Engaging with God

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 and ponder these questions: How do you understand God's love to be the same as or different from human love? How have you experienced God's love most powerfully? Is there a person who exemplified it for you? What does this chapter stir up inside of you - conviction, challenge, encouragement, or something else? Blessings, Pastor Chris

We might be inclined to think of the Spirit within us keeping our sinful nature in check another way to think of this is that our sin nature  is actually keeping us from doing the good that, on a deeper level, we desire to do and that we were created to do. Our sinful desires keep us from experiencing the fulfillment of our deeper desires. 

Paul saw that both sin and legalism were forms of bondage that prevented our hearts from being free to follow Christ . And he spoke boldly against both of these dangers. Somehow, human beings seem to gravitate from one to the other, without finding the place of freedom to be who we were created to be

speaking of the entire Old Testament law with its prescriptions and prohibitions. The purpose of the law was to lead us to Christ; but now that we are in Christ, the law has been fulfilled it helps to take a positive view of freedom - rather than asking "what are we free from?", we can ask "what are we free for?"

But it is also important - probably more important - that we think about salvation positively: what are we saved for? Jesus came that we might have life, and have it abundantly - not just so that we won't die.

Hi everyone, Another great discussion last night - thanks for your spirited discussion on the topic of sin and disordered attachments! Next time we will talk about our freedom in Christ. Read Galatians 5:1-26 . How do you understand the nature of freedom in Christ from this passage?  What are we freed from? What are we freed for? How are you experiencing freedom in Christ in your life now? Looking forward to continuing our discussion of Our Life in Christ with you next week! Blessings, Pastor Chris

silence and solitude is so important, especially in our relationship with God - in silence and solitude we can listen to our own heart , we can recognize and become aware of what our deeper desires are

It is helpful if we think about it this way: our relationship with God is more important than our sin . God's wants to have relationship with us, and sin is what gets in the way. 

God was willing to pay the unimaginable price of becoming a human being and dying - all so that we could be reconciled to God , restored to the relationship for which we were created, and with God for all of eternity.

This story is the great tragedy of human existence - the loss of communion with God and the entrance of death as the inevitable destiny of all human beings. So much was lost, especially when we think about our identity as a known and loved child of God, created for relationship with God.

Hi everyone, We will follow up on our discussion about being created in the image of God for relationship with God, with a discussion about disordered attachments and the things that get in the way of this relationship.  In preparation for our study tomorrow, please read Genesis chapter 3 , the story of the Fall, and ponder these questions: What was the temptation and sin that Adam and Eve gave in to? How did this sin affect their relationship with God? How does this story make you feel about your relationship with God? Looking forward to our time together! Blessings, Pastor Chris

As we shall see, Jesus came into the world to restore this relationship between us and God, so that the words that Jesus hears at his baptism might also be heard by us: " This is my beloved child , with whom I am well-pleased."

The dramatic narrative of scripture is that of God revealing Godself to human beings, getting involved in their lives, and desiring to bless and restore relationship. In this, we get a picture of a God who knows us .

there seems to have been an intimacy between the first humans and God that was dramatically altered after sin entered the story

The life of a Christ-follower is a journey - in a number of ways. It is a journey through time, as we follow and serve Jesus over the course of our lifetime. It is a journey of transformation, as we grow and are changed into Christ's likeness. And it is a journey inward, into the deeper places of our hearts - for it is in these deeper places that God desires to meet us.

Jesus called disciples to himself. A disciple is one who follows and learns from a great teacher, just as an apprentice learns from a master craftsperson. Beyond simply gaining knowledge or skill, a disciple seeks to imitate the teacher and become like them. The life of discipleship – the life of following and living as Christ teaches us – is the way of life in God's kingdom. Disciples obey and put into practice what Jesus taught and demonstrated for us. In this way our lives are changed, and we become more like Jesus – in other words, we become the people that God created us to be. In order to be disciples, we must learn what Jesus taught us. Discipleship Bible Study gives us the opportunity to do this together. Our goal is to follow Jesus and learn from Him so that we can become like Him. Our Life in Christ: The Deeper Journey of a Disciple The life of a Christ-follower is a journey - in a number of ways. It is a journey through time, as we follow and serve Jesus over the course ...

Click on this link to join the Zoom meeting : Discipleship Bible Study on Zoom Our Life in Christ - The Deeper Journey of a Disciple Wednesdays,  7:00-8:30pm Subscribe to the PBPC email list on Our Life in Christ (Send a blank email & click the link in the reply) bible-studies-our-life-in-christ+subscribe@pbpc.org  This group starts Wednesday, October 7, and continues for six weeks through November 11, 2020. Learn more about PBPC Bible Studies: https://www.pbpc.org/bible-studies

"There is no deep knowing of God without a deep knowing of self, and no deep knowing of self without a deep knowing of God" (David Benner).    For the next six weeks, Pastor Chris will lead a Discipleship Bible Study on  Our Life in Christ: The Deeper Journey of a Disciple . As we spend time in scripture, we will address these questions (and more): Who are we created to be? What gets in the way of the life that God has for us? How does Jesus answer our deepest needs? You are invited  to join Pastor Chris for this online group Bible study on Zoom. Click on this link to join the meeting : Discipleship Bible Study on Zoom Our Life in Christ - The Deeper Journey of a Disciple Wednesdays,  7:00-8:30pm ( only have a phone ?) Subscribe to the PBPC email list on Our Life in Christ (Send a blank email & click the link in the reply)  bible-studies-our-life-in-christ+subscribe@pbpc.org The active bible study website:  https://god...