freedom vs. FREEDOM!

Doing what you feel:
Felt like the easy thing to do – turned out to be hard.
Felt like I could do it a little – doing it a lot.
Felt like love – wasn't.
Felt like it wouldn't hurt – took me where I never thought I'd go.
Felt like it would make me feel better about myself – made me feel worse.
Felt like it would relieve my pain – didn't solve anything and just gave me one more problem.

RECKLESS FREEDOM = “Whatever I feel like doing.”

The problem with reckless freedom is that freedom to choose isn't freedom from consequences.

Galatians 6:7

You can control what kind of seed you sow. You have no control over the crop that comes up.

Reckless freedom takes you where you never wanted to go.

Matthew 7:13, 14

We've been scammed by lies about freedom since the very beginning. RECKLESS FREEDOM and REAL FREEDOM ARE both on display in our Origin Story.

RECKLESS FREEDOM

Gen. 2:16, 17 –

Free, except for what will hurt you.

Two lies our first ancestors believed about freedom:

Freedom is doing things that are outside God's boundary.

Genesis 3:1

Don't worry about consequences.

Genesis 3:6, 7

Reckless freedom turned what was beautiful to BROKEN.

Genesis 3:8-10; Genesis 3:9-13; Genesis 3:23

Worst of all, a beautiful relationship with God became a broken
relationship. It is to this day. Been our story ever since.

Slaves to being what we don't want to be. Slaves who think we're free.

But this week is about freedom for REAL!

REAL FREEDOM

Awesomelymade…Incredibly valuableGen. 1:27
A wonderful world, theirs to rule andenjoy.Gen. 1:28-30
Beautiful, transparent relationship.Gen. 2:18; 21-23
No guilt, no shame. Love without regrets orscars.Gen. 2:25
Friends with God. Went for walks together!Gen. 3:8

Free from the you you don't want to be. Free to become a you you could never have dreamed!

Because they met the Liberator!

John 8:34. . .36 – “The Son shall make you TRULY free.”

The truth for everyone is that – in some way - we're away from the One who made us and who we're made for.

Col. 1:16c; Isaiah 53:6

So much broken. We're broken inside. It's broken between us. And we've got eternal broken ahead of us because we're away from our Creator.

Nothing/no one can fix us. But God loves you too much to lose you.

John 3:16

Your Creator brought you here to set you free!