Pastor fergus wife 31/10/21 authentic

 

BARRIERS TO AN AUTHENTIC SELF                                     

Lack of self awareness                                                     Emotional stuntedness                                                    Inability to face our wounds

We’ve been conditioned to:

• minimise

• rationalise

• intellectualise

• avoid

• suppress

• deny                                                                                    our hurts & disappointments

CONSEQUENCES OF INAUTHENTIC SELF?

Numbness

Blocked access to God

SOLUTION

Turn towards your pain. Know that Jesus does not despise or reject us

Lord, help us embrace our pain in honesty before You

AUTHENTIC                                                                                         1. AUTHENTIC TO ONE ANOTHER                                               2. AUTHENTIC TO YOURSELF                                              3. AUTHENTIC LOVE IS THE GOAL

1 John 4: 20-21 

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

John 13: 34-35 

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Psalm 51: 6 & 17

6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts … 17a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Jeremiah 6: 13-14 (NIV)

13 “From the least to the greatest,
    all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.
14 They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.

A CHURCH THAT HAS STRONG SPIRITUAL COMPETENCIES BUT IS STILL SPIRITUALLY IMMATURE