Last week, I brought up a few aspects of Count Zinzendorf’s life that I think made him one of the extraordinary Christians of the church age. We will continue surveying other great Christian lives, but first I want to review why studying them can reap benefits beyond mere inspiration.

This coming year, the Lord is going to again impart grace for His people to keep their New Year's resolutions. Many experienced breakthroughs this year and started to taste real victory after years of defeat in some areas. Many did not embrace this grace from the Lord, but it is being extended again for 2007. Those who will seize it with faith and patience will experience victory and will begin a new life marked by victories rather than defeats.

The next "work of the flesh," noted in Galatians 5:20 is translated "heresies," or "factions." We often relate heresy to teaching a false doctrine, but a heresy is actually creating a division or faction in the church.

Last week we discussed how change is a fundamental characteristic of all who are growing. This week I want to discuss a couple of ways that we have implemented change as a lifestyle in our churches, which we believe has had remarkable fruit.

As we learn from biology, the cells in a body are constantly being renewed. Even at the most basic level there are changes happening continually, with some organs of a healthy body actually being renewed every month or so. Others may take a bit longer, but are still being renewed continually. How does this apply to the church?

Our study this week is from Ephesians 6:11:

The first point here is that we must “put on the full armor of God,” not just part of it. If we leave any of it off, we can be sure that the devil will hit us right in that place.

I was praying about our upcoming Harvest Fest Conference, when a trumpet appeared in front of me, turned, and was blown right in my face. I knew immediately that this is what the Lord is about to do--the church will soon receive an "in your face" message from heaven.

Our text for this week is Ephesians 5:1-2:

As we discussed last week, the grace of God is not just the forgiveness of repeated sins in our lives—it is the power to live a new life as a new creation that does not continue to be subject to the old nature. However, the battle is long and hard against our old nature, and the grace of God certainly does forgive us for our repeated failures while we are fighting. The deception of many is that they do not have to fight—that they can continue to live in sin and God will still forgive them and bless them. This is a dangerous fallacy made clear in Hebrews 6:4-12: