God's view of singleness- your value
We have discussed at the last Bible study:
God's view of Singleness: Your Uniqueness
· Singleness means unique
· God made you special
· without peer
· whole
· complete
God doesn't have a problem with singleness
· He does has a problem with you being alone
· does not mean you need a spouse-can be lonely and have a spouse
· Make friends-show yourself friendly
That we are made in God's image
Personality
Truth
Wisdom
Creativity
Freedom of choice and will
Love
Holiness
The capacity to be aware of one's own existence
The ability for spiritual fellowship with Him
And we will continue with our series topic God's view of Singleness: your Value
Because we are in God's image (attributes) and because He made us
· given us the best (Eden-well watered place)
· given us dominion over His handiwork and creation-rule over
· Dwell with us (His presence in the garden)
And we have value
· Pagan idea of human value
Dignity of humankind. The status of the human race in Israelite thinking was very high when contrasted with the status people were given in Mesopotamian thinking (as seen in the Babylonian epic of creation). In the Mesopotamian view the gods had no plan to create people as an integral part of the world that they had set up for themselves. People were only brought into existence as a consequence of the gods becoming tired of working so hard to provide for themselves. Humans were made to be servants to deities, who had no interest in hard labor. In this way of thinking human dignity was achieved through the idea that the gods needed them. Here, instead, people rule over all other creatures.[1]
[2]Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary : Old Testament (electronic ed.) (Ps 8:6). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Value: relative worth, utility, or importance
something (as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable[3]
to consider or rate highly :
Ill: Show on T.V. - human body worth $1.98
God's view of your value:
Psalm 8:1-9
SECTION OUTLINE EIGHT (PSALM 8)
David reflects on the Lord’s majesty and his creation and is amazed that the Lord cares about human beings and crowns them with honor.
[4]
[5]Willmington, H. L. (1999). The Outline Bible (Ps 8). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
1 God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.
2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
and silence atheist babble.
3 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
4 Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?
5 Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
6 You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
7 Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
8 Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps.
9 God, brilliant Lord,
your name echoes around the world.
Message Bible Translation
· God's majesty fills the heavens and the earth(splendor and magnificence)
· They cannot contain His Glory
· He is for everlasting to everlasting
· His creation shows forth His praise and handiwork
· Even the children give Him praise (Matt 21:15-16)- children tell the truth, no fear of expressing themselves
And yet our omnipotent, omnipresence, omniscience God is
· mindful- inclined to be aware, remember, does not let us slip out of His mind
· take thought-serious consideration, a developed intention or plan
· cares( 1 Peter 5:7)
For us and given us dominion over all He created
Isaiah 49:15-16(give background)
- people felt God forgot them
- They experienced great hardships and captivity
· God does not forget us
· We are His children
· Mother may forget you but He never will
· God has compassion for us
Compassion-
sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it[6]
[7]Merriam-Webster,
Raham (Heb.) - love, be loved, have compassion on
V16
16 Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands.[8]
.
The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Is 49:16).
· Inscribed, engraved, chiseled, to cut in or cut out, printed
· tattooed
Which states that every time God move His hands He thinks of you!
You are valuable to Him
Ps 139:13-18
13 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
14 I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
15 You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
16 Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.
17 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I’ll never comprehend them!
18 I couldn’t even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you
[9]
[10]Peterson, E. H. (2003). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Ps 139:13-18).
· wonderfully made
· carefully crafted
· beautifully in His image
· His workmanship
· to the tiniest detail(He has counted all the hairs on your head)
· to the parts you can't see(mind, will, emotion)
· He knows you intimately
You are valuable to Him and because He has subscribed such value to you, you must value yourself!
You are:
· made in His image
· name inscribed on His hands
· fearfully and wonderfully made
You must see by the scriptures how valuable you are and knowing your value allows you to determine your value in your relationships.
If I receive what the scriptures are saying about me, I can't be handled any type of way!
I am treated as one of great value, a child of God!
· I am not to be used and thrown away
· I am not to be abused physically, emotionally or verbally
· I am not to be discounted of my individuality and uniqueness
Who ever I am in relationship with:
· I bring value to that relationship
· I am somebody of value in that relationship
· If I am not bringing value into my relationship with someone or they are not bringing value into the relationship, then I need to evaluate the relationship (what Does God say about it- does not have to be romantic relationship)
If you don't know or accept your God given value:
· you allow someone else to set it
· someone else to define you
· someone else to determine how you are to be treated
No other human being should determine your value, only God must do this!
· you are unique
· you are becoming whole and complete in Christ
· Christ lives in you
· He established you great value by becoming like you to save you
Your value is not based on:
· your earthly currency
· house and cars
· your inheritances
· your education
· your position and status
What you own
What you have
Does not determine you value!
Who you know determines that!
And don't you know that your BODY is the temple of the Holy Spirit! (1 Cor 6:19)
· God desires to live in you
· your body belongs to Him
· can't eat everything( physically &spiritually)
What you eat becomes you
· wear everything( what I am communicating to others-I am communicating my true value)
· I can't give my body to an unauthorized person (spouse only)
I cannot allow myself to be handled any type of way when I know:
· Who made me
· Who I belong To
· Who I am
Know your value and don't allow:
· anyone
· yourself
Short change you!
77 I am's is a reminder of who God says you are,
· So a man thinketh so is He!
· Put in your spirit
· Be what the scriptures say you are
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