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The past couple of Sundays has been filled with emotion. Based on the responses I’ve received this week, it’s clear that the topics we’ve talked about are very personal to many in our church family. This Sunday, we’ll tackle our fourth Monster in the Closet. Although this monster is every bit as serious as the others, this one might not be as heavy. 


There are a lot of different subjects I’d like to talk about on Sunday mornings, but I never seem to find the time. Here’s one of them… I want everyone to know Jesus and experience His life-changing friendship. True, Jesus is our Savior. And true, He is our Lord and Master. But He is also our friend… There is a great moment when Jesus spoke to His followers in John 15…

 

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant, does not know 

what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, 

for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

John 15:15 ESV

 

Jesus wants to be our friend. Think about your best friend… Jesus wants to be that person, and more. No matter what struggles any of us face today, like the closest personal friend, He has willingly and unselfishly shared everything with us. 

 

This is often very hard to grasp. When we face challenges, we can be overtaken by lies. These lies create a continuous negative message that torpedoes any chance of our finding hope in having Jesus as our friend. But there is hope, and the Holy Spirit is pulling for us. Paul wrote, 

 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Romans 15:13 ESV

 

What are the lies we can believe? In our Rooted Experience, we call them “strongholds”. These strongholds drag us down and defeat us. We need to renounce them and replace them with the truth. Here are a few lies and truths from scripture to defeat each one: 

 

Lie: Everyone hates me, and I hate myself too.

Truth: I am loved.

 

In this is love, not that we have loved God 

but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

1 John 4:10 ESV

 

Lie: I don’t matter. I’m not important to God.

Truth: I have a purpose.

 

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, 

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities

—all things were created through him and for him.

Colossians 1:16 ESV

 

Lie: I’m tired of trying. I can’t keep fighting.

Truth: I have a future. 

 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

 for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 ESV

 

Lie: I’m useless.

Truth: I am needed.

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

 

Like the old hymn says, “What a friend we have in Jesus…” Let’s live it!

 

Grace & Peace

Pastor Tom