like you’re in a shipwreck? There’s a place God wants you, and you know that, but you’re not sure how to get there. One of the things that will hold us back is blame shifting. The fall of mankind is what shipwrecked us to begin with, and now we blame others for why we haven’t gotten somewhere. In order for us to change, we need to agree with some truths in our hearts (and from others), even when it hurts. Join us this week as we face blame shifting head-on.
Study Guide Tool To help you prepare your heart for next weekend’s message, here is a daily Bible reading schedule specific to that message. Monday—James 1 Thursday—Proverbs 18 Tuesday—Genesis 3 Friday—Philippians 4 Wednesday—James 1 Saturday/Sunday—Church
Muskegon Campus Saturdays 7:00 pm Sundays 9:15, 11:15 am Weekly Small Groups 3084 Whitehall Road Muskegon, Michigan 49445 Voice 231.766.5599 www.MyLifeChangeChurch.tv
Ludington Campus Sundays 10:00 am Wednesdays 7:00 pm 5532 W US10, Suite 800 Ludington, Michigan 49431 Voice 231.843.6300 www.LifeChangeLudington.org
3. When you resolve to follow Jesus, He will lead you through life one step at a time.
Baptism Celebration January 25 and 26, 2014
A. God’s plan for your life is to set you free of “ your own sin nature that controls you.
1. There is a spiritual force of evil that comes from Satan called “ ” that wants to own and control your life.
B. A. We know that these things are wrong, but yet somehow they always seem to overpower us and make us do what we know we should not do. B.
Sin always leads us to a place of
This process only works within the context of a loving and trusting relationship with God.
C. Notice that God did not just reveal Himself in the sky and say “listen to me,” rather He came in the flesh and He said “come to me.”
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C. Apart from the power of God working in our lives, we will always destroy ourselves…this is the nature of sin that controls us. D. The good news is that Jesus came to from that self-sabotaging cycle that we are all caught in! And He has the power to do just that!
2. Jesus came to earth. He was God in the flesh. He came saying these simple words, “ .” It’s God’s way versus our own way. A. The words “follow me” have echoed throughout history and have arrived at your ears this day. B.
D. Following Jesus means following Him all the way to the cross…your own cross. E.
It is not at all pretty. It is a messy and deeply personal process.
F.
This happens through suffering and hardships. These hardships are designed to get you to give up control of your life and entrust yourself to God.
G. God will allow things to come into your life that will force your sin nature to die. H. Only when the sin nature dies, can we experience what true life is…this is what it means to experience His power. Romans 6:6-11 The Message Translation
While these words are simple they are incredibly profound and powerful.
C. If someone you didn’t know walked up to you one day at work and said, “quit your job and follow me,” how would you respond? What would you think? Would you be… Suspicious? Confused? Skeptical? Unsure? Curious? Trusting? Intrigued? D. Essentially Jesus was saying: Trust me. You need help. I know where I am going. I will lead you somewhere good. You won’t be sorry.
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4. Baptism is one of the first steps people take in becoming fully devoted, lifelong followers of Jesus. Acts 8:26-38 New Living Translation
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