Continuing onto the topic of:
What captivates your heart controls your destiny.
Pastor was talking on Sunday about the book of Ephesians again and he started out with a statement.
Contrast defines capacity.
Meaning the depth of contrast you have between your life and things that affect your life negatively will deepen your capacity to understand the difference.
I hope that makes sense.
He said when we understand the depth of sin we begin to understand the depth of his love for us.
When we understand that God cared for us even when we didn’t know him we open ourselves to the deep deep love he has for our hearts condition.
Then pastor shared some myths we tend to believe when it comes to our personal sins.
Myth one: It is not a sin if no one is getting hurt
Myth two: The devil made me do it (therefore I am not responsible)
Myth three: I am not that bad (comparing myself to bad people)
Myth four: What happens here stays here
(it is not affecting anyone else)
All of these myths remove us from real relationship with God and his love for us.
No matter how deep we are in denial or omission or rationalization or apathy.
His love never changes.
Even when we fail… BUT GOD loves.
Ephesians 2: 4-7
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Grace is: ‘His power and gift reaching out to us’ when we are lost.
God says: “I don’t care how you feel on earth I care about how you are seen in heaven.”
We must begin to deepen the contrast between the darkness and the light in order for us to fully grasp his powerful love and desire for us to change.
Then pastor finished with this thought.
“You can’t get people found until they realize they are lost.”
Lord help us to realize the lost places in our lives and help us also to renew our capacity to understand your love and faithfulness to us.
(photograph by Shelley Collis of Oregon)
