Be Who You Are: Your Identity in Christ

Identity Crisis - when you aren't sure if who you are aligns with who you thought you were.

When we know who we are, God empowers us to act in accordance with our new identification as His son or daughter.

12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” 13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” 15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” - Judges 6:12-16

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:1-3

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24-25

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. - Colossians 4:5-6

1 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. - 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Spiritual Conversation Curve:

Unreceptive "Gain a Hearing":

Receptive "Give Good News":

Seeking "Guide Toward Faith":

The Five Types of Prayer:

The Five Contents of Prayer:

Think of the endless possibilities in prayer if we applied the five types of prayer to the five contents of prayer.

Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”

_____

No more lives torn apart

That wars would never start

And time would heal all hearts

And everyone would have a friend

And right would always win

And love would never end, no

This is my grown up Christmas list

_____

“What would happen, I wonder, if the armies suddenly and simultaneously went on strike and said some other method must be found for settling the dispute?”

1 John 4:7   Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

1 John 3:1   How great is the 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.

“My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.” - Brennan Manning

1 John 4:19   We love because he first loved us.

Eph. 3:17 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Values are the basic and fundamental beliefs that guide or motivate attitudes or actions.

- in the spiritual realm

- In a Humanistic society

- In Our Unbelief

Joy (Third Sunday of Advent)

Pastor Brock MacDonald

Peace & Preparation

Advent Means "Coming" - It's a symbol of and emphasis on our wait for Christ's return, in these 'last days'.

Advent is a time of remembering his deeds, and expecting his action.

Is. 9:1   Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan — Is. 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Is. 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Is. 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matt. 4:12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: Matt. 4:15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”(Quoted From Isaiah 9:2)

Matt. 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.”

Is. 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…” And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Counselor = one who gives advice and direction, with implication that the advice given is wise and valuable

Wonderful  = be amazing; beyond understanding - the word for miracle

Ex. 15:11 “Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you — majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

Is. 25:1   O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelousthings, things planned long ago.

Luke 4:32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.

- Dare to Hope

- Dare to Believe

- Dare to Love

How do we Hold on to Hope?

- Hold on to your courage and don’t give up

  o Heb. 3:6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

- Own God’s Promises as Your Own

  o  Heb. 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

- Prepare your mind for action every day

  o 1Pet. 1:13   Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

  o Encourage Yourself Daily that God Can Be Trusted

- Heb. 6:18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

Phil. 4:1   Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!

Phil. 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Phil. 2:12 work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Phil. 4:2   I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.

1. Let Your Desire to Please God Override Your Desire to Be Right.

In all our beliefs — we have Love.

In essential beliefs — we have Unity.

In life style statements - we have Grace.

Phil. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

II. Influence Yourself and Others with Rejoicing and Gentleness.

Col. 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

James 5:8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

Phil. 4:5 Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer ... 7 And the peace of God, ... guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

III. Give Your Anxiety To God and Practice His Peace.

Phil. 4:8   Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.

IV. Change What You Think About.