Ephesians 2: 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We are saved by grace. EXPOUND …We can’t earn it.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY…. We are God’s Handiwork.
God made you…To be you! HE WANTS U TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
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Being yourself…Is the hardest thing to do.
YOUR REAL SELF… Not the church self. Public self. FAKE SELF
I MEAN YOU!!! The part you’ve learn to hide. The part that makes U Different.
Knowing who you are and where you belong is SO IMPORTANT
There’s a place we Belong. And a Place we don’t belong
YOU ARE HIS HANDIWORK. Growing, Winning…. That’s where you belong.
There’s really not a worse feeling. To feel lost. Wandering. Struggling for identity
Thru the Bible: God makes it clear…He doesn’t tolerate us--- He Celebrates us!!!!
1. We were planted to bring Him pleasure.- Isaiah 61:3 He will provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
discuss...
Beauty instead of Ashes… Expound
Joy instead of Mourning …Expound
Praise instead of despair… Expound
Then you go to church: Point out ashes. Teach u to Mourn ur failures. Holy to live in despair
When you come here: Point out your beauty. Give you some joy. Let You Praise.
WE ARE TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Not trees…TRYING to be righteous
Planted to so he may be GLORIFIED
2 Corinthians 5:21 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
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2. We were called to be in His family.
1 John 3: 1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
I love being called a child of God. We are all part of the same family!!!
REMEMBER…FAMILY SELDOM GETS ALONG!!!! (Christmas)
Family’s fight…grips…divide split. WE WERE CALLED TO IN HIS FAMILY!
Every family is dysfunctional. THE FIRST FAMILY
Bear one another’s burden (Galatians 6:2)
Be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
Encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13)
Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
Forgiving one another (Colossians 3:13)
How can we NOT forgive…When forgiveness is So Vital Christianity.
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3. We are changing to be like Jesus.
Ephesians 4: Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Genesis says...We were made in the image and likeness of God
God planned on us being like Him from the beginning
I want to know…I’m better today than I was yesterday. I’ll be better tomorrow
The Best Self we can be…Is when we look like him.
Take every chance you get to Show God. To Look Like God
Even when Know one sees...God sees...BE JESUS
It’s a lot cooler to SEE a Christian…than it is to MEET a Christian.
I’ve met a lot of them…. Spotting one is like trying to FIND BIGFOOT!!!!
