• Word of God - Hebrews 4:12
• Outreach Focused - John 4:35
• Relationship Focused - John 13:35,1 Peter 1:22
• Servant Attitude - Mark 10:45
• Holy Living - 1 Peter 1:15
• International Impact - Acts 1:8
• Prayer Dependent - John 15:5

Around The Bend is this Sunday! Expect good things and come glean from the wisdom of a married couple that has been through the seasons of life that we're approaching.

The Women's Winter Retreat: Finding Peace is on February 3-4. Mary Agbovi is the keynote speaker, and she'll share her moving testimony of Gods peace and forgiveness. Complete information can be found at the CCChapel website.

Ladies Night on the Town is THIS Thursday, January 19th, 6:30pm @ Casa D'Angelo in Macedonia. Please RSVP...NOW, if you haven't already.

The next Guys Night is Friday, February 10. Keep an eye out of the Evite.

Last Sunday's ABF Recap - Who Are We?, pt. 2
rg & tg

II Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

While reviewing some of the reasons we struggle with moving from the "old" to the "new," the following topics came up:

• Dealing with old guilt
• Underlying or creeping doubt
• Falling into complacency
• Continued sin

• Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
• Matthew 19:26 - But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

And then getting back to the list of the things that we gained when we gave ourselves to Christ...

5. Eternal Life: I John 5:11 -

   And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

   Say it with me: "I have eternal life, in Jesus, right here and now."
   
   
6. Reconciliation: II Corinthians 5:18 -

   All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

   This reconciliation was not initiated by us, for Romans 5:8 says, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.This isn't a subtle message: while we were at war with God, while we were running from Him, He pursued us. And interestingly, He involves us in further reconciliation of others, and we know this because Paul tells us that He gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

   And unlike many of the divorces that we hear about, how the marriages end because of irreconcilable differences, our differences with God were not irreconcilable. They were differences that required the sacrifice of Jesus Himself, but they were not irreconcilable! Only by the grace of God.
   

7. Peace: Romans 5:1 -

   Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

   Consider the antonyms of "peace." These have been left behind and we have the comfort of the peace that Christ provides.
   
   
8. Redemption: Galatians 4:4-5 -

   But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

   We were bought away, with Jesus' blood, from our slavery to sin.
   
   
9. Citizenship: Colossians 1:13 -

   For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

   The American Standard Version says God delivered us out of the power of darkness. Delivered seems to suggest that it was by His power, not ours. And futher, we weren't left as refugees after being taking from Satan's kingdom, but we were brought us into the kingdom of the Son.
   
   
10. Adoption: Romans 8:15-17 -

    For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.ASV

    During the days of Paul, when Romans was written, adoption was a big, legal deal. Adoption was irreversible. Sonship, the relationship between a father and his biological son, could be revoked or shunned. Biological sons could be disowned. Not so for an adopted child. There were many witnesses present at an adoption, and the child was made a permanent fixture in their new family. In fact, there were four specific consequences of adoption in the Roman world:
    • The adopted lost all rights in his old family and gained all rights as a legitimate son in his new family.
    • He became an heir to his father's estate.
    • His old life was completely wiped out: debts were cancelled, record was wiped clean, etc.
    • He was considered a full, legitimate sone of the new father.
    And what's so cool about this passage, as Joel pointed out, there is no animosity between the "biological Son" and his adopted brothers and sisters. There is no struggle over the inheritance. In fact, the "original Son" advocates on behalf of His adopted brothes and sisters. How counter-cultural!
    
    
11. Supernatural Protection: Psalm 34:7 -

    The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

12. Supernatural Gifts: I Corinthians 12:4-11 -

    There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

13. Supernatural Power: Acts 1:8 -

    But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Who are we? We are God's creation, the object of His love. We've been given the opportunity to receive His free gift of grace. And upon receiving that gift, we can claim His promises and turn our back on our old selves. That's who we are.

Enjoy your week! Send an encouraging note to a friend.

RG