GOD-ESTEEM NOT SELF-ESTEEM

Acts 15:14

[James speaking] "Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself."

Did you know that you and I (who are Christians) are the people (Gentiles) referenced in our passage today? James is saying that God has placed the same emphasis on the saving of you and me, as He did on the saving acts of Israel of the past and future. The wording James uses is the same or similar to Exodus 3:16, "...I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt;" Exodus 4:31, "...And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them;" Exodus 19:5, "...then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession;" and Deuteronomy 7:6, "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession".

James point in using this phraseology with his Jewish audience is this -- God in His sovereignty chose the Gentile believers just as He did Israel -- to be "a people for himself." How does that make you feel? It makes me feel pretty special that God has "watched over" and been "concerned" about me. Then God decided to choose me "out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession." I don't need self-esteem anymore because I have something much better: God-esteem!

God has chosen you, but are you living the victorious life of one who is chosen by God? Sin and death were conquered on the Cross, and as a believer you have been given life in Christ Jesus because of your faith and by the grace of God. Are you the joyful person God intended you to be when He chose you as one of His treasured possessions? Is there any area of your life that consistently stands in the way of you living a victorious life? Make a choice today to surrender that area to God -- asking Him to work through His Holy Spirit to remove that stumbling block from your life. Ask another person of the same gender as you to share with you how he has experienced victory in that particular area. Ask him to pray for you to experience a similar victory

Note: I think it is so important that we start to develop relationships with spiritual mentors -- those just a bit further down the road in their spiritual journey who can help us find our way. Is there someone in your life you can ask to mentor you? It is essential that these mentors match your gender -- men mentored by men and women mentored by women.


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