Structure that Needs to Change
Larry describes the fallen structure in every human being and how to disrupt the bad, sin, and affirm the good, trusting God.
Larry describes the fallen structure in every human being and how to disrupt the bad, sin, and affirm the good, trusting God.
Character develops by shifting from being controlled by fear to being controlled by truth. Live your life in such a way that if God’s Word isn’t true, you will be destroyed. Only by trusting fully in the promises of God will the truth of God become a reality.
Larry begins this two part series with what character is not. Character is not based on how we perform. Nor is character based on how we feel about ourself. Character is a deep awareness of truth. Character is being controlled by truth.
There is a profound need for encouragement in the body of Christ. Programs don’t usually work to create a community of encouragement. Encouragers affirm courage and perseverance, and call forth potential.
1. We must deal with what’s happening in our lives. We won’t deeply know God without an inside look. Change requires an inside look.
2. Because we were built to enjoy what is not fully available until heaven, there will always be an ache in our soul. The ache in our soul is not the evidence of immaturity. It’s the evidence of realism. It’s OK to hurt.
3. Nobody wants to hurt. We’ll commit ourselves to avoiding as much pain as possible. Our problem with sin shows itself most clearly in our relationships. We commit ourselves to self-protection. We “play it safe.”
4. If we’re to be deeply changed, we must face the pain in our soul and the sin in our relationships. Only then is it possible to meaningfully trust the Lord and deeply repent of our sin.
How do we release the glory of the Trinity by pouring into the soul of another?
Dr. Larry Crabb answers the last question from the 1 John passage, “Will God reveal Himself to me?” He systematically walks through how Jesus answers that question, how our sin gets in the way of believing, and how faith takes the risk of believing that He is Good and that our greatest joy is revealing Him to others.