NOTE: We faced technical difficulties this week, and apologize for the audio quality on this recording. We did our best to edit it enough that it can still be listened to and shared. Thank you for your grace as we troubleshoot!

Description: Randy & Lorie Spain share the powerful story of how God restored their marriage after separation and divorce (they are now re-married)! Pastor Blaine follows up with some Biblical reminders about the expectation of forgiveness and the consequences of un-forgiveness in the lives of Christ followers.

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

Living in the fullness of new life in Christ requires:

1. Crucifying our old sinful selves
2. Refusing to let sin control our lives

3. Taking one step at a time “living under the freedom of God’s grace"

"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." -Romans 6:8-12 NIV

When we trust in Jesus, life always eventually triumphs over death...but not always when or how we want it to. The good news is that Jesus is present with us in the pain of grief and loss.

"When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.' When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 'Where have you laid him?' he asked. 'Come and see, Lord,' they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, 'See how he loved him!' But some of them said, 'Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?'" -John 11:32-37