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Fighting For Peace Series
Contributed by Doug Johnston on May 13, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: God’s work for us in Christ can give us the tools to fight against despair that may set in from dealing with people, circumstance, or our own selves.
Our feelings make us go crazy!
We need to compensate for things that can drive us nuts!
Complex challenges can limit any of us
Our views affect the ways we view life; safe with God or building lives without God.
We must depend on God’s love for us.
1. God chooses to love us as He finds us (1-3)
He gives life to the lifeless
His new life gives us power to choose righteousness
His love overcomes our destiny to find wrath
2. God changes lives through our relationship with Jesus Christ (4-7)
His kindness to us from His grace energizes our lives
As the objects of His grace, even angels learn more of God by watching how He treats us
Strengthening our unity with Christ strengthens us
3. God saves us independent of our actions (8-9)
We enjoy His grace more as our faith operates
Salvation came as a gift; nothing we earned
Joy responds to God; pride for spirituality ultimately leads to emptiness
4. God can bring contented living (peace) to us (17)
Freedom from conflict with God follows surrender
Confession of sin and victory over sin follow us as we come closer to God
What matters most is what God thinks of us…
He tells us:
“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us,
and hath given himself for us…” (Ephesians 5:2)