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Week 1 - Chosen & Known | Month 1 - Identity in Christ
Week 1 - Chosen & Known | Month 1 - Identity in Christ
Maybe you’ve never really thought about the moment before the world began.
The moment before the universe was spoken into being, before stars knew how to burn, before your parents met, before your first breath.
Before all that… He chose you.
That’s not sentiment. That’s scripture. That’s Ephesians 1.
“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…” (v. 4)
Chosen. Not tolerated. Not background noise. Not a project.Chosen in love, by name, for adoption.
Chosen for what?
What does it say we were chosen for?Not worldly success. Not a platform. Not a religious performance.
We were chosen to be holy and blameless before Him in love.
“he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” -Colossians 1:22 ESV
The world tells you to earn your identity.Build it. Prove it. Curate it. Monetize it.
But Jesus says: Receive it.
“To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” - John 1:12
This isn’t abstract theology. It’s personal.
You are not who you think you are.You are not who others say you are.You are not who the voice in your head accuses you of being.
You are who God says you are.
And He says:
* You are mine.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”- Isaiah 43:1
* You are an heir of my Kingdom.
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”- Romans 8:16–17
* You are known.
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! … Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.”- Psalm 139:1, 4
Relaying the foundations
This week, the invitation is not to do more.It’s to let this biblical truth rewire your foundations of belonging. To ensure that as we step forward in obedience to learn how to be His Envoys, we do so securely from a place of belonging, not striving.
If your life is the house, identity is the foundation and frame.If the foundation and frame are cracked, the paintwork really doesn’t matter.
So ask yourself:
* Am I building from identity, or still trying to earn it?
* Where am I hustling for attention, acceptance, or love that’s already mine in Christ?
* Where am I wearing someone else’s name tag instead of the one Jesus gave me?
Because when identity is settled, the mission becomes clear.
We’re not tourists. Not spectators. Not freelancers for Jesus.
We’re Envoys - chosen and known by the King.And through that relationship, sent into the world with His name, His message, and His love.
Let that truth speak louder this week than anything else.
To be known
Scripture doesn’t stop at chosen. It pairs that word with something even more intimate: known.
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7
To be chosen is beautiful.To be known and still chosen - that’s grace.
God isn’t surprised by your insecurities.He’s not shocked by your failures.He didn’t adopt a future version of you.He wanted you - flaws and all - from before your first heartbeat.
Jeremiah 1:5 reminds us that God’s calling precedes our birth:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” - Jeremiah 1:5
This isn’t generic love. This is targeted affection.The kind of knowing that sees through the mask.The kind of love that doesn’t flinch at your worst days.
Romans 8 says, “Those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…” (v. 29).
Not just saved - reshaped.Not just accepted - refined.
That’s the power of identity in Christ: It doesn’t just hold you; it changes you.
This is why Paul says in Galatians 2:20:
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” - Galatians 2:20
You are not just seen. You are indwelt.Chosen. Known. And inhabited by God.
That’s not a side note to your faith. That’s not a poetic flourish.That is the core claim of the Christian gospel. That is your foundation.
And it is utterly revolutionary.
Across most of the world's religious traditions, humanity is climbing towards God, hoping to be noticed, approved, and accepted. In Islam, Allah remains transcendent and unknowable, and relationship is tethered to submission and obedience. In Hinduism, the divine is often impersonal, a cosmic force to be absorbed into. In Buddhism, there is no personal god to know you at all, only the escape from suffering through detachment from the self.
But in Christianity, in the truth?
God descends.God moves in.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” - 1 Corinthians 6:19
The Spirit of God doesn’t just visit. He dwells.The temple is no longer a distant building - it’s you.
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20
That’s not a metaphor.That’s divine habitation.
The God who thundered at Sinai… - Exodus 19:16The God who led Israel by fire and cloud… - Exodus 13:21The God whose presence made prophets fall trembling on their faces… - Numbers 16:22
Now calls you His dwelling place.
