Acceptance - 7

Text: 1 Peter 1: 14-16, 4:7-14

1 Peter 1:15-16 “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” NASB

How does one become accepted by God? Isn’t that the age-old question?

Some ask it again and again in their lifetimes. Maybe you have learned the answer already. Maybe you’ve looked into different solutions yourself?

Here’s one thing I’d like to say. No matter your journey, there’s only one answer. One. Simple, huh?

Jesus.

There you go – mystery solved.

But here’s another question. Once you’re a Christian – you have accepted Jesus – how do we please Him?

It’s one thing to be adopted into His family; have all the “paperwork” done and finalized, but it’s another to have Him, all-holy eternal Creator, perfect God to be pleased with you.

Release that breath you’ve been holding and let’s dig in to what God’s word says. I will preface this by saying that I have by no means got this thing figured out. By no means. And yet, we are here to learn, to shape one another.

Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” NASB

And to love each other through the process.

 Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times,And a brother is born for adversity.” NASB

1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” NASB

So, together, let’s grow a little today and learn what will please our Abba Father.

Please read our text from 1 Peter 1.

Tall order, huh? Be holy. For me, an American, that’s about as impossible as trying to be Asian, or if someone told me to be 6’ tall, or to be older. There may be a way to fake it, rig it, or become someday, but I can’t just wiggle my nose and “be holy”.

But the blessing is, God knows that. And that’s why we need Christ. And that’s why He provided Christ. Why He gives grace.

Do you see? To be accepted by and to please God is to accept, imitate and strive to be like Him.

The more like Him we are, the more pleasure we bring Him.

Read through 1 Peter 4:7-14. Concentrate on verse 11.

1 Peter 4:11 “Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.” NLT

Also look at 1 Peter 5:5-6.

In being like Christ, for some reason it’s easy to get the mindset of being somehow better. But look at verse 5, and also James 4:6, which both reference Proverbs 3:34.

1 Peter 5:5 “In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for“God opposes the proud    but favors the humble.”” NLT

James 4:6 “But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,“God opposes the proud    but favors the humble.”” NLT

God draws near and gives grace when we are humble.

We will close today with a handful of things for you to ponder and pray about. Use your journal and don’t rush through these questions.

Q: In 1 Peter 4:11 whose words should be coming from our mouths?

Q: In the same verse, whose strength do we rely on to do that?

Q: Do you think that id we are relying on God’s strength to be like God, is there any room whatsoever for our own glory or our own agenda?

Are you worried that you will somehow be unhappy if you surrender your own agendas to God?

DO: Please write out 1 Peter 4:19 and 1 Peter 5:10.

1 Peter 5:10 “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” NLT

Set Free 11 - On Surrendering Control

Text: Matthew 6:25-24, Matthew 7:7-11

It’s so so difficult to surrender control to God. Of anything; decisions, outcome, relationships, circumstance… you name it.

So, what does the Bible have to say on the matter? We know God loves humility, and we know He rewards those who seek Him.

James 4:6b “…“God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” NLT

Also seen in Proverbs 3:34 and 1 Peter 5:5

Hebrews 11:6 “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” NLT emphasis mine

But when it gets down to the day-to-day, the nitty gritty of a situation, our emotions get in the way, and then our humanness prevents us from actually surrendering control.

Anybody like me in that? It’s a whole lot easier to know we need to give it over to God, and say we’re giving it over to God… even pray that we’re giving it over to God than it is to really hand it over. Really, truly rest in God’s decisions on the matter, rest in His outcome.

It’s a trust issue. When we want control over a situation, or person, or whatever, what our heart is saying is “God, I don’t really trust that you’ll do what’s best here.” Or even “God, I love him more than you do, so I’m gonna do this my way, to make sure this turns out right.”

How many times must God sigh and watch us in this foolishness. We are foolish sometimes. Of course God loves us and our loved ones more than we will ever be able to comprehend. And of course God’s wisdom far surpasses our own. Always. But why do we still want to hold on so tight?
It’s lack of trust. That maybe somehow God’s gonna mess it up.

Am I right?

Q: What are some areas in your life you have had trouble giving over to God?

Q: What are the biggest ones right now that you’re holding the tightest to?

Don’t you think it’d be more refreshing to just let God work? I’m not saying we sit and be spiritual couch potatoes, but really think about God, the God of no limits, and the God with the ultimate imagination – how much greater He could orchestrate an outcome than we could?

Romans 11:33 “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” NLT

James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” NASB

And from our text:

Matthew 7:11 “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?” NLT

Practically, though, what does that mean for our day to day?

