God Says I’m Accepted

In review of Romans 15:7 it says, “Therefore, accept each other in the same way that Christ accepted you. He did this to bring glory to God” (GW).

Bottom Line:

Accept as you have been accepted.

What this means to me:

I need to accept others in the same way Jesus accepted me. This will bring glory to God.

In the first part of Romans 15, Paul explains how I must be considerate of others. Of how I must not just please myself. But how I should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't life to please himself. May God, who gives patience and encouragement, help me life in complete harmony with others, as is fitting for one who follows Christ. Join together with others with on voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm to accept others just a Christ has accepted me so that God will be given glory. Christ came as a servant to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them.

My knowledge of the Scriptures will greatly affect my attitude toward the present and the future (it helps shape my perspective). The more I know about what God has done in years past, the greater the confidence I have about what he will do in the days ahead. I need to keep getting into his word and increase my trust that God's will is best for me.

Accepting means taking people into my home as well as into my heart, sharing meals and activities, and avoiding racial and economic discrimination. I must go out of my way to avoid favoritism. Consciously spend time getting those I don't normally talk to, minimize differences and seek common ground in fellowship. In this way I am accepting others as Christ has accepted me, and God is given glory.

I have to admit that I spend a lot of time trying to earn acceptance. I want to earn it from our parents, peers, partners in life, people I respect, and maybe even people I envy. The drive to be accepted is a deep drive that can influence the kinds of clothes I wear, the kind of car I drive, the kind of house I buy, and even the career I chose.

What I’m learning is that I do it because I love the feeling of “I’m okay. Somebody accepts me.” When I’m accepted, it does tremendous things for my self-worth. The truth is, Jesus accepts me, and that acceptance is not based on my performance. In fact, I may have received Christ, but do I really realize that I’m able to do that because Jesus accepted me? I don’t have to earn his acceptance. I don’t have to prove myself to him.

I need to stop thinking, “I’ve got an unpleasable God up there, and I’ve got to be a good boy or girl to be accepted.” God, through Jesus Christ, has already accepted me. That’s the Good News!

The Bible teaches, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me” (Psalm 27:10 NIV). Even today I may be trying to prove myself to an unpleasable person. I’m still attempting to earn that acceptance. I need to understand two things: First, if I haven’t gotten the approval by now, then I’m not likely to ever get it, and second, that is their problem, not mine.

I don’t need to be accepted by others to please God. I’ve been accepted by God. I have more than 7 billion people on the planet. If some of them don’t like me, I don’t need to worry. I don’t need it. God has accepted me!

Community Helps Me Live Out the Attitude Of Christ

In review of Philippians 2:3-4 it says, “In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (NIV).

Bottom Line:

In humility value others more than yourself, look to their interests above your own.

What this means to me:

In humility, I am to consider others as better than myself, looking not only to my own interest but to the interest of others.

In Philippians 3-5, Paul tells me how to have the attitude of Christ. He tells me to not be selfish, and to not “try to impress others”. Instead, I’m to be humble, thinking of others as better than myself. I shouldn’t look out for only my interests, rather take a keen interest in others, having the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Selfishness can ruin things, but genuine humility can build it. Being humble involves me having a true perspective about myself. It doesn't mean that I should put myself down. Before God, I am a sinner, saved only by God's grace, but I am saved and therefore have great worth in God's Kingdom. I am to lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. Considering others' interests as more important than my own will link me with Christ, who was a true example of humility.

In the sense of unity, Paul encourages me to guard against any selfishness, prejudice, or jealousy that might lead to dissension. Showing a genuine interest in others is a positive step forward in maintaining unity among believers.

Jesus Christ was humble. He was willing to give up his rights in order to obey God and to serve people. Like Christ, I should have a servant's attitude, serving out of love for God and for others, not out of guilt or fear. Remember, I can choose my attitude. I can approach life expecting to be served, or I can look for opportunities to serve others.

I’m also learning that I need other people to watch out for, defend, protect, and help me stay on track (living out the attitude of Christ). In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul tells us that I should look out for each other’s interests, not just my own. What a counter-cultural verse! In America today, it’s all about me, my needs, interests, wants, and ambitions. But Paul teaches me to look out for others, too.

