The Resistance - Week 07 Launch
Welcome
Welcome to Week 7 of the Resistance Reading Plan! This reading plan is designed to partner with Compassion Christian Church’s sermon series of the same name, which can be found HERE. This series explores how the lies of the secular world can harm us, especially our mental health, but there are ways to resist those lies and find the abundant life that God wants for us. The reading plan will focus on the same things by guiding us through Scripture that speaks to those truths.
Christianity is unique from any other major world religion in many ways, but one of the most profound and beautiful things that followers of Jesus believe is that through the work of Jesus we have been brought back into a relationship with the Father. Colossians 1:21-22 says it this way: “You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” We don’t need priests or rituals between us and a holy God. We have been brought into his presence. Through His Word our God speaks to us and through prayer we speak back, allowing us to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. May the truth of these things help you engage with this plan with wonder and joy!
Before We Start
Addiction is a complicated topic. Addiction is at its heart a destructive pattern of behavior that we have no control over. The fact that it's destructive means there is profound pain involved. The fact that we lack control often means there is hopelessness involved. For those who find themselves addicted to something, whether it’s a substance or a device or the approval of others or any number of things, a powerful place to start is with the reminder of who God is. A reminder that with God nothing is impossible. There is no pain or obstacle that is beyond His power and reach.
Another important area is to talk about idolatry. At the root of every addiction is what the Bible calls idolatry, which is when someone worships anything other than God. It’s when we replace the Creator with the created. Fundamentally we will never be in a healthy place emotionally, relationally, or spiritually if we are giving our attention/worship to something that does not deserve it.
Taking these things into account, our reading this week will be focused on a portion of the Book of Isaiah that discusses these two things. On the one hand, the power and love of God is celebrated. On the other hand, the folly of giving our praise and attention to anything less than God is ridiculed. When you see God for who He is, how can he put anything else on the throne of our lives? It is our hope that the readings this week will help you put things in the proper order in your life. And if you are struggling with addiction, be encouraged that there is no struggle that is beyond the power of the God who is both mighty to save and loves you individually.
Welcome to Week 7 of the Resistance Reading Plan! This reading plan is designed to partner with Compassion Christian Church’s sermon series of the same name, which can be found HERE. This series explores how the lies of the secular world can harm us, especially our mental health, but there are ways to resist those lies and find the abundant life that God wants for us. The reading plan will focus on the same things by guiding us through Scripture that speaks to those truths.
Christianity is unique from any other major world religion in many ways, but one of the most profound and beautiful things that followers of Jesus believe is that through the work of Jesus we have been brought back into a relationship with the Father. Colossians 1:21-22 says it this way: “You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” We don’t need priests or rituals between us and a holy God. We have been brought into his presence. Through His Word our God speaks to us and through prayer we speak back, allowing us to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. May the truth of these things help you engage with this plan with wonder and joy!
Before We Start
Addiction is a complicated topic. Addiction is at its heart a destructive pattern of behavior that we have no control over. The fact that it's destructive means there is profound pain involved. The fact that we lack control often means there is hopelessness involved. For those who find themselves addicted to something, whether it’s a substance or a device or the approval of others or any number of things, a powerful place to start is with the reminder of who God is. A reminder that with God nothing is impossible. There is no pain or obstacle that is beyond His power and reach.
Another important area is to talk about idolatry. At the root of every addiction is what the Bible calls idolatry, which is when someone worships anything other than God. It’s when we replace the Creator with the created. Fundamentally we will never be in a healthy place emotionally, relationally, or spiritually if we are giving our attention/worship to something that does not deserve it.
Taking these things into account, our reading this week will be focused on a portion of the Book of Isaiah that discusses these two things. On the one hand, the power and love of God is celebrated. On the other hand, the folly of giving our praise and attention to anything less than God is ridiculed. When you see God for who He is, how can he put anything else on the throne of our lives? It is our hope that the readings this week will help you put things in the proper order in your life. And if you are struggling with addiction, be encouraged that there is no struggle that is beyond the power of the God who is both mighty to save and loves you individually.
Posted in The Resistance