Ever wondered how you can be made right with God? Why is God’s grace—a gift we can’t earn? Find out more in this week's message.

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What is Righteousness? How Do I Know I Have It?

(Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (11) Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (12) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

(1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (9) Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

(Ephesians 6:13-14 NLT)

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (14) Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 

(Proverbs 4:23 NIV)

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

(Proverbs 4:23 NLT)

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

(Romans 5:1 NLT)

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 

Made Right with God by FAITH in Jesus

(Romans 5:8-9 NIV)

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (9) And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 

(Luke 19:5-10 NIV)

When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” (6) Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. (7) But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. (8) Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” (9) Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. (10) For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

You Have Been Made 100% Righteous by Jesus

Stand Firm in Your Salvation

(Colossians 2:13-15 NIV)  

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. (14) He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. (15) In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

CONNECT GROUP QUESTIONS:

What does it mean to be made righteous by faith in Jesus? (Romans 5:8-9 NIV)

Why is it important to stand firm in our salvation? (Colossians 2:13-15 NIV)  

What can we learn from Zacchaeus about following Jesus? (Luke 19:5-10 NIV)

How can we live in God’s righteousness every day?

Join us for our new series and learn how we are strengthened by putting on the Armor of God. What does it mean to put on the Belt of Truth?

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THE BELT OF TRUTH

(Ephesians 6:10 NLT)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

(Ephesians 6:11-13 NLT)

Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (12) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (13) Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

THE BELT THAT HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER

(Ephesians 6:14 NLT)

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth…

JOSEPH’S IDENTITY: “I BELONG TO GOD”

(Genesis 39:2-3 NLT)

The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. (3) Potiphar noticed this and realized that the LORD was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT)

Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, (20) for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

(Genesis 39:6b NLT)

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man…

(Genesis 39:7 NLT)

… and Potiphar's wife soon began to look at him lustfully. "Come and sleep with me," she demanded.

TEMPTATION’S LIE: “IT WON’T HURT ANYONE”

(Acts 3:19-20a NLT)

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. (20) Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord…

WISE BOUNDARIES AND BE PREPARED TO RUN

(Genesis 39:10 NLT)

She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 

(Genesis 39:11-12 NLT)

One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. (12) She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, "Come on, sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

(1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT)

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

BE STRONG IN TRUTH



(John 14:6a NLT)

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

(John 8:32 NLT)

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

CONNECT GROUP QUESTIONS:

• What does it mean to wear the "belt of truth" in our daily lives?
• Can you share a time when you had to stand firm in your faith? What helped you stay strong?
• How does Jesus give us the strength to stand firm in the middle of challenges?
• How can we encourage each other to stay strong in our faith?

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Forgiveness is powerful! It’s not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it takes strength to forgive and love as Jesus did. Join us as we learn how to practice some daily habits of forgiveness. It will change your attitude, and most importantly your relationships.

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Is Forgiving a Sign of Weakness? 

Forgiving is STRONG 

(Ephesians 6:10 NLT) A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Love is Strong

(1 Corinthians 13:5-6 NLT) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

(Luke 7:44-48 NLT) Then he by turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. (45) You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. (46) You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. (47) I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” (48) Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Love Keeps No Records of Wrongs

(Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV) “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (27) and do not give the devil a foothold. 

Daily Habit to Forgive

(Matthew 6:12 NLT) And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 

We Can Forgive Because We Have Been Forgiven Much 

(Luke 7:47 NLT) I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.

(Colossians 3:12-14 NLT) Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (13) Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (14) Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 

Clothe Yourself with God’s Strength 

Free to Love Again

(Galatians 5:13 NLT) For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

(1 John 4:19 NLT) We love each other because he loved us first.

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Connect Group Questions:

• Why does God want us to forgive (Col 3:13-15, Gal 5:13)?
• What happens when we don't forgive?
• How can you apply the Habits of Forgiveness to your life?
• Don’t keep a record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5). How can we forgive someone quickly when they hurt us?
• The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:12). Why did Jesus include Forgiveness in his example of how to pray?
• Forgive because you have been forgiven (Luke 7:47). How does knowing that God forgives me help me to forgive others?
• Clothe yourself with God’s strength (Colossians 3:12-14). How does God’s strength help us to forgive?