I’m reminded that I have a personal enemy who wants to defeat me and get me off track in following and imitating Christ. He wants to bring problems into my life, ruin my relationships, and hurt me as badly as he can. He wants to hurt God but can’t, so he goes after God’s children. On my own, I will never win against Satan. But when I have other people to watch out for me and help me, I can be victorious. Advice from Ecclesiastes 4:12: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves” (NIV).

Given my recent job change and being away from home more, I’m missing out on the regular fellowship I had when being part of a Thursday night group. Because of this, I don’t really have anyone who can watch my back, or help defend me and watch out for my spiritual welfare. I know I need a community of people who are saying to me: “We’ll be with you when you’re going through the tough times. We’re not going to let you get discouraged or depressed.”

Community is God’s answer to overcoming discouragement and defeat. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (NIV).

Remember: I can try, but I can’t live life well on my own. I need other people to walk with me, work with me, and watch out for me. I need to consider either leaving work earlier on Thursday so that I can join my old group again or give up sleeping in on a Saturday morning to join a group who meets early that day.

Seeking To Learn From My Relationship With Christ And Others

In review of Colossians 2:6 it says, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him” (NLT).

Bottom Line:

As you accept Christ, you must also continue to follow him.

What this means to me:

There is more to just accepting Christ, I must continue to follow and learn from him.

In Colossian 2, Paul explains that just as I have accepted Christ Jesus as my Lord, I must continue to follow him. I should let my roots grow down into him, and let my life be built on him. Then my faith will grow strong in the truth I was taught, and I will overflow with thankfulness. I shouldn’t let anyone capture me with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in human body. So I’m made complete through my union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. My receiving Christ as Lord of my life is just the beginning of life with him. I must continue to follow his leadership by being rooted, built up, and strengthened in faith. Christ wants to guide me and help me with my daily problems. I can live for Christ by (1) committing my life and submitting my will to him; (2) seeking to learn from him, his life, and his teachings; and (3) recognizing the Holy Spirit's power in me.

In Colossians 2, Paul uses the illustration of me being rooted in Christ. Just as plants draw nourishment from the soil through their roots, so I draw my life-giving strength from Christ. The more I draw my strength from him, the less I will be fooled by those who falsely claim to have life's answers. If Christ is my strength, I will be free from human regulations.

I’m reminded that the Bible often compares life to a walk, because life is a journey. I’m not sitting still. Throughout the New Testament, I see where I’m told to walk in wisdom, love, light, and obedience. I’m told to walk as Jesus walked. I’m also told to walk alongside other people.

Here are three reasons we need to walk with other people:

It’s safer. Walking alone at night through a dark alley or down a lonely country road is a little scary. But if I have another person with me, I feel safer.

It’s supportive. Life is not a 50-yard dash. It’s a marathon! Walking with other people gives you the energy to keep on going until the end.

It’s smarter. I learn more by walking with others than by walking alone. If I’m walking alone in the wrong direction, I may never realize it. But if I have a friend beside me, one of us is likely to recognize that I’ve veered off the path and need to find the right direction.

I can learn some important lessons when I walk alongside other people. I learn how to get along and cooperate with others.

I also learn how to love. Genesis 2:18 tells us, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (NIV). God hates loneliness, and community is God’s answer to loneliness. When I walk alongside other people, I find a community where I learn how to love.

And walking alongside others also teaches me hospitality. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:9, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (NIV). What’s my grumble? What’s my excuse for not opening my home to friends?

Everybody has a longing for belonging, because God made me for relationships. When I walk alongside other Christians in community, I find that longing satisfied.

Working With Others, I Can Accomplish More

In review of Ephesians 2:10 it says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV).

Bottom Line:

We are created by God, through Jesus to do good things that God prepared for us to do.

What this means to me:

I am God’s handiwork. He created me in Christ Jesus to do good things that he has planned in advance for me to accomplish.

In Ephesians 8-10, Paul's helps me realize my true identity in Christ. He tells me that God saved me by God’s own grace when I first believed. There is no way I can take credit for this; it is strictly a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things I do or have done, so I can not boast about it. For I am God's true masterpiece. He created me anew in Christ Jesus, so I can do the good things he had in mind for me to do, long ago.

