"Your God Given Worth"

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

I. Intro

Do you know what it’s like to struggle with feelings of low self-worth? If so, I understand. In your heart of hearts, you believe you have little value-especially when compared to others. Regardless of how good you may look, you feel insignificant. Take David for example, he looked and seemed insignificant. He was the last one to stand in front of Samuel, and yet he was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel. God used David as an example to show that He looks at the heart of the individual and not the outward appearance. Do you think David felt worthless out there in the shepherd's field all alone? It’s painful to feel like a non-person-to feel invisible, to feel insignificant. But realize, God knows when you have a skewed view of yourself-and He cares. Psalms 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” It’s a great help just to know that the Lord holds you close when your heart has been hurt. But its also vital that you know what God says about you is true.

II. What does God say about us?

God chose to create you, and as the age old saying goes, “God don’t make no junk.” Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

God has a plan for your life, and He took His time to plan it. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

God loves you, and He will never stop loving you. Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: Therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Just knowing these three truths has helped me immeasurably. Even if we periodically have difficulty feeling God’s love-because our emotions can get stuck-we can know He loves us. Even if we sometimes struggle with feeling insignificant, we can know we have worth. You are so significant that Jesus chose to die for you. Think about it: You don’t die for something that has no worth!! If you look anywhere other than God-the God who created you with a purpose and a plan-your view of your own value is in grave danger of being distorted. Before you were ever born, God established your real worth by knowing you, by choosing you, and ultimately by dying for you. Ephesians 1:4 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”

What happens when you long to receive a gift, but only your sister is given a gift? What happens when you long to be held on your mother’s lap, but only your sister is allowed on her lap? What happens when you long for your mother’s love but only your sister is given her love? Ask Dorie Van Stone. Dorie would tell you that repeated rejection is the breeding ground for low self-worth. Her own mother never even wanted her. Dorie never received the love and affection her heart so deeply craved. However, what a comfort for Dorie (and all the Dories in the world both male and female) to come to know this truth in 1 Samuel 16:7.

Worth signifies the value, merit, or significance of a person or thing. ‘Worth’ is a translation of the Greek word axios which means “of weight and worth.” In biblical times, gold and other precious metals were placed on a balancing scale where their worth was determined by their weight, leading to the expression “worth their weight in gold.” Lamentations 4:2 “The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!”

Self-worth is the belief that your life has value and significance.

III. How do we determine our worth?

At an auction, the worth of an item is determined clearly and simply by one thing: the highest price paid. Each item goes to the highest bidder. You were bought from the auction block of sin over 2,000 years ago when the heavenly Father paid the highest price possible-the life of His Son, Jesus Christ. By that one act, your worth was forever established by God. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for you-willingly dying on the cross-paying the penalty for your sins. He loves you that much! Your true worth is not based on anything you have done or will do, but on what Jesus has already done. Without a doubt, He established your worth. You were worth His life. You were worth dying for. 1 John 4:9-10 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Are you ready to believe what God says about you? Will you let Him change your view of yourself? Jesus said in John 3:7 “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” But what does this mean? God has provided four truths that will help you understand your worth through a new birth.

God’s Purpose for You is Salvation-What was God’s motive in sending Christ to earth? To express His love for you by saving you! The Bible says in John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth? To forgive your sins, empower you to have victory over sin, and enable you to live a fulfilled life! Jesus said in John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Your Problem is Sin-What exactly is sin? Sin is living independently of God’s standard-knowing what is right, but choosing what is wrong. The Bible says in James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” What is the consequence of sin? Spiritual death, or eternal seperation from God. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

God’s Provision for You is the Savior-Can anything remove the penalty for sin? Yes! Jesus died on the cross to personally pay the penalty for your sins. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” What can keep you from being seperated from God? Belief in (entruting your life to) Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father. Jesus says in John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Your Part is Surrender-Give Christ control of your life-entrusting yourself to Him. Matthew 16:24-26 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Place your faith in (rely on) Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and reject your “good works” as a means of earning God’s approval. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”