Who Am I?

Subject; How does Father God regard his children?

Complement: he can’t take his mind off of us!

Big idea: the most important person in all the universe is each of us.

Sticky Big Idea: God loves each of us as if we were his only child.

In 2002 Richard Van Phram (62) (Viet Nam immigrant)… decided to sail a 22 mile course to Catalina island.

He encountered a storm…

His sailboat encountered a storm off LA…broken mast… motor failed…radio failed.

He was lost at sea for 4 months – no one (!) reported him missing!!!

Finally, the navy found him off the coast of Costa Rica.

Transition...

Q. have you ever felt alone in the world?

Do you know that … {Big idea ;} God loves you (each of us) as if we were his only child!

Sometimes when we can’t fit in to a group… we feel all alone…

The teen years are probably the toughest…

Story --- (Lonely) Seniors -- Dr R. – a good chat is better than a vacation…

I wonder sometimes does Christianity contribute to low view of self??

(1) too low a view – “such a worm as I” (Christianity may contribute to this!)

(2) too high a view (arrogance…pride…narcissism)

…. Big idea ; God loves each of us as if we were his only child!

Psalm 139 Of David.

(1-6) Stanza I : *** God… I’m an open book to you!

I praise you O God that you know me and watch over me!

1 You have searched me, Lord and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

*** God… I’m an open book to you!

Kinds Of God (Concepts Of…)

1. Pantheism (God Is Everything And We Are Divine Too – Leads To Self-Worship)

2. Polytheism (Hundreds Of Gods…Appease And Manipulate?)

3. Deism (Watchmaker)

4. Covenant Keeping God – “I AM” …God Of Abraham…Isaac And Jacob…)

4. Incarnational God (Made His Dwelling Among Us… Abides By The HS…Coming To Take Us Home)

Yes… {Big idea} ; God loves each of us as if we were his only child!

(7-12) Stanza II: God… You Never Let Me Out Of Your Sight!

O God I Praise You For Your Presence – You Are Ever Present.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

As God pursues us…. We often run away…hiding…rebelling from God)

Roy M. story --- away from God for 22 years…

Yes… Big idea ; God loves each of us as if we were his only child!

*** Sometimes it's hard to believe God is still present…

Prayers seem to go unanswered…

In his book simply called “NIGHT” – by E Wiesel …. He tells this story…

In the spring of 1944, the Nazis occupy Hungary.

A series of increasingly repressive measures are passed, and the Jews of Eliezer’s town are forced into small ghettos.

Before long, they are rounded up and shipped out to the death camps of Burkenau, and Auschwitz. …

In one especially gripping scene, the book describes the execution of three Jews, among whom is a young child.

“ One day, as we returned from work, …The SS surrounding us, machine guns aimed at us: the usual ritual. Three prisoners in chains – and, among them, the little pipel, the sad-eyed angel.

The SS seemed more preoccupied, more worried, than usual. To hang a child in front of thousands of onlookers was not a small matter. The head of the camp read the verdict. All eyes were on the child. He was pale, almost calm, but he was biting his lips as he stood in the shadow of the gallows.

The three condemned prisoners together stepped onto the chairs. In unison, the nooses were placed around their necks.

“Long live liberty!” shouted the two men.