Paul wrote that the works of the flesh were obvious, but he still took time to list some of them. Understanding how these evil behaviors affect our relationship with God and others can help us see the seriousness of these sins and remind us to pursue Christ instead of our own selfish desires.

Paul wrote that believers are to "walk by the Spirit," and doing so will keep us from satisfying our own selfish desires. This week we turn to Matthew 7 and John 15 to gain insight from Jesus about this central truth that empowers us to live out our faith.

It is possible to know the ways of God without living in obedience to Him. Focusing only on the commands of Scripture without cultivating a change of heart will leave us trapped. When we submit to the Holy Spirit, he begins his transformative work that leads to producing the fruit of God's kingdom in our lives.

In the final message of the Restored series, the focus is on work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer and how He infuses the character of Christ. What happens when we trust Him to empower us to walk in humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance?

What is your main goal for your children? Our culture pushes us to focus on making sure our kids are successful and happy. If we set these as main goals, our children are likely to be selfish and end up feeling empty. Instead, we need to disciple our children to live and love like Jesus.

God created the marriage relationship. Though the entrance of sin into the world caused this relationship to be broken, it is restored by the power of Christ. Paul's instructions in Ephesians 5 reveal that the Gospel creates this beautiful partnership between a man and a woman ... one that reflects the relationship between Jesus and his followers.

There is probably nothing more misunderstood in our culture than the idea of romantic love. Most of us grow up believing that our quest for true love will end when we find that "special someone." We fail to realize what real love is, and so our search brings a great deal of pain. If we follow God's ways, we will navigate dating and singleness according to His wisdom and experience life and peace.

The redemptive work of Christ has a far-reaching impact. Even beyond one's personal relationship with God the Father, the reconciliation Jesus provides extends to our relationships with one another. All of this works together, as Paul explains in his letter to the church at Ephesus.

God’s plan of redemption came through the nation of Israel. In His grace He chose Abraham and made a covenant with him. He rescued Abraham's descendants from Egypt and gave them the amazing gift of His law. The law was limited by human weakness, but complete healing and forgiveness would eventually come through Jesus, who healed humanity with his love.