One Another

Love your neighbor as yourself.

-Matthew 22:39

INTRODUCTION

As followers of Jesus, we have been challenged to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:31-40). We can only fully love our neighbors if we have a healthy love for ourselves. Emotional health is a worthy endeavor for all believers. In fact, becoming a fruitful believer includes the holistic application of the power of the Gospel in our lives.

Last year, I visited New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York during my time away in July. I was able to interview Pete Scazzero, the founding pastor of the church and the author of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (EHS). He has now retired from the church and is directing EHS ministry full time. I also have been corresponding with Pastor Sherin Swift, one of the Associate Pastors at New Life Fellowship.

My hope is to introduce the ministry of EHS to our church in this series. We are planning to provide some training for small group leaders to shepherd this ministry in our church. We will launch EHS in January 2021.

This series is not based on the EHS material, per se --- but EHS serves as the backdrop for our conversations in August.

August 2, 2020:  God’s Design

At the core of our understanding of ourselves is the theological truth that each human being is specifically and uniquely designed by God Himself. We are worthy of God’s love for us because of God’s design of us. He loves us deeply and we are special to Him.

Sermon Text: Psalm 139

Daily Bible Readings

August 3: Genesis 1:1-2:3

August 4: Psalm 139:1-12

August 5: Psalm 139:13-24

August 6: Psalm 8

August 7: 1 John 4:7-21

August 8: Reflection

August 9, 2020:  God’s Desire

God has designed human beings to live in relationship with Him. He created us in His Image and throughout Scripture God demonstrates His desire to walk with human beings. For example, in the Old Testament, He instructed Israel to construct the Tabernacle so that He might dwell with them. In the New Testament, through Jesus we have been given specific access to fellowship with God! One of the reasons we are to “love ourselves” is because of God’s desire to live in relationship with us.

Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 1:9

Daily Bible Readings

August 10: Exodus 23:20-33

August 11: Exodus 24 

August 12: Exodus 25:1-9

August 13: Hebrews 4:14-5:10

August 14: Hebrews 8

August 15: Reflection

August 16, 2020:  God’s Direction

God provides direction for our lives because He loves us! He offers His guiding hand to direct us on His paths for His glory and for our well-being. We are designed for God’s glory and His will is always best for us. Again, His willingness to offer direction for our lives is another reason for us to have a healthy love for ourselves.

Sermon Text: Jeremiah 29:10-14

Daily Bible Readings

August 17: Ephesians 2:1-10

August 18: Ephesians 2:11-22

August 19: Ephesians 3:1-13

August 20: Ephesians 3:14-21

August 21: Psalm 119:105-112

August 22: Reflection

August 23, 2020:  God’s Deposit

God has invested Himself personally in the lives of each believer. In fact, He has given us His Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until our final day of redemption. In fact, our bodies actually are the temple of His Holy Spirit. Again, another reason to love ourselves is God’s decision to be so personally invested in our lives.

Sermon Text: Ephesians 1:11-14

Daily Bible Readings

August 24: John 14:1-14

August 25: John 14:15-31

August 26: John 15:1-25

August 27: John 15:26-16:15

August 28: John 16:16-33

August 29: Reflection

August 30, 2020:  God’s Delight

Guest Preacher: Dr. Joshua Stowe

God loves to see human beings flourishing. Human flourishing includes a healthy self-image and emotional health. We will be introducing some version of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality in January 2021 to FBCA. 

Sermon Text: John 4:1-30

Daily Bible Readings

August 31: John 3:1-21

September 1: John 6:25-40

September 2: John 6:41-59

September 3: John 10:1-18

September 4: John 17

September 5: Reflection