Gods Imprint on Our Lives Fearfully Wonderfully Made

God’s Imprint on Our Lives Fearfully & Wonderfully Made “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. ” Psalm 139: 13 -14 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22: 6 …we were made for God’s glory, pleasure & purpose

Our Wonderful Zoo!

Why Examine Our Personalities? § How does it prosper us, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, the Body of Christ, and the Kingdom of God to understand who we are? Ø Us? Ø Our Families? Ø Our Church Family? Ø Our “neighbor”? Ø Our Community? Ø Our Christian Family (the Body of Christ)? Ø God’s Kingdom?

Are We Set In Our Ways? § Are we set in “concrete” and unchangeable? Or are we “clay” that can be shaped and molded? § Does God was to “change” who He made us to be? § How does God desire to “transform” us?

Be Ye Transformed… Romans 12: 2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 2 Corinthians 5: 17 - Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Galatians 2: 20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Philippians 1: 6 - Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ: Acts 1: 8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Psalms 51: 10 -12 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Producing Fruit? Colossians 1: 21 -22 - And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— John 15: 8 - By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. Matthew 13: 23 - But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ” If we have a healthy relationship with Christ, then… we will have a healthy relationship with our Family, then… we will have a healthy relationship with our Church Family, then we will have a healthy relationship with our Neighbors, then… we will glorify God, show His love, and help grow His Church!

Hardside & Softside Leanings LIONS § We learned that the personalities depicted as a _____ and BEAVERS a _______ are “hardside love” “bents”. § We learned that the personalities depicted as a __________ and an _____ are “softside GOLDEN RETRIEVER OTTERS love” “bents”. § Are we “perfectly balanced” like Jesus Christ? § Are we “more” balanced now than before our relationship with Christ? § Are we “more” balanced now that we’ve “grown” in our faith? § Are we “hungering and thirsting” to become more like Christ? Matthew 5: 6 - Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!

Strengths Can Become Weaknesses § We’ve learned that one’s personality strengths can become OF BALANCE weaknesses if they are OUT __________. § Can a “hardside” “child of God” increase Christ-like “softness” in their relationships? § Can a “softside” “child of God” increase Christlike “hardness” in their relationships? § If so, then how?

Increasing Hardside Love § Tough love isn’t easy…and it often doesn’t bring “rewards” quickly! § Golden retrievers and beavers can be full of wonderfully soft love for people…but they can be too soft on problems as well ! § Learn Godly ways and put them into practice. § We will look at 10 methods that, if put into practice, can help people add Christ-like hardness to their lives.

Increasing Hardside Love 1. Recognize the effects of emotional “freeze points”. Ø Often something from a person’s past is contributing to out-ofbalance relationships in the present. Ø Emotional freeze points reflect either a single event or a season of events that lock a person into giving only one side of love. Ø Emotional freeze points can be caused by divorce, death in the family, physical abuse, bullying, loss of job, etc. Ø Take time to look closely at your past, seek Christian-based counseling, find an accountability brother or sister in Christ to talk with, etc.

Increasing Hardside Love 2. Allow a short time of distance to build a season of closeness. Ø Examine how close or distant you tend to be in your important relationships. Ø If you are strong at building relationships, when problems arise you may “explain them away”. (You may just choose to give it more time to “work itself out” or you just may ignore it all together. ) Ø If you get so close to people that you can’t separate the person from the problem, you can begin to equate legitimate correction with personal rejection. Ø The most insecure people are those who can’t distance themselves from their loved ones far enough to discipline them.

Increasing Hardside Love Ø Can you express your love deeply and clearly, yet also teach and enforce good healthy rules? Ø After correction, understand that there is normally a period of emotional distance between the one doing the correcting, instructing and reproving, and the one being corrected or disciplined. Ø It’s only natural and shouldn’t be feared.

