;:::

I::

Ii::
self-worth I:
1. God's view of our worth.
I:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and
only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
I:
eternal life.

Romans 8:28-29 And we know that in all things God works for
the good of those who love him, who have been called according
I:
to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be
conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
I:
2. Biblical example of struggle with self-worth. ~
Job 9:21 Although I am blameless,I have no concern for myself;
I despise my own life.

3. We find our significance not in ourselves, but in our relationship

I;
to God.
James 4:10 Humble yourselvesbefore the Lord, and he will lift ~
you up.
Micah 6:8 He has showed you, 0 man, what is good. And what
does the LORDrequire of you?To actjustly and to love mercy and
s;
to walk humbly with your God.

4. Knowing God is what makes life meaningful. G

Ephesians 1:17-19 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the glorious Father, may giveyou the Spirit of wisdom and I:
158
-=
 ~ SELF-WORTH

revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes
= of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the
hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance
in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
= That power is like the working of his mighty strength.
Ephesians 3: 14-20 For this reason I kneel before the Father, from

= whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I
pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with
power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may

= dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted
and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
= and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be
filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is
able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according
:= to his power that is at work within us . . .

Philippians 3:8-10 What is more, I consider everything a loss

compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my
:= Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish,
that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a
righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which
:= is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God
and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his
resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,
:= becoming like him in his death.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise
:I man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast
about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD,
~ who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in
these I delight," declares the LORD.

::J 5. We are not to fall into a trap of relying on sel£

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 We do not want you to be uninformed,
brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia.
::I We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so

159
~
SELF-WORTH =
that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the
sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on
ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
=
6. Be careful not to allow pride to enter into a view of self.
Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his
c:
thoughts there is no room fot'God.

Isaiah 2:11-12 The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled

and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted
=
in that day. The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud
and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled).
==
2 Corinthians 10:12 We do not dare to classify or compare
ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure c:
themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves,
they are not wise.
=

==

c
I::

c
I:
G;
160
&;: