AS GOD SEES YOU

02/20/2023

"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:4-6).

We were made to be loved, appreciated, and valued. It's in our DNA. However, chasing after these things can pose a real problem to our destiny. There have been incidents of people taking their lives because someone on social media said some nasty words to them. Listen saint, nobody has the calling to value, love, or appreciate you. Jesus said by loving one another, people will know that we are His disciples. Yet, He never called us to look to others for love, respect, and validation. 

Today, many are consumed by the opinions of others. Even among believers, the craving for acceptance and validation is alarming. We get offended when people speak of us negatively. Yet Jesus said in Luke 6:26, "Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets." Therefore, you must stop looking to others for validation. Just focus on and do whatever God has called you to do and be content with who you are in Him. Be the one that loves, values, and appreciates others. Do it without expecting anything in return.

The Scripture says,  "Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8). In other words, you do not have to prove your worth or value to anyone. 

Your value is displayed in the person of Jesus. It cost God all that He had.  He gave up His only begotten Son for you.  1 Corinthians 6:20 says, "God bought you with a high price…." In Isaiah 53:10, the Bible says that it pleased God the Father to bruise Jesus and cause Him grief for your sake. Your sonship was at the cost of His life. And Jesus was so thrilled about the end result that in Hebrews 12:2, the Scripture says, "For the joy set before Him (Jesus) He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Oh, what value you have! You are not a nobody; you are valuable to God, and He has a purpose for your life. Your parents may or may not have planned for you to be here, but God knew you even before you were born and had a purpose for your life. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" 

Child of God, your identity is not in the opinions of men. It is also not formed from past experiences or fashioned by present circumstances. Your identity is solely from God's Word. You are who the Word of God says that you are, you have what the Word of God says that you have, and you can do what the Word of God says you can do.  It doesn't matter what others may have said about you that is contrary to God's Word. Today, you have a responsibility to hold firm to the Word of God and not the words of men.  Ephesians 1:6 says, "to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Saints, you are accepted in the beloved.  You do not need membership in a special club to feel like you belong. The One who made all things, the most loving Father, the One who gave you all things richly to enjoy calls you His own and calls you accepted. And that should be sufficient.

Get in the Word of God today and saturate your mind and thoughts with the Word. Hold firmly to the Word by your confessions and declare that you are loved, valued, and appreciated by God. 

God Bless You!

Faith-Filled Confession:

I am who God says I am; I have what God says I have; I can do what God says that I can do. I am accepted in Christ Jesus. I do not look to material things or men for validation or acceptance. The Word of God is my source of inspiration.  I am beautiful; I am valuable; I have something to give. And I live my life to the fullest to the praise of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

ONE YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:  Numbers 3-4; Mark 3:22-35