“THE BELOVED OF GOD;”
Easy to read over the word’ “… BELOVED …,” Paul in Romans 1:7 addressed the followers of the Lord with these words , “the Beloved of God”…. that’s another term for His followers…Paul uses it in Colossians 3:12,”. The Greek word agapao is used to speak of something that is beloved—treasured—something so precious that the person (in this case, God) would be loath to part with it.”-{sermon writer}.
Easy to read over the word’ “… BELOVED …,” Paul in Romans 1:7 addressed the followers of the Lord with these words , “the Beloved of God”…. that’s another term for His followers…Paul uses it in Colossians 3:12,”. The Greek word agapao is used to speak of something that is beloved—treasured—something so precious that the person (in this case, God) would be loath to part with it.”-{sermon writer}.
at times we can skip over this statement, or misread it by looking at our performance and basing our view of the statement through our own eyes rather than God’s declaration. For example, we do or feel we do not behave very lovingly…we may not feel very loved, BUT those THOUGHTS…CAN BE PART OF THE SIN PROBLEM. YES I DID SAY- SIN PROBLEM. Sin in the way we THINK about God ultimately and what He says! A THINKING PATTERN, THAT SOMEHOW LOOKS AT ourselves and declares God to be a LIAR!
“THE PERFORMANCE TRAP.”
WE FALL BACK INTO THE “PERFORMANCE” TRAP…If I “DO” certain things then God would call me His “Beloved…” If I “DO NOT DO” certain things then GOD would not call me His “beloved…”- Very subtle, but like the church in Galatians we fall back into a “merit” or “de- merit” system… and we tend to then impose that wrong view on others- and have them fall into a false teaching that “acceptance” with God is based on US- rather than the FINISHED AND COMPLETE WORK OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST- ALONE !
“WALLOWING…”
At times we can show that we believe the LIE -this by wallowing in how “bad” we are- and so set out to “prove” to God that we are “worthy” of His affection, acceptance and love…. so like a hamster on the wheel we feverishly try and try and try and eventually after wearying ourselves out with self- effort as a means for His acceptance -we are back in the same old “slavish” place of spiritual exhaustion, depression and unable to see that we have failed to RENEW our MINDS with HIS WORD…Accept what He declares about us and then APPROPRIATE HIS WORD!
At times we can show that we believe the LIE -this by wallowing in how “bad” we are- and so set out to “prove” to God that we are “worthy” of His affection, acceptance and love…. so like a hamster on the wheel we feverishly try and try and try and eventually after wearying ourselves out with self- effort as a means for His acceptance -we are back in the same old “slavish” place of spiritual exhaustion, depression and unable to see that we have failed to RENEW our MINDS with HIS WORD…Accept what He declares about us and then APPROPRIATE HIS WORD!
CHOOSE TO BELIEVE HIM;
TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD- that what HE says about you, about me is TRUE… It is not based on what I or you “feel,” but WHAT does God say….is the only issue! Our response to “wallow” or “worship” Him shows whether we truly believe in the Word of God as the final and ultimate authority in our lives and that of His people, or not!
TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD- that what HE says about you, about me is TRUE… It is not based on what I or you “feel,” but WHAT does God say….is the only issue! Our response to “wallow” or “worship” Him shows whether we truly believe in the Word of God as the final and ultimate authority in our lives and that of His people, or not!
DOING THE TWIRL?
I once heard a story about a chicken who was part of a fair…the chicken would twirl three times walk up to a piano- with its beak hit a certain note and beside the piano, upon the note been hit was a “slide” to the slide and food would come down it and the chicken would get to eat.. people loved to see the “act”- Bit silly really- his twirling around- it had no bearing on his getting the food… all as he had to do was go to the source and as he hit the note on the piano, the shoot automatically sent the food down. God has already provided your total, complete, eternal acceptance through the work of His Son…yours to REST, REJOICE in His calling of you who YOU ARE TO HIM and because of HIM-“BELOVED OF GOD.”
I once heard a story about a chicken who was part of a fair…the chicken would twirl three times walk up to a piano- with its beak hit a certain note and beside the piano, upon the note been hit was a “slide” to the slide and food would come down it and the chicken would get to eat.. people loved to see the “act”- Bit silly really- his twirling around- it had no bearing on his getting the food… all as he had to do was go to the source and as he hit the note on the piano, the shoot automatically sent the food down. God has already provided your total, complete, eternal acceptance through the work of His Son…yours to REST, REJOICE in His calling of you who YOU ARE TO HIM and because of HIM-“BELOVED OF GOD.”