When someone gives me a gift, I don't respond with, "that's nice, how much do I owe you?" No, an appropriate response to a gift is “Thank You." Yet at times, even after being given a gift of salvation, I still feel obligated to try to work my way to God. But because my salvation and even my faith are gifts, I should respond with gratitude, praise, and joy.

I become saved through God's unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or act of service on my part. Out of gratitude for his free gift, my goal is to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, and not as something to merely to please myself. While no action or work I do can help me obtain salvation, God's intention is that my salvation will result in acts of service. I am not saved merely from my own benefit but serve Christ and build up the church.

I am God's masterpiece (work of art, workmanship). My salvation is something only God can do. It is his powerful, creative work in me. If God considers me his masterpiece, I do not dare treat myself or others with disrespect or as inferior work.

God put me here on Earth to do a certain work that only I can do. Ephesians says that God created me to do good works and that he planned in advance what I would spend my life doing. However, he didn’t plan for me to do this work alone. I need to work with others to accomplish it.

There is a feeling I get when I do too much work on my own. I get exhausted and burned out. Why? Because I’m trying to do my work alone, while God never meant for it to be that way.

I’m reminded In this verse from Ecclesiastes 4:9, that God tells me, “Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together” (NCV). When I work as a team, I’ll get so much more done. Plus, having good teammates alongside me is a whole lot more fun and less tiring!

Picture it this way: Each of us is like a snowflake. On our own, we can’t make a big difference. However, when one fragile snowflake sticks with a lot of other snowflakes, they can stop traffic. Like snowflakes, we can make a big difference if we work together, each one of us simply doing our small part.

When I work together here on Earth, I’m actually practicing for eternity? In Heaven, we will all have to work, but each of us will have just a small piece of work, so we’ll never get overloaded or tired. Though no one will carry a heavy burden as each one of us does our small part, all the work will still get done.

As I walk through life, I need to remember that I’m not supposed to do everything on my own. I need others to walk alongside me, and others also need me. As I share the burdens of my work with fellow Christians, I’ll find that I actually accomplish more for the glory of God.

Today, I’m also reminded that this also goes for work. I’m trying to do a lot more on my own. I really need others from the team to be engaged and help me accomplish what needs to be done.

Forgive Because I’m Forgiven

In review of Colossians 3:13 it says, “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT).

Bottom Line:

Forgive as you have been forgiven.

What this means to me:

I need to always remember that the Lord forgave me, therefore I must forgive others.

Paul explains in Colossians 3 that I must put on my new nature, and be renewed as I learn to know my Creator and become like him. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in me. Since God chose me to be the holy person he love, I must clothe myself with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I am to make allowances for others faults, and forgive anyone who offends me. Remember, the Lord forgave me, so I too must forgive others. Above all, clothe myself with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in my heart. For as members of one body I am called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

To put on my new nature means that my conduct should match my faith. It's more than just making good resolutions and having good intentions; it means taking the right actions. I need to rid myself of all evil practices and immorality. Then I can commit myself to what Christ teaches me. Also, I must remember that I'm in a continuing education program. The more I know of Christ and his work, the more I'm being changed to be like him. Because this is a lifelong process, I must never stop learning and obeying. There is no justification for drifting along, but there is an incentive to find the rich treasures of growing in him. It takes practice, ongoing review, patience, and concentration to keep in line with his will.

Paul offers me a strategy to help live for God day by day: (1) Imitate Christ's compassionate, forgiving attitude; (2) let love guide my life; (3) let the peace of Christ rule in my heart; (4) always be thankful; (5) Keep God's Word in me at all times; (6) live as Jesus Christ's representative.

The key to forgiving others is remembering how much God has forgiven me. Realization of God's infinite love and forgiveness can help me love and forgive others. Let God worry about the wrongs I've suffered. Don't quench my life in bitter feuding; live renewed in love and joy.

The Bible indicates that there are three reasons I am to let go of my past and the people who’ve hurt me, and the reasons have nothing to do with whether that person deserves it or not.