This flips the religious script. You don’t approach God on tiptoe, hoping your good outweighs your bad. You walk as a son or daughter, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, filled with the Spirit who raised Him from the dead.
Live from that place this week.Let that be the starting point - not the reward at the end of your effort.
Let that be the foundation of this program.
Watch / Listen / Read
Read
📖 Scripture Reading:Whilst we have a lot of links within this week’s dispatch for you to click and dig into, here is a specific section:
Ephesians 1:3–14:
Read this passage as often as possible this week. Slowly. Out loud. Have your Bible app speak it to you. Let it soak into your soul so it becomes known rather than simply read. Ask the Spirit to highlight a phrase or truth each day that reminds you of who you are in Christ.
📖 Blog - Shepherds After God's Heart - Pastor’s Blog: Byron Wicker Link
In Shepherds After God’s Heart, Pastor Byron points us back to the God who knows us by name and raises up leaders after His own heart to care for His people. It’s a timely reminder that our identity and security flow not from titles or performance but from being chosen, known, and loved by the Shepherd Himself.
📖 Bonus Reading – The J-Curve by Paul E. Miller (Book excerpt):Read sample chapter here - LinkIn his book, Miller unpacks how living in union with Christ reshapes our identity, moving from self-salvation to being conformed to the pattern of Christ.
Watch
📺 Inspiration – Finding Hope in a Fractured World | Joshua Luke Smith:
Josh is a pastor, poet, producer, and published author. He founded Orphan No More, a record label and a creative community, and The Psalmists, a charity helping the lives of offenders. Find out more about Josh here:
https://www.joshualukesmith.com
📺 Sermon – Learning My True Identity In Christ with Rick WarrenThe way you see yourself influences every area of your life. Your identity determines whether or not you will be happy, successful, full of hope, and your proximity to the Father. Satan is hard at work using things such as the opinions of others, painful experiences, and even the media to conceal your true identity in Christ. In this message, Pastor Rick Warren takes a look at 1 Peter 2 and identifies the five fingerprints of your true identity. You’ll learn how to see yourself through God’s eyes and restore your true identity that was stolen by hurt, failure, damaged self-esteem, and mistakes.
Listen
🎧 Podcast – Inheritors of the Promise by The Bible Project) Min 48:43 Listen here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/firstborn-creation/ The podcast here has some thought-provoking questions about the identity of Christ and our identity within him: "Even though he's like a new Adam, Jesus is actually the first real human. If what it means to be human is to be one with the love of the Divine Father, then there weren’t any humans before Jesus. That's putting it kind of facetiously and provocatively. But because Jesus is the image of God and the true image of humans as well, means that Jesus is the second Adam who is actually the first Adam. He's the first truly human one to be united to the divine love.” Take from it what you will, but its a fun mental exploration of identity.
🎧 Bonus Podcast – How to Know You’re a Child of God by Tim Keller:Listen here - https://podcast.gospelinlife.com/e/dear-children/In Ephesians, Paul lays down the beauty and genius of the Christian life. What is unique about the Christian life is that the Christian lifestyle flows out of a new self-understanding. One of the new ways Christians understand ourselves is that we are children of God. This passage calls us to 1) Be imitators of God; 2) As dear children.
🎵 Worship – United Pursuit: Heart Is My Home (Live).
A soul-stirring, ambient indie-worship track from the United Pursuit collective, whose roots are steeped in spiritual family and adoption stories. Capturing the longing and fulfillment of belonging in God’s family.
🎵 Worship – "God Be" by Chris Renzema
Sing it over your doubts. Declare it over your week. You are chosen, not forsaken; you are who He says you are.
