Forgiven, Forgiving and Free
-
The Pipe Cleaner1 Digging Deeper
-
That Big Pencil Without an Eraser1 Digging Deeper
-
RUN, Spot, R-U-N1 Digging Deeper
-
Give God Your G-U-I-L-T1 Digging Deeper
-
Bustin’ Up Boulders1 Digging Deeper
-
Stoned!1 Digging Deeper
-
Forgiveness Starts With the Heart1 Digging Deeper
-
Downright Difficult1 Digging Deeper
-
Living Inside Another’s Skin1 Digging Deeper
-
When I Cry and Want to Know Why1 Digging Deeper
-
The “Blame” Game1 Digging Deeper
-
No Pain, Now What…?1 Digging Deeper
-
Group Progress
Group Progress
The Pipe Cleaner
When we are born, how does our life compare with that of a brand new pipe cleaner?
3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14
14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
What happens to our lives when we make mistakes and sin?
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. 5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. 6 You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Ezekiel 18:20
20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
Is it possible for us to fix our sins and mistakes on our own? Can we self-repair? How do some people try to deal with the sin in their life?
10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”
Romans 3:12
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one
Jeremiah 2:22
22 Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord God.
Mark 10:18b
10 No one is good except God alone.
Who is the one that can help us with our problem of sin and make us brand new in God’s eyes?
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:10
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Colossians 2:13-14
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
What must we do to receive God’s forgiveness and grace?
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 7:10
10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Acts 2:37-38
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Colossians 2:12-14
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.