Loving Through Obedience

We live in a broken world, surrounded by broken lives, broken relationships, and broken systems. This brokenness is seen in suffering, violence, poverty, pain, and death around us. Brokenness leads us to search for a way to make LIFE work.

In contrast to this brokenness, we also see beauty, purpose and evidence of design around us. The Bible tells us that God originally planned a world that worked perfectly — where everything and everyone fit together in harmony. God made each of us with a purpose — to worship Him and walk with Him.

Genesis 1:31 • Psalm 19:1

Life doesn’t work when we ignore God and His original design for our lives. We selfishly insist on doing things our own way. The Bible calls this sin. We all sin and distort the original design. The consequence of our sin is separation from God — in this life and for all of eternity.

Romans 3:23 • Romans 6:23

Sin leads to a place of brokenness. We see this all around us and in our own lives as well. When we realize LIFE is not working, we begin to look for a way out. We tend to go in many directions trying different things to figure it out on our own. Brokenness leads to a place of realizing a need for something greater.

Romans 1:25 • Proverbs 14:12

At this point we need a remedy — some good news. Because of His love, God did not leave us in our brokenness. Jesus, God in human flesh, came to us and lived perfectly according to God’s Design. Jesus came to rescue us — to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. He took our sin and shame to the cross, paying the penalty of our sin by His death. Jesus was then raised from the dead — to provide the only way for us to be rescued and restored to a relationship with God.

John 3:16 • Colossians 2:14 • 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Simply hearing this Good News is not enough. We must admit our sinful brokenness and stop trusting in ourselves. We don’t have the power to escape this brokenness on our own. We need to be rescued. We must ask God to forgive us — turning from sin to trust only in Jesus. This is what it means to repent and believe. Believing, we receive new life through Jesus and God turns our lives in a new direction.

Mark 1:15 • Ephesians 2:8-9 • Romans 10:9

When God restores our relationship to Him, we begin to discover meaning and purpose in a broken world. Now we can pursue God’s Design in all areas of our lives. Even when we fail, we understand God’s pathway to be restored – this same Good News of Jesus. God’s Spirit empowers us to recover His Design and assures us of His presence in this life and for all of eternity.

Philippians 2:13 • Ephesians 2:10

Now that you have heard this Good News, God wants you to respond to Him. You can talk to Him using words like these: “My life is broken — I recognize it’s because of my sin. I need You. I believe Christ came to live, die and was raised from the dead — to rescue me from my sin. Forgive me. I turn from my selfish ways and put my trust in You. I know that Jesus is Lord of all, and I will follow Him.”

Romans 10:9 • Romans 10:13

As we begin our new journey, the Bible teaches us how to pursue God. He has a design for healthy relationships: • Prayer — God wants you to talk to Him about everything that matters to you. • Church — The local church is God's family to help you walk with Him. • Bible — The Bible reveals God's design, showing how to pursue Him. • Share — Now that you have experienced this Good News, tell others.

John 20:31 • Matthew 6:33 • Colossians 2:6