🎵 Worship – Georgy Sviridov - Holy God by Credo Chamber Choir of Kiev - LINK
Also known as “Святый Боже” or “Sanctus Deus”, while this may not be your usual playlist material, it is a hauntingly reverent choral piece rooted in the Orthodox tradition. Its lyrics are drawn from the ancient Trisagion prayer (“Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us”), which has been sung by Christians since the early centuries of the Church. This timeless prayer proclaims the holiness and majesty of God, a central truth in understanding our identity in Christ. As Envoys, we are not defined by the world, but by our relationship to this Holy God, through Christ, who bridges the divine and human. The song’s rich, solemn tones remind us that being in Christ means being drawn into the sacred mystery of God’s presence and set apart as His people.
📅 This Week’s 30-Min Rally Point
We’ll meet for our first 30-minute rally point this Thursday at 7:00 PM EST via Zoom.This is a space for reflection, encouragement, and activation, a rhythm of checking in, praying together, and pressing forward. If you have signed up to the program here on Substack with your email, you will receive a recurring calendar invite with the Zoom link. If you have not received it, then the information and link are also below:
🕖 Zoom Time: Thursday @ 7:00 PM EST🔗 Click to join the Zoom call - Zoom LINK
Weekly Rally Point Format:
* Welcome & Opening Prayer (2 min)
* Scripture Reading (3 min)
* Teaching Recap (5 min)
* Discussion Questions (12 min)
* Heart-Level Questions:
* Head-Level Questions:
* Hands-Level Questions:
* Practice Together (5 min)
* Closing Encouragement & Prayer (3 min)
Bring a Bible, a journal, and any wins or wrestles you want to share. This is a safe space to grow.
Next week: From Orphan to Heir
We’ll walk into the next layer of identity - not just that you were chosen, but what you’ve inherited as a son or daughter of God.
Pre-read: Romans 8:12–17
Wow, our first Weekly dispatch is done. Everything we launch for and with the Father is a blessing. In this journey, we walk with His Word into our own personal unknowns, trusting in His perfect destination.
Our prayer as step forward: “More of You, Father. More of You. Until nothing remains in our hearts and minds but You alone.”
I’m glad you’re here.
Let’s run the race - Eyes Up, Chin Up!
Grace and peace,
Sam Johnston
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit christfocused.substack.com
View all episodes
By Christ Focused NetworkWeek 1 - Chosen & Known | Month 1 - Identity in Christ
Maybe you’ve never really thought about the moment before the world began.
The moment before the universe was spoken into being, before stars knew how to burn, before your parents met, before your first breath.
Before all that… He chose you.
That’s not sentiment. That’s scripture. That’s Ephesians 1.
“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…” (v. 4)
Chosen. Not tolerated. Not background noise. Not a project.Chosen in love, by name, for adoption.
Chosen for what?
What does it say we were chosen for?Not worldly success. Not a platform. Not a religious performance.
We were chosen to be holy and blameless before Him in love.
“he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” -Colossians 1:22 ESV
The world tells you to earn your identity.Build it. Prove it. Curate it. Monetize it.
But Jesus says: Receive it.
“To all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” - John 1:12
This isn’t abstract theology. It’s personal.
You are not who you think you are.You are not who others say you are.You are not who the voice in your head accuses you of being.
You are who God says you are.
And He says:
* You are mine.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”- Isaiah 43:1
* You are an heir of my Kingdom.
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”- Romans 8:16–17
* You are known.
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! … Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.”- Psalm 139:1, 4
Relaying the foundations
This week, the invitation is not to do more.It’s to let this biblical truth rewire your foundations of belonging. To ensure that as we step forward in obedience to learn how to be His Envoys, we do so securely from a place of belonging, not striving.
If your life is the house, identity is the foundation and frame.If the foundation and frame are cracked, the paintwork really doesn’t matter.
So ask yourself:
* Am I building from identity, or still trying to earn it?
* Where am I hustling for attention, acceptance, or love that’s already mine in Christ?
* Where am I wearing someone else’s name tag instead of the one Jesus gave me?
Because when identity is settled, the mission becomes clear.
We’re not tourists. Not spectators. Not freelancers for Jesus.
We’re Envoys - chosen and known by the King.And through that relationship, sent into the world with His name, His message, and His love.
