God blessed sex to be a wonderful, enjoyable fulfilling part of life, both personally and relationally satisfying. Lust is a twisting of that good gift into selfish fulfillment of sensual desire that leaves a person empty (even if it doesn't feel so at the moment). In this message, Pastor John begins with God's positive view of sex. Then he talks about the character of lust and strategies for not letting lust drag you down. People trapped in lust are often filled with guilt and shame, and live with a deep sense of isolation. People trapped in lust need truth and grace not truth and judgment, whether it is you or someone else.

God blessed sex to be a wonderful, enjoyable fulfilling part of life, both personally and relationally satisfying. Lust is a twisting of that good gift into selfish fulfillment of sensual desire that leaves a person empty (even if it doesn't feel so at the moment). In this message, Pastor John begins with God's positive view of sex. Then he talks about the character of lust and strategies for not letting lust drag you down. People trapped in lust are often filled with guilt and shame, and live with a deep sense of isolation. People trapped in lust need truth and grace not truth and judgment, whether it is you or someone else.

If greed keeps you from enjoying a glass of wine because you want a better one, envy keeps you from enjoying a glass of wine because someone else has a better one. In early stage envy, you believe that if you had what someone else has, you would be happy. In late stage envy, you feel happy when someone else loses what they had. Envy will rot your life and your peace from the inside out. Envy keeps us from enjoying the gifts in our lives, causes division, leads to bad judgment and robs you of peace. So what do we do? First, listen to your envy because it comes from inside you. What is your envy telling you about you? Then employ the antidotes to envy: the scriptures, remembering your identity in Christ, rejecting altogether the idea of comparison, serving others with your gives, and remembering that our whole life is really about God and love.

If greed keeps you from enjoying a glass of wine because you want a better one, envy keeps you from enjoying a glass of wine because someone else has a better one. In early stage envy, you believe that if you had what someone else has, you would be happy. In late stage envy, you feel happy when someone else loses what they had. Envy will rot your life and your peace from the inside out. Envy keeps us from enjoying the gifts in our lives, causes division, leads to bad judgment and robs you of peace. So what do we do? First, listen to your envy because it comes from inside you. What is your envy telling you about you? Then employ the antidotes to envy: the scriptures, remembering your identity in Christ, rejecting altogether the idea of comparison, serving others with your gives, and remembering that our whole life is really about God and love.

Greed is the first topic we are covering in the Seven Deadly Sins series and, as we will see, God gives us many antidotes. "Sins" is not really the best name. These are vices or areas of brokenness inside every one of us. God would save us from falling into destruction and being pierced through with many sorrows, so the scripture warn us against greed and show us how to move away from it.

Greed is the first topic we are covering in the Seven Deadly Sins series and, as we will see, God gives us many antidotes. "Sins" is not really the best name. These are vices or areas of brokenness inside every one of us. God would save us from falling into destruction and being pierced through with many sorrows, so the scripture warn us against greed and show us how to move away from it.

When you get the swipe of ashes on your forehead on Ash Wednesday, it's more than just a reminder of your mortality. If you dig through the scriptures, you will see that the amazing creation of mankind, mankind's fall into sin, and God's rescuing hand in Jesus Christ all there. That little swipe of ashes encompasses all of human history!

“Mountain top” experiences can be great! We feel a spiritual high and everything seems to be just right. Peter, James and John had a mountaintop experience with Jesus during which Jesus was transformed right before their very eyes. But then he went back to normal and they went down the mountain.

Mountain top experiences can be very helpful in that they give us a vision of what could be, they can motivate us and move us to initiate action. But we can’t stay on the mountaintop and we can’t expect to be completely different people when we come down from the mountain top.

The scriptures tell us that we are not to be conformed to this world — pressed into its mold — but transformed by the renewing of our minds. The Greek word for “transformed” is the same word used at Jesus’ transfiguration.

How does this happen?

Our minds are renewed by hearing with faith. Galatians 3:1-3 reminds us that it was not by our own effort that we entered the kingdom of God but rather by hearing the message of Christ with faith. And so as we seek to growth, it does not come through legalistic efforts but by hearing with faith.

Acquiring the virtues of Christ takes time, guidance and practice. Colossians 3:12-17 encourages us to clothe ourselves with kindness, humility, patience, and more. Just like learning to dress ourselves physical was a process, clothing ourselves in virtue does not happen overnight.

Discipleship, following the way of Christ, is a matter of the heart more than a matter of knowledge. Jesus told his disciples that the central mark of their discipleship would be the love that they have for one another.

Through time, guidance and practice, our minds are renewed in Christ and we put on the virtues of a true disciple which center around love. In this way we grow into the unique and wonderful person God made each of us to be.

“Mountain top” experiences can be great! We feel a spiritual high and everything seems to be just right. Peter, James and John had a mountaintop experience with Jesus during which Jesus was transformed right before their very eyes. But then he went back to normal and they went down the mountain.

Mountain top experiences can be very helpful in that they give us a vision of what could be, they can motivate us and move us to initiate action. But we can’t stay on the mountaintop and we can’t expect to be completely different people when we come down from the mountain top.

The scriptures tell us that we are not to be conformed to this world — pressed into its mold — but transformed by the renewing of our minds. The Greek word for “transformed” is the same word used at Jesus’ transfiguration.

How does this happen?

Our minds are renewed by hearing with faith. Galatians 3:1-3 reminds us that it was not by our own effort that we entered the kingdom of God but rather by hearing the message of Christ with faith. And so as we seek to growth, it does not come through legalistic efforts but by hearing with faith.

Acquiring the virtues of Christ takes time, guidance and practice. Colossians 3:12-17 encourages us to clothe ourselves with kindness, humility, patience, and more. Just like learning to dress ourselves physical was a process, clothing ourselves in virtue does not happen overnight.

Discipleship, following the way of Christ, is a matter of the heart more than a matter of knowledge. Jesus told his disciples that the central mark of their discipleship would be the love that they have for one another.

Through time, guidance and practice, our minds are renewed in Christ and we put on the virtues of a true disciple which center around love. In this way we grow into the unique and wonderful person God made each of us to be.

Paul writes a great many practical instructions to the church in Corinth. Toward the end of the book he writes, "And now I will show you the most excellent way." To my mind, that is a big flag that says, "Look here!" This most excellent life is a life based in love. Explore the most excellent life with Pastor John in this encouraging message.