FALSE CONCEPTS;
THINK of what “twirling” around we do… to try and gain God’s acceptance… what “twirling” do we tell others to do to gain God’s acceptance, and assurance He “loves” them…and what to do to keep it? For example, a “quiet time” Did you have one? Did you read your Bible. Both important but not for acceptance and to be “ the Beloved of God.” How often we present these as “imperative” to “please” and gain “acceptance” with God and to be “loved” by God. Not so! Reading, praying, don’t make you more “loved and acceptable” to God. Only the finished work of the Lord Jesus on your behalf makes you “acceptable to Him”-and His embracing of you brings the reality it is so. I am not saying we should not pray or read, for the Scriptures Call us to. But neither reading about God nor talking to God make you more “loved” than you already are “In Christ.” God set His Love upon you and it is irreversible- eternally so!
HOW DO WE BRING ABOUT GODLY CHANGE in our own lives and HELP OTHERS TO STOP DOING THE “TWIRL” of performance for acceptance with God? In reality it is Idolatry… placing ourselves in the Son’s place before Holy God to say HIS WORK was not sufficient… it is His plus… – OURS!
HOW DO WE BREAK FREE FROM A “PERFORMANCE” MENTALITY- FOR GOD’S “ACCEPTANCE.”
1. LISTEN – Ask yourself are you or the other person going by what you or they “feel”…what you or they, “Think?”Both can be wrong if not in accordance with HIS WORD…and then the “actions” are a result of a faulty view of God. We all face “temptations” and solicitations to sin against God. When Jesus was tempted in Matthew 4, He responded,”IT IS WRITTEN.” He LISTENED to the Scriptures Why? It is God’s way, to trust and act upon His guidance which is flawless! He CHOSE to TRUST His Father… and APPLIED His Word and so must we CHOOSE to “LISTEN” To His Word, with the INTENT to put into practice. *Listen with the intent to obey! GOD IS WISE, GOOD AND LOVES YOU!
2. DEPEND on the Holy Spirit who works within-Phil 2:12-13; Col 1:29;2 Pet 1:3-4…to enable you and me to see things from God’s perspective and change.
3. DO THE WORD….
A. -THINK ON HIS WORD- Phil 4:8 ;ROM 12:2; Psalm 1:2
B. -TALK TO YOURSELF- SAY WHAT HIS WORD SAYS ABOUT YOU.
C. -THANK HIM FOR HIS TRUTH- ABOUT YOU
D. -ACT ON THE WORD. – Phil 4:9
A. -THINK ON HIS WORD- Phil 4:8 ;ROM 12:2; Psalm 1:2
B. -TALK TO YOURSELF- SAY WHAT HIS WORD SAYS ABOUT YOU.
C. -THANK HIM FOR HIS TRUTH- ABOUT YOU
D. -ACT ON THE WORD. – Phil 4:9
“TWIRLING-?” –
TIME TO LAY IT ASIDE…. God is more offended than anything when we fail and REFUSE to BELIEVE what His Son has done and try to add “works” and also when we ignore or refuse to believe what He says about you…me,- TO Him you are…”THE BELOVED OF GOD.” YOU ARE who God says you are, and He says you are “…the BELOVED of GOD!” Rest in HIS GRACE…RECEIVE His Word, Rejoice in the Truth- you are whom He says you are, Share His good news with others and stay off the “Performance trap” as a means to try and gain God’s acceptance and love- You already have it…
YOU ARE;
“Accepted IN the Beloved.”- Eph 1:6
“Accepted IN the Beloved.”- Eph 1:6
“To Him who {continually ] loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”- Rev 1:5-6
You are “the Beloved of God,” thanks to Him, it is based solely on the Lord Jesus and His performance, which was acceptable to the Father, so that you could be part of “…the Beloved of God.” Who are you in your “worst ” moment? “In Christ” you are ,…”the BELOVED of God.”- He is unchanging in His Love for you.
Think on Him, Thank Him- you are who He says you are- “…THE BELOVED OF GOD…”
Celebrate Him…He is Good news:)