09/27/2017 — God created you, so you're perfect as you are! But we act like we don't believe that, showing others instead a version of ourselves that is nothing like who we really are. God's heart is for us to show others who we really are, “#nofilter,” which we can only do with God's help! Call on the One who made you to present your authentic self to a world that needs Him desperately — it's the best way you'll find to reach “the one!”

EDUCATION

Genesis 3:6–21
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,   cursed are you above all livestock   and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go,   and dust you shall eat   all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman,   and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head,   and you shall bruise his heel.”

To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;   in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,   but he shall rule over you.”

And to Adam he said,

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife   and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you,   'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you;   in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;   and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face   you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground,   for out of it you were taken; for you are dust,   and to dust you shall return.”

The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them ” (MEV).

APPLICATION

• The culture wants us to believe a lie — that perfection is attainable in this life. There are no perfect people or perfect churches! We all bear life's scars, and that's OK, because scars are a visible reminder of the attacks that you have survived.
• Social media creates the illusion that nobody is a mess, so we can't afford to reveal our mess to others either. Acting like someone you're not is not sustainable — it's a game you can't win.
• The act of putting filters in front of what we let others see isn't new. It's as old as the history of mankind. Adam and Eve's first response to being caught in sin was to hide themselves from the God who created them and knew everything about them. And all too often, we do the same.
• Your image doesn't fool God! And yet, He loves you — when you get it right, and even more when you get it wrong. Let Him filter out your insecurities, your pride and your shame today.
• You don't need to do anything to please Him; He's already pleased with you, and He wants a relationship with you

ACTION STEPS

Pray for and ask at least ONE person this week to come to church with you this coming Sunday for the Planetshakers concert at 7 p.m.

Continue to join the WHC family in reading and praying through Psalm 100 twice each day.

Finally, begin to pray about who to invite to the presentation of Master's Welcome at WHC Oct. 26-29.

IMPARTATION
Heavenly Father,

Thank You for loving me just as You made me! Forgive me for my vanity, my shame and my pride that cause me to act as though I need to become someone else to be acceptable in Your sight.

Show me, as many times as I need to be shown, the folly of showing a filtered version of myself to others. Make me comfortable in my own skin, so I may be the most authentic and most accurate representation of Your love and grace that I can be. Use me to reach others for You!

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ — Jehovah Joshua Messiah — I pray. Amen!




WHC FAMILY PRAYER REQUESTS

In Matthew 18, Jesus said “Truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Let’s stand in agreement with the following members of our church family who have requested prayer:
We want to pray with YOU! Send in your prayer request on this online form so we can agree with you in prayer! Send in your testimony or praise report here when God moves in your life, so we can give Him glory with you!!