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Jesus walked this earth preaching and healing people, but his main target was always our heart and the forgiveness of sins. In that, he calls us to a higher standard than the law of the old covenant - he wants our hearts so he can liberate it from evil desires and produce in us a new heart, pleasing to him! He is more than just a sin forgiving healer, he is our Lord with a clear expectation on his followers. “Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” Mark 7:14-15 (NIV) “These acts and dispositions, Jesus affirms, are what defile a man and they have their source in a heart which is in open rebellion against God.” William L. Lane; The Gospel of Mark

Through the story of the woman with the issue of blood, we see how persistence in our faith, overcoming complacency, and getting in his presence touch the heart of God to move on our behalf. His work isn’t dependent on ours - but out faith should drive us to pursue him and when we meet him he loves to bring breakthrough in our life.

In Mark chapter 4 Jesus challenges us with the parable of the sower and what kind of heart it takes to receive the good news of the gospel. Without humility, being tuned into the Holy Spirit, and his Word inside us we will not be able to keep the soil of our heart ready for deep roots. So be challenged to open up your heart to him and let him work new areas of the soil of your life. “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.’” Mark 4:13-20

Our desperation drives us to Jesus. But when we come to him we find Jesus’ deliverance goes far deeper than we can ever imagine! In Mark 2, we see Jesus’ deliverance in the healing of the paralyzed man with a far greater act of healing by forgiving his sins. This is a challenge for us to recognize our inherent brokenness of sin and absolute need for a savior. When we come to Jesus in that humble desperation, he gives us wholeness beyond what we ask for. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’...‘But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’” Mark 2:5,10-12 (NIV) “There can be no future unless there is peace. There can be no peace unless there is reconciliation.” Desmond Tutu

The good news of the kingdom can only be received through repentance and belief.  The gospel is the good news, the truth. If we see it and accept it as our reality - instead of just good advice - it should cause us to recognize our need for it and come into repentance as we evaluate our lives against it. Repent is the most gracious word in the English language. It’s simply the opportunity to change your mind (repent), and act accordingly (believe). The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way, a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Mark 1:1-3 (NIV) “The essence of other religions is advice; Christianity is essentially news. Other religions say, ‘This is what you have to do in order to connect to God forever; this is how you have to live in order to earn your way to God.’ But the gospel says, ‘This is what has been done in history. This is how Jesus lived and died to earn the way to God for you.’ Christianity is completely different. It’s joyful news.” Timothy Keller - Jesus the King

Who are you becoming and is God speaking to you to make some changes in that area? We are relationally created to live in committed, covenant relationships with fellow Christians to become more like Jesus, and through the love for another, reach out to those around us. Kingdom focused friendships will make you look in the mirror and drive you to growth, but also they will strengthen the gifts Christ has placed in you to serve others well. “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15: 14-17 (NIV) “Just as our love for God begins with listening to God’s Word, the beginning of love for other Christians is learning to listen to them. God’s love for us is shown by the fact that God not only gives us God’s Word, but also lends us God’s ear.”Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Life Together To plug into our daily bible study, text "DLR" to 501-200-3122 and follow the link to sign up. For more information on how to get connected at New Life Church - Downtown Little Rock, follow us on Instagram @nlcdowntownlittlerock or visit our website at newlifechurch.tv

The defining characteristic that we follow Jesus is not by sermons or miracles or services or songs – but by our love for each other. As we search his relationships we will learn a new way  – a new love – covenant love! This week we look at Jesus’ relationships as an example of how to live in covenant with our church community and walk in a love that astounds the world. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35 “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 To plug into our daily bible study, text "DLR" to 501-200-3122 and follow the link to sign up. For more information on how to get connected at New Life Church - Downtown Little Rock, follow us on Instagram @nlcdowntownlittlerock or visit our website at newlifechurch.tv

