Busy, But Empty By Glen Whatley Lesson One

For by grace you have been saved through faith For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4 ESV)

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV) OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD. GOD KEEPS US RIGHT WITH HIMSELF THROUGH JESUS.

The big question is… WHERE DOES OBEDIENCE FIT IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?   If it doesn’t make me right, or keep me right with God, what is the purpose of obedience? That is the question we intend to answer clearly over the next few months. God Wants a Relationship!

Christians view God in so many different ways Christians view God in so many different ways. Some see God as a harsh task-master or a spiritual bell-hop, giving us what we want.   What is your view of God? The question is… HOW CAN ONE CHRISTIAN’S VIEW OF GOD BE SO DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER CHRISTIAN’S VIEW? I believe one reason is because we have become dependent on other people and the systems they create to give us our view of God. Spiritual “professionals” have created their own ideas about God. Some start with scripture and then build their own ideas from there. The truth is that God never changes. His character is the same today as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow God wants to have a relationship with you! From the beginning of time, God created man for companionship. God wants to show you who he really is by spending time with him. When sin came into the world to disrupt the relationship, God did everything necessary to restore it. God loves you and as hard as it may be to believe, he wants to be with you. Eph. 1:4-5: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will…   It was his plan since before creation and God’s desire has never changed. He still longs to walk closely with us through every second of our lives. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Where did you get your view of God? BASICALLY, PEOPLE DON’T KNOW GOD, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT SPENT ANY TIME WITH HIM. God wants to have a relationship with you! From the beginning of time, God created man for companionship. God wants to show you who he really is by spending time with him. When sin came into the world to disrupt the relationship, God did everything necessary to restore it. God loves you and as hard as it may be to believe, he wants to be with you. Eph. 1:4-5: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will…   It was his plan since before creation and God’s desire has never changed. He still longs to walk closely with us through every second of our lives. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Terms of Endearment RECONCILIATION “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19 ESV

Terms of Endearment 2. FREE GIFT For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 ESV

Terms of Endearment 3. CHILDREN OF GOD But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, John 1:12 ESV See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1 ESV

Terms of Endearment 4. DRAW NEAR Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, [20] by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22 ESV)

Terms of Endearment 5. PURSUIT Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 ESV