Let that truth speak louder this week than anything else.
To be known
Scripture doesn’t stop at chosen. It pairs that word with something even more intimate: known.
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7
To be chosen is beautiful.To be known and still chosen - that’s grace.
God isn’t surprised by your insecurities.He’s not shocked by your failures.He didn’t adopt a future version of you.He wanted you - flaws and all - from before your first heartbeat.
Jeremiah 1:5 reminds us that God’s calling precedes our birth:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” - Jeremiah 1:5
This isn’t generic love. This is targeted affection.The kind of knowing that sees through the mask.The kind of love that doesn’t flinch at your worst days.
Romans 8 says, “Those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…” (v. 29).
Not just saved - reshaped.Not just accepted - refined.
That’s the power of identity in Christ: It doesn’t just hold you; it changes you.
This is why Paul says in Galatians 2:20:
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” - Galatians 2:20
You are not just seen. You are indwelt.Chosen. Known. And inhabited by God.
That’s not a side note to your faith. That’s not a poetic flourish.That is the core claim of the Christian gospel. That is your foundation.
And it is utterly revolutionary.
Across most of the world's religious traditions, humanity is climbing towards God, hoping to be noticed, approved, and accepted. In Islam, Allah remains transcendent and unknowable, and relationship is tethered to submission and obedience. In Hinduism, the divine is often impersonal, a cosmic force to be absorbed into. In Buddhism, there is no personal god to know you at all, only the escape from suffering through detachment from the self.
But in Christianity, in the truth?
God descends.God moves in.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” - 1 Corinthians 6:19
The Spirit of God doesn’t just visit. He dwells.The temple is no longer a distant building - it’s you.
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Galatians 2:20
That’s not a metaphor.That’s divine habitation.
The God who thundered at Sinai… - Exodus 19:16The God who led Israel by fire and cloud… - Exodus 13:21The God whose presence made prophets fall trembling on their faces… - Numbers 16:22
Now calls you His dwelling place.
This flips the religious script. You don’t approach God on tiptoe, hoping your good outweighs your bad. You walk as a son or daughter, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, filled with the Spirit who raised Him from the dead.
Live from that place this week.Let that be the starting point - not the reward at the end of your effort.
Let that be the foundation of this program.
Watch / Listen / Read
Read
📖 Scripture Reading:Whilst we have a lot of links within this week’s dispatch for you to click and dig into, here is a specific section:
Ephesians 1:3–14:
Read this passage as often as possible this week. Slowly. Out loud. Have your Bible app speak it to you. Let it soak into your soul so it becomes known rather than simply read. Ask the Spirit to highlight a phrase or truth each day that reminds you of who you are in Christ.
📖 Blog - Shepherds After God's Heart - Pastor’s Blog: Byron Wicker Link
In Shepherds After God’s Heart, Pastor Byron points us back to the God who knows us by name and raises up leaders after His own heart to care for His people. It’s a timely reminder that our identity and security flow not from titles or performance but from being chosen, known, and loved by the Shepherd Himself.
📖 Bonus Reading – The J-Curve by Paul E. Miller (Book excerpt):Read sample chapter here - LinkIn his book, Miller unpacks how living in union with Christ reshapes our identity, moving from self-salvation to being conformed to the pattern of Christ.
Watch
📺 Inspiration – Finding Hope in a Fractured World | Joshua Luke Smith:
Josh is a pastor, poet, producer, and published author. He founded Orphan No More, a record label and a creative community, and The Psalmists, a charity helping the lives of offenders. Find out more about Josh here:
https://www.joshualukesmith.com
📺 Sermon – Learning My True Identity In Christ with Rick WarrenThe way you see yourself influences every area of your life. Your identity determines whether or not you will be happy, successful, full of hope, and your proximity to the Father. Satan is hard at work using things such as the opinions of others, painful experiences, and even the media to conceal your true identity in Christ. In this message, Pastor Rick Warren takes a look at 1 Peter 2 and identifies the five fingerprints of your true identity. You’ll learn how to see yourself through God’s eyes and restore your true identity that was stolen by hurt, failure, damaged self-esteem, and mistakes.