How do we stay rooted in Christ and built up in him? If something is rooted, it means it is connected to a source that is providing life and growth. If we are going to grow spiritually we must stay connected to Jesus every day. To walk with Jesus as a disciple, or an apprentice. The call of Jesus is to come and follow him, not just believe.  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:7-8 (NIV) “Everyone receives spiritual formation, just as everyone gets an education. The only question is whether it is a good one or a bad one. We need to take a conscious, intentional hand in the developmental process. We need to understand what the formation of the human spirit is, and how it can best be done as Christ would have it done. This is an indispensable aspect of developing a psychology that is adequate to human life. The reason for the recent abrupt emergence of the terminology into religious life is, I believe, a growing suspicion or realization that we have not done well with the reality and the need. We have counted on preaching, teaching, and knowledge or information to form faith in the hearer, and have counted on faith to form the inner life and outward behavior of the Christian. But, for whatever reason, this strategy has not turned out well. The result is that we have multitudes of professing Christians who well may be ready to die, but obviously are not ready to live, and can hardly get along with themselves, much less with others.” Dallas Willard - The Great Omission To plug into our daily bible study, text "DLR" to 501-200-3122 and follow the link to sign up. For more information on how to get connected at New Life Church - Downtown Little Rock, follow us on Instagram @nlcdowntownlittlerock or visit our website at newlifechurch.tv

With today’s rapidly evolving culture it’s easy to feel like we are fighting battles on all sides to hold the standards of our faith for ourselves, our kids, and even our church. We are called fight with love and grace, never giving up, and always holding to the truth. We must fight our battles with a sincere heart of love for those we feel are against us. Only God can solve the division in our country but we have a responsibility to make sure that we his body - the Church - remain in unity. “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:1- 4 To plug into our daily bible study, text "DLR" to 501-200-3122 and follow the link to sign up. For more information on how to get connected at New Life Church - Downtown Little Rock, follow us on Instagram @nlcdowntownlittlerock or visit our website at newlifechurch.tv

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus who came as God came to us, not to bring judgment but to bear it. Not to judge the world, but to be judged for the world. Not to condemn us, but to save us. We want this season for you to be filled with Joy for what God has done and hopeful Anticipation for what God will do. Christ is our guiding light in the darkest of days and you cannot ruin the work he has done so rest in his love and be guided by his light! “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5 (NIV) “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else.” C.S. Lewis To plug into our daily bible study, text "DLR" to 501-200-3122 and follow the link to sign up. For more information on how to get connected at New Life Church - Downtown Little Rock, follow us on Instagram @nlcdowntownlittlerock or visit our website at newlifechurch.tv

Why should we love God? What does it mean to love God wholeheartedly? Why is he ultimately deserving of our love? We have to see the value of a thing before we will worship it. Revelation is the precursor to worship, and worship is ultimately about love. We must recognize Jesus for who he is, and with childlike innocence, respond with the worship we recognize he is worthy of. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:11-13 | NIV “Worship works from the top down, you might say. In worship we don’t just come to show God our devotion and give him our praise; we are called to worship because in this encounter God (re)makes and molds us top-down. Worship is the arena in which God recalibrates our hearts, reforms our desires, and rehabituates our loves. Worship isn’t just something we do; it is where God does something to us. Worship is the heart of discipleship because it is the gymnasium in which God retrains our hearts.”James K.A. Smith | You Are What You Love To plug into our daily bible study, text "DLR" to 501-200-3122 and follow the link to sign up. For more information on how to get connected at New Life Church - Downtown Little Rock, follow us on Instagram @nlcdowntownlittlerock or visit our website at newlifechurch.tv

As we continue celebrating the Advent season and anticipate the arrival of Christ, this week we want to discuss the coming of his Joy. Christ came to give us fullness of life and wants us to live in the joy of our salvation in him. To plug into our daily bible study, text "DLR" to 501-200-3122 and follow the link to sign up. For more information on how to get connected at New Life Church - Downtown Little Rock, follow us on Instagram @nlcdowntownlittlerock or visit our website at newlifechurch.tv