Found out- Spirit Notes

Found Out
I Timothy 1:12-17

Thoughts on being FOUND and being FOUND OUT:
When Pastor Lisa was sharing how God initiates finding us, I wrote "God pursues a loving relationship with us that is real and personal" which is a quote from the bible study Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby that I completed in 1993 when I first attended First Baptist Church. The study was led by Larry and Diane Irvin and it was phenomenal. Here are the seven basic tenets of the study:

 

I loved that study because I learned so much about God's will and my life. I loved it so much that I taught it to youth when Hub Blankenship was the youth pastor at FBC. Then I taught it again in an adult small group at Word of Life Fellowship. I still refer to it over and over again.

Another thing that I noted was what Paul said in I Timothy 1:14, "the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." Then in verse 16, "But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost (sinner), Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life."
I love how we TRUST in His Grace to change us....to work in us. The song the choir sang was titled "Give me a clean heart." Not, "watch me change myself and hope I get it right." God initiates!! God completes the work.
Psalm 51 contains so many pleadings for GOD to do the work:
Have mercy
Blot out
Wash me
Cleanse me
Purge me
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you."
Notice that what "I" do is TEACH and SHARE his ways. My life and restoration will impact those around me to come to Him.

We are FOUND by God---that's reconciliation.
We are then FOUND OUT by God---that's sanctification through conviction of the Holy Spirit.

LET GO (surrender) AND LET GOD (trust).