Beloved

Announcements:

Thanks to everyone who helped yesterday!!!

Youth this next week will be Friday or Saturday?? @ ?? No Youth Sunday April 10!!

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How would you typically INTRODUCE YOURSELF to someone? Will anyone give me AN EXAMPLE?

Thinking about how we INTRODUCE OURSELVES says a lot about our IDENTITY or what we VALUE … “Hello, I’m Tyler and I’m wearing gray pants”

IDENTITY can be RANDOM FACTS, WHAT YOU’RE GOOD AT, WHAT YOU LOVE, ETC.

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BIG IDEA: As Christians, our identity should be found in our status as children of God and the fact that we are loved by God!

Knowing that if we are IN CHRIST we are LOVED and ACCEPTED by GOD the FATHER will help all of us to FIGHT off the INSECURITIES that come in life and may plague us…or the things about us that may be good but are fleeting.

YOU may KNOW THIS…but sometimes we DON’T LIVE IT/REMEMBER IT

The fact that the creator of the universe loves us and loves us so much that he sent His son to die for us should change our lives and change the way we look at ourselves.

I KNOW THIS…sometimes FACE INSECURITIES…NEED AFFIRMATION, ETC.

EVER DELETE POST w.o. enough LIKES?

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APOSTLE PAUL’S PRAYER:

Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

You DON’T HAVE to PRAY on your KNEES, it is not mandated. but there is something SPECIAL that happens in your CONSCIOUS when you HUMBLY BOW on your knees to pray. It is a sign of humility.

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

He is PRAYING that we will BE STRENGTHENED by God…this is something GOD WOULD DO FOR US. and we would receive it!

Paul ASKS for JESUS to DWELL in their HEARTS.

DWELLING = PERMANENT RESIDENCE. NOT FUZZIES ONCE A WEEK!

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So PAUL has PRAYED for believers to be STRENGTHENED by GOD, not by their own strength

AND KNOW THE EXTENT OF GOD’S LOVE…ROOTED & GROUNDED IN GOD’S LOVE!

FOUNDATION FOR IDENTITY - ROOTED IN LOVE

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20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Consider that Paul is saying here, GOD IS ABLE, MORE THAN WE JUST ASKED!

This is essential to remaining in the Christian faith for a lifetime…the strength to abide and to remain in Christ and to constantly know his great love for you...

The extent of God’s love:

Romans 8:38-39 ESV For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

NOTHING can SEPARATE US from the LOVE of GOD.

YET, WE OFTEN DON’T REMEMBER IT OR CONSIDER IT...

SEPARATED FROM OXYGEN = DEAD…BUT WE DON’T THINK ABOUT THIS…GOD DESIGNED US TO BREATHE THOUGH! IT’S SO EASY A BABY CAN DO IT WHILE THEY’RE SLEEPING...

WE DON’T REALIZE HE’S SUSTAINING US...

Application:

Watch how you talk to yourself. - Something I am really bad at.

Remind yourself every day that you are beloved.

Don’t fall into the trap of seeking the approval of mankind. Find security in your relationship with God. . .

These things are easier said that done, but if you can really hold this posture in life it’ll change your life. Remain humble in it, we are not children of God because of our own doing. We merely received the free gift if we are in Christ, so take this truth and be blessed.