Struggles, belief and change

I am continuing to read through Recovering Redemption by Matt Chandler.  I highly recommend this book and will be leading a group of adults through it in 2015.  Here are some quotes related to struggles, belief, and changing:

repentance growing up out of our hearts is a leading indicator of genuine belief on the inside. It shows us we're His from the roots up.

But sin can't be trained; sin must be killed.

In the end, godly grief produces within us such a hatred of our sin, we then receive from God the renewed motivation to actually turn from our sin.

The secret, of course--the mystery--is that the Judge has rendered His decision based not on what we've done, on our innocence, but on the sacrifice and willing substitution of the innocent, crucified Christ. 

His resurrection provides all the objective evidence we need that proves His promises are true, that His ability to conquer death is real, and that His atonement for our sin is actively in force. 

God has not just given us a break; He's give us identity.

He is not the author of this evil and suffering, but He knows how to turn the blackest typeface into something richly colorful and redemptive for His children.

But with Him--with His love constantly drawing us toward change and redemption--we can actually begin to experience in our daily traffic patterns what His grace has already accomplished in us for all eternity.

By dwelling on what's eternally accurate about God and about ourselves, we are able to see that our lives are not uncontrolled and uncontrollable, impossible to be corralled, but rather can be brought into alignment with truth, so that we can make them do what we want them to do--what God has created them to do--for our good and His glory.

But God wants more for us than "feels good for now." He wants us free forever.

Sanctification will always be a process.