I am gifted, new, forgiven, adopted, loved

These are the titles of several chapters from Who Do You Think You Are? by Mark Driscoll.  Here are some quotes for you to consider as you think about your identity:
Rather than complaining, it's better to humbly start serving to meet a church's needs and invite others to also help. 
In this, we have imputed righteousness and imparted righteousness. In the former, we are declared holy in the sight of God. In the latter, we are empowered to live holy lives by the Spirit of God after being born again to live a new life in Christ. 
Sadly, we often forget this wonderful benefit of regeneration and instead try to change our outward behavior,forgetting that change begins deep inside us and works its way out into our daily actions. 
Anger, when rightly harnessed and directed at true injustices (not our perceived injustices), can be a powerful force for justice, goodness, and love. 
The only helpful answer to our bitterness and anger is the gospel. 
In Christ alone we're adopted and receive all the benefits and blessings that are his because he has graciously chosen to share them with us. 
The key to changing our behavior is knowing our Father. 
Rather than try to make his son earn love by being good, he saw his son become good by knowing he was loved. So it is with us as children of God. 
Our primary goal is getting to know, love, and trust God as our Father. 
In Christ, we're perfectly loved. 
But Jesus loves the church, and gave himself for her.  We must also love the church and give ourselves for her if we want to love whom Jesus loves.


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