(Before I began the message I gave each member a 3x5 index card and asked each person to do the following:
With 1 to 5 words describe yourself when you are done pass the card to someone else
*it is a little more fun if you are not related
ask them to use 1 to 5 words to tell you who they think you are
Once all the cards have been filled out and returned to their "owners" I began the message at the close of the message I referred back to the index cards )
who am I
where do I fit in
does the answer to either of these questions even matter
These may sound like trivial questions but in all honesty how we answer them provides the fuel for everything we do in life
I do feel that it is quite possibly the greatest weakness of all Christians ~ we fail to realize what we or who we are we spend the majority of our time arguing about the various implications of “Christian truth” or the applications of it but take away all the distractions and the one place we need to settle is… we need to know who we are.
Pastors look out from pulpits all over the world and ask themselves the same question… they say they believe yet they live like they don’t WHY?!?!?!
The answer is in their identity:
Godly conduct rests on our understanding of our true and great
Position as children of God
If we begin to see this truth and allow it to shape our identity
Then we become more aware of the father and his desires for our lives
And we begin to choose to imitate him more and more
Ill:
Matt n I were hanging a few pictures and little Bug got hold of
The drill and when we looked over at him we found him
Squatted down holding the drill with both hands
Up against the kitchen wall
Kids copy their parents!
READ: 1John 3: 1 – 3
A child of GOD! How and where do I even begin? Many pastors have avoided such texts because they are so rich and not wanting to diminish the potency and power I wont dare to claim to be any more adequate than any of my peers yet here I am 1 John 3
God is reminding me that I am his child, not that I will be but that I AM today right now his child
This past week my husband and I had the beautiful experience of attending the adoption proceedings of two of our previous foster kiddo's. What a treasure it was and a reminder for the two of us that God has gone to such extreme measures to bring us into the family. Fought battles I cant even wrap my head around all because he loves us.
Galatians 3 says "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."
God has through his son Jesus adopted us into his family!
So what is adoption?
Adoption is a legal action by which a person takes into their family a child or children not belonging to them with the purpose of treating the child as and giving the child all the privileges of a natural child. An adopted child is legally entitled to all rights and privileges of a natural born child.
Adoption often happens because of death, abuse or neglect and those traumatized by such events often suffer from emotional issues that must be over come
I think that we as Christians ~ adopted children of God ~ often suffer from many of these same issues lets take a look
1) Attachment Disorder also known as R.A.D. this is the inability to bond or make strong relationships due to the neglect and abuse in the past. This results in insecurity and a lack of trust new relationships are hard if not impossible to form. In fact it is very common for adopted children to struggle with the insecurity, permanence, consistency, trust and love.
Give yourself time to think about this for a minute ~
The lies we have heard over the years, the heart breaks, the repeated let downs and disappointments we have face over and over and over again.
Have you ever questioned or do you currently find it hard to believe that you are beyond measure regardless of where you have come from ~ from this moment through the rest of eternity you are truly, deeply, genuinely and passionately loved by GOD ~ your DAD!
Here is another one for ya…
2) Adjustment Disorder this is the inability to change. A person with this disorder often experiences feelings of depression or anxiety that results in acting out behaviorally against the “house rules” Adapting to the “new life” can be very difficult for a person suffering from this disorder. They more often than not continue living as if the adoption has never taken place. They don’t take on the “New family name” but instead live as if nothing has changed.
As a Christian it is imperative that we break free from this disorder expressing a willingness to acknowledge our previous life and turn from it ~ letting go and taking steps to receive and live out God’s plan and design for our lives as he reveals it to us through his word. All too often Christians live and look just like the rest of the world but as John has laid it out in verse 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure this is what repentance and sanctification look like as we live our lives in our new identity our “old self” falls away and God builds in us a new creation verse 2 what we will be has not yet been made known but with each day we reflect his beauty more and more and we know verse 2 when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him
How about this one…….
3) A.D.D. also known as Attention Deficit Disorder this is the inability to focus for any length of time. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong but I think lots of God’s kiddo’s suffer with this one
Where does it show up?…. You can see it in our lack of want to or commitment to commit to anything for any length of time. It also peaks it’s ugly head up during our personal bible study time and what about our prayer time? Ever find yourself floating off in la la land while trying to chat with Daddy. Lets not forget worship you know those thoughts that seem to flood into our head before we are even half way done “ it sure seems like they are singing more this week than they did last week, wonder what the last song is, I think I am ready to sit down are they done yet?”
Ever find yourself there?
And I am sure there’re are more but lets end with this one
4) Hyper Activity the inability to stop, rest or be quiet for any amount of time. We seem to come before the Lord in prayer always speaking, telling God our wants, our wish lists, to do lists and never being able to just sit and admire, to be in wonder and love and not wanting for anything more than just more moments to be with him
Look at the cards you and your friends filled out today ~ as great or as bad as you may think those cards are nothing on them will ever compare to the truth…
You are a child of GOD!
