Accept His Acceptance

“God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.” Acts 15:8 (NIV)

Have you accepted God’s acceptance of you? That’s step number two in order to PACE yourself for the day. Remember, you start your day off by lifting your hands toward heaven and saying, “Lord, I praise you.” Then as you keep your hands lifted you turn the palm of your hands toward each other and say, “I accept Your acceptance of me.”

How did God demonstrate His acceptance of the Gentiles in the book of Acts? He demonstrated His acceptance by allowing the Holy Spirit to take up residence in them. God indwelt them by His Holy Spirit. He took the initiative through the shed blood of Jesus to make them fit for His habitation. God demonstrated His acceptance of us by saving us and enabling us to become the walking tabernacle of His presence (1 Cor 6:19-20).

Who made us acceptable? Jesus! What should our response be to His acceptance of us? Accepting others! “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:7 NIV). If you have a difficult time accepting someone, think for a moment about Jesus’ acceptance of you. As you accept others you are extending to them what you have received from Jesus.

Let’s practice: Lift of your hands and say, “Lord, I praise You.” Now turn your uplifted hands toward each other and say, “I accept Your acceptance of me.”

Now live in fullness everyday by accepting His acceptance of you. There’s nothing you can do to cause Jesus to love you more and there’s nothing you can do to cause Him to love you less. Jesus accepts you!

Pursuing God,

Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell