Answering the Big Question Discovering your Identity from four messages in Ephesians

BECAUSE OF JESUS

We become different people understanding we are refined by our relationship with Jesus.

Ephesians 2: It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing,

Ephesians 2:1-10 when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin- dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own,

Ephesians 2:1-10 with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. 7-10Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his

Ephesians 2:1-10 idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He

Ephesians 2:1-10 creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

Who Am I I Am Refined -- by Jesus I Am Changed. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.

Refined I am no longer mired down– Stuck in how I live. It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. Mired – Stagnant –

Refined What it looked like when we were mired down

Gentlemen’s Quarterly

Refined What it looked like when we were mired down We let the world define us. The world’s impact showed up in how we lived.

Children collect stagnant water for use at home Dec. 7, 2008, in Glen View, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Refined What it looked like when we were mired down We let the world define us. The world’s impact showed up in how we lived. This is who we all were.

Refined Why my past is important to my present Remembering our past leads to a greater appreciation for God’s mercy.

Refined Why my past is important to my present Remembering our past reminds us how much we are dependent upon him.

Refined Why my past is important to my present Remembering our past reminds us of how much we have been changed.

BECAUSE OF JESUS

Who Am I I Am Refined -- by Jesus I am continuing to be changed. Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus.

Refined More and More The Blessings (FAVOR) we’ve discovered so far are just a sampling of what is to come.

Refined More and More The result of how we’re being changed leads to the fulfillment of God’s design and purpose for our lives.

Who Am I Chapter One I am Changed in Christ.

and more blessings in Him. Then as I walk intentionally in this new life with him, I will fulfill all the things he is planning for me to accomplish with Him in his work... Who Am I Chapter Two I am continually being changed in Christ in ways that God is directing so that I will keep discovering more

Hmmm... What is God asking of me now? In God’s ongoing plan for me, discovering more of his Blessing (favor) is always connected to discovering and fulfilling more of his calling and purpose in my life.

Living In Christ – Reflecting and Responding Who am I – I am Refined Made Alive in Christ for Good Works Remembering who I was and how I’ve been changed leads to celebration. How have I been changed? I used to be mired down in ______________ _____________________________________ One evidence of my stagnant life was ____ _____________________________________ One definite change God has brought in my life is ________________________________ _____________________________________ I think that some of my purpose in God’s kingdom is ­___________________________________________ (Hmm, Who do i talk to for help discovering this?) I am Praying for