Increasing Hardside Love 3. Learn to use a word that can save your relationships. Ø It’s hard to imagine the incredible power of a single word! Ø We’ve seen people take or lose control of their lives simply by saying or failing to say this one hardside word: “no”. Ø By age two, we are using it all the time! But somewhere between 2 and our 20’s, many of us lose the ability to it. Ø say Jesus learned to say “no” when it was needed. (When? )

Increasing Hardside Love Ø Failing to say “no” can allow unwanted attitudes to take root in our homes and churches. (How? ) Ø Failing to say “no” can keep “Preach the word of God. us from doing what’s really Be prepared, whether the important. (How? ) time is favorable or not. Ø Failing to say “no” can Patiently correct, rebuke, allow tension and resentment to build up. and encourage your people (How? ) with good teaching. ” Ø Failing to say “no” can cut meaningful communication 2 Timothy 4: 2 in half. (How? ) Ø People who hold in their frustration Ø Failing to say “no” can and fail to be hard with others when keep others and ourselves it’s needed pay a price – in same from the truth. (How? ) cases, much too high a price. (Explain. )

Increasing Hardside Love 4. Face the heart of procrastination. Ø Conviction only points out that changes are needed…it doesn’t make them for us. Ø There is a four-letter word that lies at the heart of procrastination: Ø 6 types of fear could be holding us back or keeping us from changing. § Fear of Discipline § Fear of Finding Our Limitations § Fear of Commitment § Fear of Failure § Fear of Success § Fear of Being Controlled Ø When we become frightened and put off changing, usually there’s a moral problem we’re struggling with, not an intellectual one. It’s not that we don’t understand what God is asking us to do, it’s that we do understand.

Increasing Hardside Love 5. Avoid the trap of relying on instant change. Ø If fear is the fuel that causes us to put off needed changes, the hope of instant, easy change adds a turbocharger to the problem. Ø We wish there were an easy way to change, but any Click on the link or cut and paste: hardside or softside http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=y. AMRXq. QXem. U trait we need to add will only make its way into our lives the old-fashioned way – by earning it in daily persistence. Ø Experts say that it takes at least 21 days of repeating something before it becomes a habit.

Increasing Hardside Love Ø What is “marinade” ? Mari-nation is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine (aqua marina) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor by immersion in liquid. In meats, the acid causes the tissue to break down, which allows more moisture to be absorbed and results in a juicier end product; however, too much acid can be detrimental to the end product. A good marinade has a balance of acid, oil, and spice. Ø Ever try to get “marinade” out of the meat?

Increasing Hardside Love 6. Allow yourself to be accountable to others. Ø Throughout Scripture, there is example after example of God calling His people into accountability…to Him, His Law, and His people. Ø Loving accountability is God’s primary tool to stop a person from procrastinating and start making needed hardside and softside changes. Ø We all need someone who can ask the hard questions, not to hurt you, but to help and encourage you. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. ” Proverbs 17: 17 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ” Galatians 6: 1 -3

Increasing Hardside Love

Increasing Hardside Love 7. Build relational bridges to carry hardside words. Ø Establish trusting relationships so you can say the most difficult Ø Build thingsstrong, and have them taken in a faithful, loving way. intimate relationships by using all the nurturing skills of softside love and in doing so you can build strong bridges to carry loving hardside words when they need to said. Ø be Once those bridges of friendship have been built, we need to cross them when it’s called for.

Increasing Hardside Love 8. Break hardside changes down into bite-size Østeps. Don’t back a “dump-truck” full of demands, adjustments, corrections, and changes on others, lift the bed, and empty the contents. God doesn’t do that! Ø Be consistent, steady, patient and measured as you incorporate disciplines and adjustments into your life…and the lives of those you love and to influence. Ø wish Talk, share, write down and discuss a method, strategy, or plan for increasing hardside adjustments in the loves of those you love.

Increasing Hardside Love 9. Strengthen your spiritual confidence. Ø Model our love after our Savior. Ø Study God’s Word and know what He wants, how He desires us to live, how He urges us to respond to others, how He wants His Church to reflect Him. Ø If you know Scriptures, you can speak with wisdom and love upon the authority of His Word. Ø The more we understand God and His purpose for our lives, the easier it will be to provide whichever side of love our families, our church family, our friends, & our neighbors need. “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. ” 2 Timothy 2: 15

Increasing Hardside Love 10. Set a lifetime goal of giving hardside love when it’s Øneeded. The greatest single way to grow healthy hardside love for others is to increase our love for Christ. Ø Remember, that we run a “marathon” in our life of growing in Christ…not a 100 yard dash! Ø Talk, listen, share. Ø Pursue “truth”…The Truth…His Truth! And it will “set you free”! John 8: 28