I am Appreciated

Ch 5, "Who Do You Think You Are" by, Mark Driscoll

July 2 Mon - Rom 10

July 3 Tues - Luke 17, 19

July 4 Wed - Acts 5

July 5 Thr – Mt 6

July 6 Fri - Mt 25

July 7 Sat – Gal 1; John 12

PRAYER: A - Adoration (prayer of centering; focus on God's goodness)

C - Confession (prayer of repentance and asking for God's forgiveness)

T - Thanksgiving (prayer of gratefulness, content, joy, avoiding pessimism)

S - Supplication (prayer for others; then pray for yourself)

S - STOP and listen... give God some time to speak to you --- end with the LORD'S PRAYER

I. Your Ultimate Concerns Shape Your Identity, Your Identity Shapes Your Life

- You are strongest/healthiest, when you focus on your center (not boundaries)

- Rom 10:9, "If you confess Jesus as your Lord, ... then you will be saved"

a. Jesus is "Lord of what?" specifically?

b. Lord of? Jesus vs. I.D.O.L.S. Items, duties, others, longings, sufferings

- Daily Starting Point? Who you are, Eph 1:1-14, YOU are in Christ; Jesus as Lord

II. Patrick Stump's testimony (p. 54-55), "I hate waking up in the morning knowing I'm disappointing so many people." - the feelings from feeling unappreciated can be devastating, crippling us and crushing our desire to move forward

- Will you believe what the world says about you? or what God says about you?

Jesus: a. Luke 17:11-19, "Weren't 10 cleansed? Where are the other 9?"

b. Luke 19:41-44, Jesus wept... "because you didn't recognize God's visit"

c. If Jesus sought the approval of people, how would his mission change?

- Jesus was continually confronted with unappreciative people

- no cross, no salvation, no forgiveness; no point to his time on earth

III. What does it do to your mission, if you live to please people, instead of God?

- What do "people" truly want from you? When will "they" truly appreciate you?

a. Gal 1:10, "Am I striving to please God or people? If people, I'm not a disciple"

b. Acts 5:29, Peter said, "We must please God rather than people."

c. John 12:43, the problem, "they loved the approval of people, rather than God"

d. Why important? Many reasons (spend some time thinking on this)

1. God's expectations are in YOUR best interests; as opposed to: people usually appreciate you only when you work for THEIR best interests

2. Puts your life-work in the hands of the One who truly appreciates you

IV. Mt 6:1-4, "God sees what you do in secret and will reward you."

- God sees/knows everything you do, the sacrifices you make, the impact you have, the times you're generous, the people you serve. And He's appreciative.

- Mt 25:31-46, "When did we see/help you?" When you did for the least of these

1. These people are rewarded by God when even they themselves did not realize they had done anything "worth appreciating." But, God saw. God noticed.

2. God always sees. God always notices. And God always appreciates.

V. Benefits? We change: 1) grumbling to praying; 2) competing to celebrating; 3) bitterness to thankfulness; 4) performing to serving; 5) boasting to encouraging