Am I Accepted?

This is part 1 of a 3 part series, guaranteed security for life is part 2 and You are significant to God is part 3.

So much of life is achievement based. It is an expectation that we'd accomplish all stages of growth for a baby, a toddler walking, a kindergartner learning the basics of reading, 5th graders leaving elementary, 8th graders leaving middle school and finally graduating high school. Then we move on to pursue many other things like college, careers, marriage and family. Life is constantly about accomplishments and being accepted within our little worlds, our communities.

Many people struggle with ways to feel accepted and that is why they strive so hard towards achievement. So that they fill the longing to be accepted.

God has created us in His image has set our souls to long for eternity in heaven. This is why we strive for the bigger and better and for unconditional love and acceptance. God created us to long for it because He is the bigger and better! 

The purpose of our longing is to drive us to Him, 

the One who can fill our deepest needs and longing!

He not only created us with this inherent need, but He also provided us with answers. I have felt convicted to share a 3 part blog series about who we are in Christ. This first segment is focused on the fact that in Christ, we are accepted and belong!

God's Word has made it crystal clear that He chooses us! Let that absorb into you...the very same God that created this incredible world in 6 days and possess the power to raise Christ from the dead chose YOU before He ever laid the foundations of the earth. Christ thought of you when He was dying on the Cross for your sins some 2000 years ago.

Let God's Word speak to your heart today.

YOU are accepted in Christ:

John 1:12- "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to be called Children of God, to those that believe in His name."
You are adopted as God's own!

John 15:15- "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what His master is doing; but I have called you Friends; for all things I have heard from the Father I have made known to you."
How often do you speak with your friend that saved your life?

Romans 5:1- "Therefore having been Justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Our sins are removed from us when we confess and ask God's forgiveness!

I Corinthians 6:17- "But he who is joined to the Lord is one Spirit with Him." 
Your very existence and essence of your being is one Spirit with the Living God!

I Corinthians 6:19&20- "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's." 
That price was the precious blood of Jesus.

I Corinthians 12:27- "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."
How are you functioning as a body part in the full body of Christ? 

Ephesians 1:1- "Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the Saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Jesus Christ."
He made you a Saint!

Ephesians 2:18- "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."
You can speak intimately with God anytime, anywhere!

Ephesians 5:1- Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the pleasure of His good will. 
You are God's pleasure!

Colossians 1:14- In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
To be redeemed is be freed from captivity by payment...Jesus!

Colossians 2:10- And you are Complete in Him who is the head of all authority and power.
Do you see that scripture says we are complete in Him? Lacking nothing- complete.

Let it sink into your soul today that in the eyes of God, you are accepted in Christ! You can do nothing to earn it or achieve His approval or acceptance. His acceptance of you is not based on you and what you bring to the table. It is based on Him alone and the perfect justifying, redeeming work of Christ on the cross.

The next topic to come in this series is that you are SECURE in Christ!