The Love and Approval of God by Richard Kinney

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All rights reserved. Firehouse Ministries, Inc. 2016.

Questions

1. What are the two basis for God’s love and approval of us?

2. Describe each briefly.

3. What are some of the symptoms of not getting enough love and approval?

4. Is a strong, healthy ego a good or bad thing? Why?

5. Is it possible to feel the whole intensity of God’s approval for you? Why or why not?

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Prayers

Heavenly Father, You love and approve of me more than I know. I want to ask You to take away any barriers I have of receiving Your love and approval. I am willing to see myself and my life differently as You show me Your way of seeing me. And help me not just to know how You see me, but help me to feel what You feel when You see me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Personal Application Activity

1. Here are some symptoms that you are not getting the love and approval you need. It’s almost like a food or vitamin we need. From which do you suffer?

•  We will feel empty.
• We will be in pain emotionally, possibly physically.
• We will because of our pain feel a need to draw attention to ourselves.
• We will be “needlessly busy”
• We will be fragile

 When you consider the concept that God does truly love and approve of you, how does that feel to you?

2. Do you feel any barriers about receiving that? Talk to God about that.
3. Practice this exercise on your own (you can listen again to the audio, if needed). Record your results and then try it again.
4. Consider beginning a journal of God’s love and approval of you.

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Scripture for Meditation

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

 “Some of my favorite Scriptures are: Psalm 139:14 where God says, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” God tells me in Psalm 17, “I am the apple of His eye.” In Deuteronomy 7:6, God tells me that I am “His treasured possession.” In Philippians 4:8, God tells me to think about whatever is “true, noble, right, pure, and lovely.” I like to think about the truth that God tells me and spend my time thinking about what God says is true. The last Scripture I want to share is Psalm 119:114, “You are my refuge and my shield. I have put my hope in your Word.” My confidence and hope is in God. I know now that instead of being a mistake, I am the Lord’s treasured possession.”[1]

[1] Excerpted from an article on CBN.com written by a woman with Downs Syndrome entitled, “What God Says about Me.” Read the full article at http://www1.cbn.com/devotions/what-god-says-about-me.

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Love and Approval Quiz

Read the following excerpt about God’s love and approval from a woman who grew up having Downs Syndrome.[1] What are some of the ways that God loves and approves of Jenny?

What God Says About Me!

Jenny the Jewel

I was born with Down syndrome over 30 years ago. This makes some things very difficult for me. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time asking God, Why did you make me with Down Syndrome? Why can’t I be normal like other people?

I told Him all the time that I didn’t like having Down Syndrome. I kept thinking that if only I didn’t have Down Syndrome I would be happy. I thought that somehow God made a mistake when He made me. My Mom and Dad always told me they loved me so deeply, and that they could not love me anymore, but somehow down deep in my heart I always wondered if they would love me more if I didn’t have Down Syndrome.

When I was in high school, the kids on the school bus were very mean to me. They laughed at me, and mocked me and they called me all kinds of bad names, and told me that even my parents couldn’t love me. That hurt me so deeply!  

When I got off the school bus in the afternoon, I would be crying. My Mom met me at the door, and we would talk and pray every day. She told me that people used to say bad things about Jesus and call Him names too, so He understood exactly how I felt.

She told me that real truth is only found in God’s Word, and not in what other people say about you. . .

Some of my favorite Scriptures are: Psalm 139:14 where God says,“I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” God tells me in Psalm 17, “I am the apple of His eye.” In Deuteronomy 7:6, God tells me that I am “His treasured possession.” In Philippians 4:8, God tells me to think about whatever is “true, noble, right, pure, and lovely.” I like to think about the truth that God tells me and spend my time thinking about what God says is true. The last Scripture I want to share is Psalm 119:114, “You are my refuge and my shield. I have put my hope in your Word.” My confidence and hope is in God. I know now that instead of being a mistake, I am the Lord’s treasured possession.

. . .The Lord showed me that I am not a mistake, but I am a precious gift…His treasured possession. We have a choice to believe and fill our minds with God’s truth, which will change our hearts, or listen to what other people say and be sad. It is a choice we must each make. . .

God does not make any mistakes, and that’s the truth… no matter what we sometime may think. As Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.” Jesus is my best friend, and I love Him with all my heart, and I am fully His. There is nothing more important in my life than pleasing Him, spending time loving Him and reading His Word, talking to Him, and sharing His love with other people. His joy fills my heart!

If your heart is sad because you wish God had made you different, read in His Word the truth of what He says about you, believe it, and let Him change your heart. Nothing is impossible with God. He certainly did change my heart.

Lord, I pray for each person, that you will fill their heart with Your truth of who they really are and how much you love them. AMEN!

[1] Excerpted from an article on CBN.com written by a woman with Downs Syndrome entitled, “What God Says about Me.” Read the full article at http://www1.cbn.com/devotions/what-god-says-about-me.

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Love and Approval Questions Answer Key

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1. What are the two basis for God’s love and approval of us?

He created us and we are a part of Him and He sees us into all eternity.

2. Describe each briefly.

When He thought us up, He was creating something beautiful and good which was a reflection of His own image. When He sees what we become after getting to hang out in heaven for eons, He knows what our potential to be right now and already enjoys that.

3. What are some of the symptoms of not getting enough love and approval?

Here are some symptoms that you are not getting the love and approval you need. It’s almost like a food or vitamin we need.

• We will feel empty.
• We will be in pain emotionally, possibly physically.
• We will because of our pain feel a need to draw attention to ourselves.
• We will be “needlessly busy”
• We will be fragile

4. Is a strong, healthy ego a good or bad thing? Why?

A good thing because if sets us up for more of an ability to receive God’s picture of us and how much He approves and honors us and our essence.

5. Is it possible to feel the whole intensity of God’s approval for you? Why or why not?

His love and approval are so immense and intense, it would quickly overwhelm us and crush us. We have to start with small doses and work our way up to a higher percentage.

Love and Approval Quiz Answer Key

Psalm 139:14 where God says,“I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

God tells me in Psalm 17, “I am the apple of His eye.”

In Deuteronomy 7:6, God tells me that I am “His treasured possession.”

Click here for Word Doc