Listen
🎧 Podcast – Inheritors of the Promise by The Bible Project) Min 48:43 Listen here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/firstborn-creation/ The podcast here has some thought-provoking questions about the identity of Christ and our identity within him: "Even though he's like a new Adam, Jesus is actually the first real human. If what it means to be human is to be one with the love of the Divine Father, then there weren’t any humans before Jesus. That's putting it kind of facetiously and provocatively. But because Jesus is the image of God and the true image of humans as well, means that Jesus is the second Adam who is actually the first Adam. He's the first truly human one to be united to the divine love.” Take from it what you will, but its a fun mental exploration of identity.
🎧 Bonus Podcast – How to Know You’re a Child of God by Tim Keller:Listen here - https://podcast.gospelinlife.com/e/dear-children/In Ephesians, Paul lays down the beauty and genius of the Christian life. What is unique about the Christian life is that the Christian lifestyle flows out of a new self-understanding. One of the new ways Christians understand ourselves is that we are children of God. This passage calls us to 1) Be imitators of God; 2) As dear children.
🎵 Worship – United Pursuit: Heart Is My Home (Live).
A soul-stirring, ambient indie-worship track from the United Pursuit collective, whose roots are steeped in spiritual family and adoption stories. Capturing the longing and fulfillment of belonging in God’s family.
🎵 Worship – "God Be" by Chris Renzema
Sing it over your doubts. Declare it over your week. You are chosen, not forsaken; you are who He says you are.
🎵 Worship – Georgy Sviridov - Holy God by Credo Chamber Choir of Kiev - LINK
Also known as “Святый Боже” or “Sanctus Deus”, while this may not be your usual playlist material, it is a hauntingly reverent choral piece rooted in the Orthodox tradition. Its lyrics are drawn from the ancient Trisagion prayer (“Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us”), which has been sung by Christians since the early centuries of the Church. This timeless prayer proclaims the holiness and majesty of God, a central truth in understanding our identity in Christ. As Envoys, we are not defined by the world, but by our relationship to this Holy God, through Christ, who bridges the divine and human. The song’s rich, solemn tones remind us that being in Christ means being drawn into the sacred mystery of God’s presence and set apart as His people.
📅 This Week’s 30-Min Rally Point
We’ll meet for our first 30-minute rally point this Thursday at 7:00 PM EST via Zoom.This is a space for reflection, encouragement, and activation, a rhythm of checking in, praying together, and pressing forward. If you have signed up to the program here on Substack with your email, you will receive a recurring calendar invite with the Zoom link. If you have not received it, then the information and link are also below:
🕖 Zoom Time: Thursday @ 7:00 PM EST🔗 Click to join the Zoom call - Zoom LINK
Weekly Rally Point Format:
* Welcome & Opening Prayer (2 min)
* Scripture Reading (3 min)
* Teaching Recap (5 min)
* Discussion Questions (12 min)
* Heart-Level Questions:
* Head-Level Questions:
* Hands-Level Questions:
* Practice Together (5 min)
* Closing Encouragement & Prayer (3 min)
Bring a Bible, a journal, and any wins or wrestles you want to share. This is a safe space to grow.
Next week: From Orphan to Heir
We’ll walk into the next layer of identity - not just that you were chosen, but what you’ve inherited as a son or daughter of God.
Pre-read: Romans 8:12–17
Wow, our first Weekly dispatch is done. Everything we launch for and with the Father is a blessing. In this journey, we walk with His Word into our own personal unknowns, trusting in His perfect destination.
Our prayer as step forward: “More of You, Father. More of You. Until nothing remains in our hearts and minds but You alone.”
I’m glad you’re here.
Let’s run the race - Eyes Up, Chin Up!
Grace and peace,
Sam Johnston
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit christfocused.substack.com