WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.720 Today we are going to take a posture of peace by gaining a greater sense of belonging. 2 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:12.800 Posture is a short audible fist bump to remind you God is with you in everything. 3 00:00:13.360 --> 00:00:17.520 Together we're going to be emboldened to take a daily posture of perfect peace. 4 00:00:21.840 --> 00:00:27.680 So all last week we talked about the love of God and we spent time together in first 5 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:35.680 John chapter 4, which is a treasure of a chapter. I love it so much. And as I was preparing for 6 00:00:35.680 --> 00:00:41.600 this week of episodes, I just so happened to look back on the episode that aired this time last year 7 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:46.640 because I can do that now because posture is officially one year old as of last week. So I 8 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:52.400 can actually go back to this time last year and say, what were we talking about a year ago? And 9 00:00:52.400 --> 00:00:58.560 the episode that aired, I believe it was actually the date was February 21st, 2020, was called 10 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:06.000 You Belong to Love. And I read from, you guessed it, first John 4. It's like the Lord is bringing 11 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:12.000 me back to this truth to replant myself, soak it up, and gain a greater sense of belonging. 12 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:17.280 And I think it's just so cool how what the Lord was speaking to us about a year ago, 13 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:22.560 he stirred up in my heart again to share again. And that's actually encouraging to me. That's 14 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:27.760 never discouraging when the Lord brings me back to a truth because this is the transformation 15 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:33.920 process, right? We are learning, we are practicing, we are becoming. We are learning, we are practicing, 16 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:40.720 we are becoming. Our relationship with God is never about trying to arrive at the 17 00:01:40.720 --> 00:01:46.560 peak of all understanding on a particular biblical topic, which that's not possible anyway 18 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:52.400 because the revelation of God is limitless. But our relationship with God is about being 19 00:01:52.400 --> 00:02:00.000 transformed into his image with an ever-increasing glory. We are going from glory to glory. 20 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:06.960 That's 2 Corinthians 3.18. You and I are living a lifestyle of being on a journey, not arriving 21 00:02:06.960 --> 00:02:13.440 at the peak of all understanding. And so today we are back in first John chapter 4, and I'm 22 00:02:13.440 --> 00:02:18.480 going to be reading today from verses 3 and 4. It says, 23 00:02:18.480 --> 00:02:24.720 And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the 24 00:02:24.720 --> 00:02:31.120 Antichrist, which you heard was coming and is now in the world already. Little children, 25 00:02:31.760 --> 00:02:42.320 you are from God and have overcome them. For he who is in you is greater than he who is in 26 00:02:42.320 --> 00:02:50.160 the world. Amen. I'm about to have my first child, and over the last, I don't know, 27 00:02:50.160 --> 00:02:58.480 eight months or so, I have been exposed, maybe even overexposed, to lots of information and 28 00:02:58.480 --> 00:03:05.600 advice on childbirth. And I think what has caught me by surprise the most is the amount of fear 29 00:03:05.600 --> 00:03:13.600 that is attached to childbirth. It's like people expect you to be afraid. And it got me thinking 30 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:19.920 how much fear is normalized in this world, not just with childbirth, but really with almost 31 00:03:19.920 --> 00:03:27.040 every aspect of our lives. It's like expected to be a part of our everyday life. It's expected 32 00:03:27.040 --> 00:03:33.440 that you would be anxious instead of excited about starting something new, new job, new school, 33 00:03:34.320 --> 00:03:40.480 new move, new season of life. It's expected that you would be fearful, not peaceful, 34 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:47.440 when facing the unknown. It's expected that you would be overwhelmed by hard circumstances 35 00:03:47.440 --> 00:03:52.480 instead of remaining confident that you can overcome in those hard circumstances. 36 00:03:53.600 --> 00:04:01.440 For those who believe in Jesus, who are from God, we belong to God, not to fear. 37 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:09.360 We have a different normal than the world. So where is your sense of belonging today? 38 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:16.959 Are you living aware of the one who is living in you, who is greater than anything living outside 39 00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:24.000 of you? You know, a sense of belonging is usually defined as a feeling of belonging, right? But 40 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:32.960 here's what's so cool. In the kingdom, our senses do not dictate what is true. Instead, the truth 41 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:41.520 dictates our senses. Our sense of belonging is not rooted in what we may be feeling. It's rooted 42 00:04:41.520 --> 00:04:48.320 in the truth. You and I are being transformed into his image and likeness. God is not being 43 00:04:48.320 --> 00:04:56.240 transformed into ours. And this is really good news. My prayer for you today is that you 44 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:59.840 gain a greater sense of belonging today. 45 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:08.960 by experiencing a greater awareness of his presence in you. By the way, Thanksgiving is a 46 00:05:08.960 --> 00:05:15.600 great way to sharpen your awareness and align yourself with the truth. Give thanks for what 47 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:25.200 is true today. Find out what is true by reading his word. He is with you. He is for you. And you 48 00:05:25.200 --> 00:05:32.400 belong to him. And be encouraged by this. The proof of his presence is not found in what you 49 00:05:32.400 --> 00:05:38.960 may currently be feeling or seeing or even thinking. The proof of his presence in you 50 00:05:39.760 --> 00:05:48.960 is in his word. It's in what he has promised and he has said, he will never leave you nor forsake 51 00:05:48.960 --> 00:05:59.760 you.