{"id":1337,"date":"2016-10-07T05:49:44","date_gmt":"2016-10-07T05:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/craigfinnestad.com\/?p=1337"},"modified":"2016-10-07T06:32:24","modified_gmt":"2016-10-07T06:32:24","slug":"if","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craigfinnestad.com\/?p=1337","title":{"rendered":"If"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the next month, WE<\/a> will be studying the eighth chapter of Romans<\/a>. It may be the greatest chapter in the Bible. It is Paul\u2019s finest writing. It starts fast and finishes stronger.<\/p>\n

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. \u2013Romans 8:1<\/em><\/p>\n

No power in the sky above or in the earth below\u2014indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. \u2013Romans 8:39<\/em><\/p>\n

The word if <\/em>appears ten times in thirty-nine verses. It’s a short word. A powerful word too.<\/p>\n

If Only\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

We all have regrets. We get to choose what to do with them. We can choose defeat. We can choose to be a victim. Or we can choose not to let our regrets hold us ransom and we can believe no regret exists that God cannot redeem.<\/p>\n

As If\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

If is a word of faith. It sees the invisible and believes the impossible. It\u2019s the way we defy our circumstances and the way God\u2019s promises become our reality.<\/p>\n

What If\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most dreams start with What If? <\/em>What if you couldn\u2019t fail, what would you do? What if time or money were no object, what God-sized dream would you go after? If you are looking for an excuse, you\u2019ll always find one. The same is true for opportunity. And if you can\u2019t find an opportunity, you can make one.<\/p>\n

No Ifs, Ands, or Buts about It<\/strong><\/p>\n

Opportunities are all around you, all the time. Many of them come disguised as problems. Despite what the old adage says, opportunity usually doesn\u2019t knock. We are the ones who have to do the asking, seeking, and knocking. But don\u2019t seek opportunity before everything else. Seek God. If you do, you\u2019ll have more opportunities than you know what to do with.<\/p>\n

I look forward to experiencing God with you in worship and to hear about how you are experiencing the eighth chapter of Romans in your small group. I also encourage you to buy the book, If<\/a><\/em>, by Mark Batterson<\/a>. We will have them for sale on Sunday mornings.<\/p>\n

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A place I like to go and ask the question “What if?”<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the next month, WE will be studying the eighth chapter of Romans. It may be the greatest chapter in the Bible. It is Paul\u2019s finest writing. It starts fast and finishes stronger. So now there is no condemnation for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6],"tags":[105],"class_list":["post-1337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photography","category-waters-edge","tag-the-waters-edge"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n