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Love is strong. It doesn’t celebrate evil but finds joy in the truth. Join us as we dive deep into the meaning of love through powerful scriptures, real-life examples, and the strength we gain from God’s truth.

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Strong Love

(1 Corinthians 13:6 NIV) "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth".

(Matthew 19:4-5 NIV) “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female, (5) and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?”

(Genesis 2:15-18 NIV) The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (16) And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; (17) but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (18) The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

(Genesis 3:1-5 ICB) "Now the snake was the most clever of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day the snake spoke to the woman. He said, “Did God really say that you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?” (2) The woman answered the snake, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden. (3) But God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch it, or you will die.’” (4) But the snake said to the woman, “You will not die. (5) God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree, you will learn about good and evil. Then you will be like God!”

(John 8:44 ESV) You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

(Genesis 3:6-7 NIV) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Grow And Learn

(James 1:16-18 NIV) Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. (17) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (18) He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Hold of God’s Word

(Matthew 7:24-25 NIV) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock".

The Power of Praying with 2 or 3　

(Matthew 18:20 NIV) For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

Shake off that Snake　

(Acts 28:3-5 NIV) Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. (4) When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” (5) But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 

(1 Corinthians 13:6 NIV) "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”

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Connect Group Questions:

• Why did God create man and woman to be together?
• Why do you think the “truth” helps us to have good relationships?
• How can praying together help in our relationships?
• How can we trust God when we face challenges and “shake off the snake” like Paul?
• What does it mean to celebrate truth instead of evil?

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What is true love? It’s not just a feeling—it’s patience, kindness, and choosing to love others even when it's challenging. This week, our prayer is that you will experience the transformational power of God’s love.

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What Is Love?

(1 Corinthians 12:31 NLT)

So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.

Love is the Greatest Goal

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (5) or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. (6) It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. (7) Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Isaac & Rebekah: An Imperfect Love Story

(Genesis 24:17-20 NLT)

Running over to her, the servant said, "Please give me a little drink of water from your jug." (18) "Yes, my lord," she answered, "have a drink." And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. (19) When she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink." (20) So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.

Love Seeks the Other’s Flourishing

(Genesis 24:67 NLT)

And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.

Love Commits to Grow and Persevere

(Genesis 25:21 NLT)

Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The LORD answered Isaac's prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins.

(Genesis 26:1a NLT)

A severe famine now struck the land...

More God, More Love

(1 John 4:7-8 NLT)

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. [8] But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

(1 John 4:15,17a NLT)

All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God (17a) And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.

(Ephesians 6:10 NLT)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Questions:

- Can you name the things that "love is" and that "love is not"?

- Can you share any examples of when you persevered in love?

- Why is it important to pray when we need help from God?

- How does God show His love through His plan for us?

- How can we grow stronger in love?

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Let's dive into the first message of this month's series as we learn about managing and maintaining great friendships!

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How Can I Be a Better Friend?

(Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ (38) This is the first and greatest commandment. (39) A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

(Matthew 7:12 NIV)

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

(Mark 2:1-12 NIV) When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. (2) Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, (3) four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. (4) They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. (5) Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” (6) But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, (7) “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” (8) Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? (9) Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? (10) So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, (11) “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” (12) And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Love God

(Proverbs 27:17 NIV)

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Love Ourselves

Love Others

(Proverbs 17:17 NIV)

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

“Show me your friends, I’ll show you your future.”

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Connect Group Questions:

• Why is it important to love God with all we have?

• What do you think “love your neighbor as yourself” means?

• How did the paralyzed man’s friends show love?

• How can friends help each other grow?

• What makes a good friend?

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How does God protect his church? How can we find strength in difficult times? Find out this week as we discover how God’s strength can help us in any situation.

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Web: mylifehouse.com

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It is here! Our vision for 2025! "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power!" Join us as Ps Rod unpacks how we can find strength in Jesus this year!

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God is making ALL things new—new paths, new purpose, new power! Let's step into the fresh things He has for us today!

Web: mylifehouse.com

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Who's ready for the new year ahead? Let's dive in to the first message of 2025 as we learn about speaking goodness over our year.

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