ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.

Gloria Phifer

           

            How important is acceptance to you?  Where do you find the most important acceptance of your life?

           

            Ephesians 1:6. To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the Beloved.

            Accepted in Greek is "charitoo" (khar-ee-too) To grace. Endue with special honor. Make accepted. To be highly favored. To make graceful, charming, lovely, agreeable. To peruse with grace. To compass with favor. To honor with blessings." (Compass means to surround.)

            I love this word…what about you? What stands out to you in the Greek meaning of "accepted?"

            Ps. 5:12 For You Lord will bless the righteous; with favor will you compass him as a shield.

            Compass in Hebrew is "atar". "To encircle (for attack or protection) especially to crown. To surround. To crown…give a crown. Bestow er. (The One Who encircles and crowns.)

            What are your thoughts about being encircled? Being crowned? Surrounded by favor? Having a shield of favor encircling you?

            Do you see yourself as highly favored? What difference would it make in your life if you realized you are surrounded with favor? The difference in knowing you are totally accepted in the Beloved?

            How would this knowledge, this belief affect your life? What perspective would you have? Would it change the way you see yourself?

            In Psalm 5 Shield in Hebrew is "tsinnah (tsin-naw') A large shield. (As if guarding by prickliness.) It comes from a word that means to be "prickly, a thorn, a hedge."

            Do you ever pray for a hedge of protection? I have.

            We have a hedge of protection…the favor of God. Does this comfort you?

                        Beloved in Greek is "agapao" "To love dearly."

            Christ is the dearly beloved of the Father.  He has made us accepted in the Beloved…IN CHRIST.

            What are your thoughts, that you are accepted in the Beloved…you are accepted In Christ?

            The Lord has brought this word "beloved" to me in a different way many times. It has always been … be…loved. To remember and to know that I am loved. 

            Notice: He has made us accepted. It is nothing we have done on our own. The praise goes to the glory of His grace. It is His grace that has made us accepted.

            Grace…In Greek is "charis". "The Divine influence upon the heart, and it's reflection in the life: including acceptance, benefit, favor, gift, joy, liberality, pleasure. The merciful kindness, by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian faith." Notice grace is a "Gift".

            Eph. 2:8. For by grace are you saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God.

            What do you do with a gift? 

What is the motivation of the Giver?  A price for this Gift has been paid for by the Giver.  John 3:16. God gave. 1 Cor. 6:20.  Here is our Beloved…John 1:14.

What does grace mean to you? John 1:17 the law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ.

Our proclamations:

v     I am a child of the Living God.

v     I am a son of God …John 1:12

v     I am chosen by God. Ephesians 1:4.

v     I am adopted by Jesus Christ Ephesians 1:5

v     I am accepted in the Beloved