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Finding Real Self-respect
John 3:16 'This is how much God loved the world: he gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.' (The Message)
 For some men, the local bar, gym or football club provide a sense of camaraderie and bon homie that's missing in their homes. For many women the same is true of the fitness club or the local community help program. For many people of both sexes the workplace meets some of the need for value and respect -- they find people at work treat them with more dignity than people in the home. (Many times, this results in workaholism.) But when you come to Christ, when he becomes the central person in your life, you start to value yourself by his measure. He went to a cross for you, so you know that you are worth dying for. For years, I wondered why God put Matthew chapter one in the Bible. I mean, reading it is a bit like wading through a heavy telephone book written in small print. Not only did God include it in the scriptures, he placed it right at the beginning of the New Testament! There've been times when I've advised seekers after truth to start reading the New Testament of the Bible, and later realized what I'd inflicted on them! Their first experience of the Bible would be this list of names. Then, one day I understood. The first chapter of Matthew reminds us that when we became Christians we were adopted into a family – not a cause or a club, not a lobby-group or a common-interest group, a family. When we came into this family we were grafted into a wonderful heritage, a background, a history. And we became part of a plan for the future that's linked to the same promises God gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God values you highly – you can find true self-respect in him.
Prayer: 'Thank you, Father, that you have shown such kindness to me, adopting me into your special family. Help me today to live like the child of a king, which is what I am.'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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Mal, great article on the leader of Britain's army. I was having the same discussion earlier today, came to my PC and found you backed up everything I had said! Keep up the incredible work!
Joel Robinson, United Kingdom
Thanks for keeping us on our toes, Mal! As Christians living in today's ultra-pragmatic culture, our choices need to recognize the present reality while seeing it through the perspective of our God-revealed future.
Ann, Australia
I was close to tears when I read the excerpt from Mal's new book "The Future is X". He reminded me of things from my past which were so dramatically true.
Antonio, Portugal
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