(Matthew 16:18 NLT) ... I will build My church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

(Hebrews 4:16 GW) So we can go confidently to the throne of God’s kindness  to receive mercy and find kindness ...

(Genesis 2:8-9 NLT) Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The LORD God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground--trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

(Genesis 2:16-17 NIV) And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."

(Genesis 3:1-7 NIV) Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

(Genesis 3:2-7 NIV) The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " "You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Two Approaches to God
Religious Approach: Answer is always get to God by doing more.

Relationship Approach: Receive what Jesus has already done.

(John 5:39-40 NIV) You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Two Approaches to God

Religious Approach: God is always mad: Work to get God's approval.

Relationship Approach: Receive God's love for me.

(Romans 5:8 NLT) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Two Approaches to God

Religious Approach: Focus on the external.

Relationship Approach: Focus on the internal.

(1 Samuel 16:7 NLT) ... Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Two Approaches to God

Religious Approach: Obedience is out of duty.

Relationship Approach: Obedience is my pleasure.

(1 John 5:3 NLT) Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

How do we walk out the relationship approach?

• Love Jesus
(John 14:15 NLT) "If you love me, obey my commandments. --- Love for me motivate obedience comma PROVE YOUR LOVE

(2 Corinthians 5:14 NIV) For Christ's love compels us, ...

• Respond to sin with life.

(John 3:17 MSG) God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.

Grace invites you to be free so truth can set you free.

• Guard against a lane change.

Our mission is not to point out people's sin. It is to show them how to find freedom from it.

(1 John 5:12 NLT) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life.