The Call

Garnering a response.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 4, The Theory of Free Will

Do we really have free will or is the reality that we are in submission, either to sin or to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Tonight, I unpack and teach the myth of free will and where do we really stand before Jesus Christ.  And just maybe I will use the word “unpack” a few thousand times more before the end of the podcast.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 4, The Theory of Free Will (Notes)

Notes from tonight’s teaching

Nothing Can Come Between Us

*Editor’s note* This post was written by Christie Weehunt. If you want to find out more that you can do to help Sower of Seeds–see the link at the end of the post.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 NLT

Here I was standing, surrounded by so many women in a brothel, right in the heart of the largest red light district in Asia and this scripture came flooding to my mind.  We came here to share with these women, pray for them and encourage them, and as I looked at each of the women present, I was so captured by what I saw in their eyes.  Some blankly stared our the door, others cried and in some you could see a spark of hope and see the evidence of Jesus’ love doing a work in their hearts.

When I was told that we were going to dress up in Indian outfits and take Lisa Bevere and Jeanne Rogers into some brothels for a bible study I knew this was an experience I’d never forget.

As we walked down the crowded, narrow lanes of the red light district, we had to step carefully around the heaping piles of trash and sewage at our feet, and rats scurrying around.  It was late morning, and the district was slowly waking up after a late night of work.  Women were playing with their children and doing each other’s hair, street vendors were making breakfast and selling tea, and there were tables full of pimps out playing cards and relaxing.

When we got to the first brothel we all crowded into the front room, there was no place left to sit or stand and as many women as could get into the room did…we were literally filled to overflowing.  There were small children all around, and while we were there, we watched as they turned customers away telling them to come back later… As Lisa shared, she took the time to look every woman in the eye saying to each one directly “God has a plan for you.”

This would cause tears to well up in their eyes and flow freely…

Standing in that room, praying for the women I was mesmerized by them; wanting to know each girls story, and in the midst of it feeling the love and presence of God in a way that I had never experienced in my life.  I don’t know why I was so surprised by it, but I was…surely the darkest place in the world wouldn’t be where God would be, but it was (I knew the appropriate “Christian” answer, and yet was surprised because it was true).

None of these women were here of their free will, they were all victims of trafficking, and all had seen years of constant abuse and violence.  Some bore physical scars, and all bore emotional scars.  These are the daughters the world has forgotten about, but God hasn’t forgotten.  He’s right there with them every single day; He sees the abuse and the hurts and longs for them to know His love and freedom.

If the story were to end here I would be hopeless.  I don’t want to see a need for the sake of being better informed about it.  I don’t want God to break my heart just for the sake of doing it… I believe that there is a bigger purpose; that God allows us to see and hear about these things not for awareness, but because He invites us to be part of the solution*.

I can tell you without a doubt that God is moving in this red light district.  He is rescuing, saving, healing and transforming…and He invites us to be a part.  He’s going to do it one way or another, but do we want to come along with Him and partner with what He’s doing?

Human trafficking, especially sex trafficking, is a huge problem all over the world right now.  In India alone there are over 3 million victims, with 1.2 million of them being children.  Problems of such large scale almost seem overwhelming, but nothing is too big for God.  We can make a difference in this situation.  Even this week we had a girl who was rescued out of a horrible situation.  God is on the move, let’s be a part!  Let’s not forget about His daughters!  Find a way to get involved.

* One week later, one of the trafficked girls that attended the bible study entered the rescue and rehabilitation program S.O.S. International Ministries is supporting.  To find out more or to help sponsor the rescue of these girls: www.sowerofseeds.org/rescue

Romans 8:4-8 Part 3: Faith in God Alone

It is Romans 1:17 boldly declares, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” If you view your faith as in how the Word of God declares it to be and you properly view worship to God, not in just the singing part of Sunday morning, but the reading of the Word, the driving to and fro to our jobs, the fellowship with believers and non-believers, the time we spend with our spouse and our children and the way we boldly proclaim the gospel of God in deed and in word.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 3: Faith in God Alone (Notes)

Notes for tonight’s Bible Study.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 2: Who Can Save Me Now?

For those who live according to the flesh have set their minds on the things of the flesh, you are hostile to God, you do not and cannot submit to God’s law and it is impossible for you to please God. You are going to die.

I did this for the express purpose to hopefully show you that the intent in which Paul wrote this. I have to be crystal clear that Paul intended this passage to be either/or, this or that, this one thing or that one thing but never a mix of the two. There was no way Paul could have been more clear that you either walk in flesh or walk in the Spirit but you cannot do both. I threw even more verses at you in order to beat this into your head.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 2: Who Can Save Me Now? (Notes)

Notes from the Bible Study.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 1: From Total Depravity…

Take verses 5-8 and lets talk about what it means to not belong to Christ:

For those who live according to the flesh have set their minds on the things of the flesh, you are hostile to God, you do not and cannot submit to God’s law and it is impossible for you to please God. You are going to die.

Romans 8:4-8 Part 1: From Total Depravity (Notes)

Notes from the podcast.