Acceptance and Humility

In this message, Deborah speaks on acceptance and contrasts the world’s version of acceptance with God’s acceptance. She explains that people often look for recognition and approval from man, but explains that kind of acceptance depends on outward appearance and compromise. She says God does not look at the outward person but at the heart, and that believers are “accepted in the beloved” through Jesus Christ. She points to Jesus’ sacrifice, baptism, death, and resurrection as the basis for acceptance, not human effort. She also cites Cain and Abel to show that God accepts the sacrifice He requires, not a substitute. Deborah then connects acceptance with humility and obedience. She says the first step is acknowledging the need for a Savior, and the next is admitting personal inability to fix everything. She describes prayer, worship, fasting, and praying in the Holy Ghost as acts of humility and worship that help believers yield to God. Deborah closes by encouraging us to keep using the tools we have been given without becoming overwhelmed. She says the outward man must be laid down so the believer can grow, know God more fully, and be changed for the benefit of others.