Good question. This is one that I believe many of us who have control-freak tendencies would like to know. (I like to phrase it that way, ‘tendencies’, because I believe if we label ourselves a Control-Freak, part of us inside gives up on that ever changing, and nothing is too hard for God, amen? If it’s labeled as a tendency, then its no less a redeemable sin than anything else we’re redeemed from.) We like to have a plan of action, a checklist to follow.

Good news, bad news. I’ll break the bad news first. There is not a checklist to follow. Every person is different, all situations are different, so every believer’s plan of action looks a little different.

Ready for the good news? Any plan of action can be summed up the same.

Trust.

I want you to take a few minutes today and take a really close look at God’s creation. I mean, close-up. If you have the opportunity to get nose-to-nose with a flower, take a look at the intricate detail, the great beauty that God planned, implemented, and sustained.

Q: Do you think God is involved in those steps of your life? (Planning, implementation, and sustaining.)

Q: Why or why not? explain

If you answered no, then I’d like to politely ask you to reconsider. I know God has planned for you to be you, in the specific time, family, era and everything on purpose. He implemented the course of action needed to get you where He wants you today, in spite of, and even through our choices as a free-will creature. This is where I have to refer back to Romans 11:33, because if I think too long and hard on our free-will compared to God’s will, and how the two are interlaced and play off of each other, I get confused. I have such a finite mind, and this is just one more way that I realize God’s ways are greater than mine, and I must stop there. You?

And He definitely sustains us. If you haven’t already, please read our text from Matthew 6.

I had never really applied this passage to being a control-freak before, but it fits so well. Because at the root of all control tendencies is a lack of trust. We, for whatever reason, don’t absolutely, from the core of our being, trust God’s best. We either don’t trust that His ‘best’ is really that great, or we don’t trust that He will come through. Either way it’s a lack of trust.

So, as with almost all trust-relationships, trust must be learned. I encourage you to study God. Take a look at His ultimate plan from the beginning, and how, rocky road though it may have been, He sustained the way for Christ to be born.

Miracle.

He created the world.

Miracle.

He created you.

Miracle.

Do you see what I’m getting at? Study His miracles. Look over your shoulder at where He’s brought you, and how you’re stronger for it.

Do you see wounds there when you look back? Certainly. I’m sure that’s probably a lot of the reason it’s hard to trust Him. But can you try to see the bigger picture? And if you can’t see the bigger picture, maybe He’s still working – have you thought of that? That maybe you’re still in the middle of the picture, and it won’t be until later you’ll see the outcome?

Can you trust Him? Can you trust that He is indeed Good, and Wise, and most of all,

He’s got this!

Let’s close with Psalm 100:5.

Psalm 100:5 “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

All generations, including yours. He is good. And He always will be.

Trust Him, and little by little, you’ll learn to let go.

Gift to the Bride

The gift to the Bride

Read Isaiah 61

The big day has come. The Bride accepts her Bridegroom in eternal covenant.

^8b “I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering    and make an everlasting covenant with them.” NLT

Her heart rejoices, she feels a freedom, joyous blessing, and festive praise, overwhelmed by His love. (61:10)

Today, she is honored. (61:9) She is honored by receiving beauty for ashes. (61:3) She is honored with gifts as well; all she could ever need for her new role as a wife. But there is one gift that matters most of all. This is the one that she is going to cherish and hold close to her heart.

The gift from her groom.

¹⁰ “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!    For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation    and draped me in a robe of righteousness.I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit    or a bride with her jewels.” NLT

Is that not the greatest gift of all? We, the Bride of Christ, get that great gift. That righteousness. He laid down His life in order that we might experience that overwhelming joy, rapt with the blessing and wonder of it all.

For when the Lord has blessed someone they are blessed indeed.

⁹ “Their descendants will be recognized    and honored among the nations.Everyone will realize that they are a people    the Lord has blessed.” NLT

One last thing, dear one. Would we be a gracious bride if we just sat there, soaking it all in?

A friend of mine, whose entire life in Christ displayed God’s love through service, was truly a gracious bride. At her wedding, she and her groom stood at the food table and they served the guests.

Service. Driven by love received. So, dear Bride, how are you being a gracious bride today?

^{Isaiah 61:11b} “His righteousness {your gift from the Groom, remember?} will be like a garden in early spring,    with plants springing up everywhere.” NLT  

^{Hosea 10:12 “}I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,    and you will harvest a crop of love.Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,    for now is the time to seek the Lord,that he may come    and shower righteousness upon you.’” NLT 

^{Proverbs 11:18 b} “The one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” NIV 

^{James 3:18} “And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” NLT

Share it! Serve. Scatter seeds everywhere you step, that plants of His Righteousness will spring up everywhere.