1. You have to forgive those who’ve hurt me because God has forgiven me. Colossians 3:13 says, “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT). If I want to be a forgiving person, I need to first accept the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ. The Bible says that God came to Earth in human form in Jesus in order to offer forgiveness for everything that’s ever been done wrong. He paid for it so I don’t have to. That’s Good News.

2. You have to forgive those who’ve hurt you because resentment will control me. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:9, “Only fools get angry quickly and hold a grudge” (CEV). Resentment makes me miserable, and it keeps me stuck in the past. And when I’m stuck in the past, I’m controlled by the past. Every time I resent something, it controls me. Perhaps I’m allowing people who hurt me five, ten, or even twenty years ago to hurt me to this day. Don’t let it happen. They can’t hurt me anymore. My past is past. I’ve got to let it go.

3. You have to forgive those who’ve hurt me because I’m going to need more forgiveness in the future. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (NIV). Forgiveness is a two-way street. I cannot receive what I’m unwilling to give.

Someone once told John Wesley, the 18th-century British theologian, “I could never forgive that person!” Wesley replied, “Then I hope you never sin.” You don’t want to burn the bridge that you’ve got to walk across to get into Heaven.

I Don’t Have to Forget

In review of Romans 8:28 it says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV).

Bottom Line:

God works for the good of those who love him and are called for his purpose.

What this means to me:

God uses what happens in my life for my good and for my development and growth.

Today’s verse comes from the last part of Romans 8. In it Paul explains that the Holy Spirit helps me in my weakness. I may not always know what or how to pray for what’s taking place. But I do have the Holy Spirit who prays for me with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows my heart, knows what the Spirit is saying on my behalf. And as a follower I’m told that God causes everything that happens to me to work together for my good. He does this because I love Him and His calling of his purpose for me.

This is good news. As a follower of Jesus, I'm not left to my own resources to cope with problems. Even when I don't know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for me, and God answers. With God helping me pray, I don't need to be afraid to come before him. All I need to do is ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for me "in harmony with God's own will." Then when I bring my requests to God, trust that he will always do what is best.

God works in "everything", not just isolated incidents, for my good. This does not mean that that happens to us is good. Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for my long-range good. God does not work to make us happy, but fulfill his purpose. This promise is not for everyone. It is something that can only be claimed by those who love Him and are called by him (those the Holy Spirit convinces and enables to receive Christ.) Such people have a new perspective, a new mind-set. They trust in God, not in life's treasures; their security is in heaven, not on earth. Their faith in God does not waver in pain and persecution because they know God is with them.

God's ultimate goal for me is to make me more like Christ. As I become more and more like him, I discover my true self., the person I was created to be. I can learn to be more like Christ by reading and heeding his Word, by studying his life on earth through the Gospels, by spending time in prayer, by being filled with his Spirit, and by doing his work in the world.

When it comes to relationships, these is a common phrase: “Forgive and forget.” There’s only one problem: However, It’s impossible! I really can’t forget a hurt in my life. In fact, I can’t even try to forget it. Because when I’m trying to forget, I’m actually focusing on the very thing I want to forget.

Forgetting is not what God wants me to do. Instead, he wants me to trust him and see how he can bring good out of it. That’s more important than forgetting, because then I can thank God for the good that he brought out of it. I can’t thank God for things I forget.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV).

It doesn’t say that all things are good, because not all things are good. Cancer is not good. Disease is not good. Death is not good. Divorce is not good. War is not good. Rape and abuse are not good. A lot of things in life are evil. These are the realities of living in a world that’s been contaminated by sin.

But God says he will work good out of the bad things in life if I will trust him. When I come to him and say, “God, I give you all the pieces of my life,” he will return peace for my pieces. His peace in my heart comes from realizing that even if I don’t understand the hurt in my life, I can still forgive, knowing that God will use that pain for good.

I don’t have to forget the wrong thing that someone did to me. I can’t do it even if I try! But God says I don’t have to forget it. I just have to forgive and then see how he will bring good out of it.

This a great reminder for me as I go through the trying times in my life. Do what’s right and trust him with the outcome. He will do what’s best for me and what He has in mind for me to accomplish.