If you’re reading via email, please click title above (“Known”) so you can read it to my website. This post includes a powerful video and a FREE download that won’t come through via email.
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From Chapter 2, A Confident Heart
“Jesus knew Sam’s (the Samaritan woman’s) story and He knows yours. The Greek word for “know” is yada. It means a deep emotional experience; a bonding between two people when one truly feels the emotions of the other. Jesus knows your pain, fears, doubts, and disappointments. He understands your dreams and desires.
Although some of us feel uncomfortable that God knows so much about us, it is good to be known, to be listened to and not judged. Jesus is the only One who can meet our deepest needs to be accepted and delighted in simply because of who we are. We can offer nothing but our presence, and He will desire us just the same…
Christianity is the only faith that offers a relationship with the living God. We don’t just know about our God; our God wants us to know Him. We were created for that kind of relationship. He wants us to find lasting soul-security in knowing we are valued and pursued by the One who knows and loves us—the One who created our inmost being and wove us together in our mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13). Have you let the gospel of God’s grace move from your head to your heart, so that you know without a doubt you are known intimately and loved completely by God?” (p. 40 printed copy)
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Our word this week is “Known”
Our verse of the week is: Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” (NIV)
This week’s video message is one that shows us we are known and loved. Please click the arrow below to watch this video – all the way through. You’ll be so glad you did.
(from video script)
I WANT TO BE KNOWN
I want someone to look at my face
And not just see two eyes, a nose,
a mouth and two ears
But to see all that I am, and could be
all my hopes, loves and fears…
And YOU know me
You actually know me
all of me and everything about me
Every thought inside and hair on top of my head
Every hurt stored up, every hope, every dread
My past and my future, all I am and could be
You tell me everything,
You tell me about ME
And that which is spoken by another would bring hate and condemnation
Coming from Youu brings love, grace, mercy, hope and salvation
I’ve heard of One to come
who could save a wretch like me
And here in my presence, You say
I AM HE… ( read full script here)
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Today’s Assignment:
- Download our Free Printable PDF of this week’s word and verse — or find it here in a Word doc format if you prefer. Please print it and post it everywhere so you can remember God KNOWs YOU and He loves you!!
- Read this week’s memory verse (Jeremiah 1:5). Ask God to remind you all week that He knows the way you long to be known, pursued and loved!
- Start or continue reading chapter 2. Remember, take your time and highlight or underline sentences that resonate in your heart.
Connect in Community:
What sentences in Chapter 2 are resonating most with you?
- Please lick “Share Your Thoughts” below this post, and do just that. (Remember you have go to my website to do this)
- Share them on our Confident Heart Facebook Group Page
- Share them with me on Twitter(@reneesswope). Use #AConfidentHeart so we all find each other and share how God is speaking us!
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I’ll announce last week’s winners in my next post.
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To be known is to be loved…I think if I could really believe in my heart and not just in my head that even though God knows all of me that He still loves me, I could live more confident and secure and without fear of intimacy with God and with others. I am holding on for dear life that “because God’s love is perfect, I don’t have to be”. He is not keeping record of my wrongs. He accepts me and loves me no matter what. Wow! That is truly amazing.
Wow, I do want to be known also. Really known. I know Jesus knows me – but I needed this reminder because lately I have felt “unloved”, “taken for granted”, and other “pity pot moments”. How I thank God every day that Jesus loves me and KNOWS ME, and ACCEPTS ME!!! Thank you!
AS I read chapter 2 , It’s wonderful to really see the words “God knows me intimately”. Thenin Jer 1:5 it says ” I (God) knew you before you were born.” Then in Psalms139:13. it says ” you made all the delicate inner parts of my body … ”
How wonderful and awe inspiring to know the one who knows me intimately is the one who created me in the first place. Wow. I dont have to wear a mask or be someone I’m not, because He knows who I really am and is ok with it. All I can say is Thank you Jesus!
So my church had an assistant pastor preach this past Sunday, and they let my husband and I participate in the music for the service! He ended up preaching about the Samaritan woman in John 4 and even showed the “I Want to Be Known” video posted in this blog! And, to top it all off, I really felt like God was speaking to me this week, telling me that I needed to say something in the service Sunday. Usually, I’m not even willing to read a Bible verse from the stage, but will sing all day! (Don’t ask me how that works.) This was Wednesday as I was reading through Chapter 3. I didn’t know how it would work out – seemed like an odd thing for God to tell me – so I all but dismissed it. Then on Saturday, when we were practicing, the pastor asked our worship leader to introduce the song “How He Loves” (by John Mark McMillan) and I immediately felt like God was telling me that this was my chance. It was like Renee said in a devotional about listening to God’s voice last week – I knew it was God because it wasn’t something I’d EVER want to do myself. So I offered to speak, scared to death. I was nervous the rest of Saturday, and all of Sunday morning until the time came for me to speak. I was playing the piano and singing, and had a few solos, but I was only nervous about speaking.
We did two services, and I spoke in both of them, and it was pretty amazing! My sister was there for the second service, and she said what I said brought tears to her eyes, knowing where I’ve come from. I even had someone tell me they could see my heart for God. That took me aback more than anything else. I’ve never had anyone tell me that before, except my husband, who is the only person I’ve let see that side of me. It was just so astounding and humbling that God could use me like that!
And another amazing thing….I’ve never prayed aloud in front of anyone but my husband – not even my family – but the worship leader asked me to pray for the band before the service. Again, I was terrified, but did it anyway. And it, too, was amazing! God is really using this Bible study to turn me into the person He wants me to be.
Melissa, thank you for sharing your story! That is so wonderful.
And the To Be Known video is awesome. So moving.
Thank you. Still trying to process this…I missed last week because of overwhelming situations….but will continue on with next week. I am thinking that I would like to do a Bible study with a couple of young ladies I know…both young believers…
I had a busy week at work and although, I have spent time with the Lord each day, I am behind on posting. So much resonated with me this week – the need for approval, acceptance, and love. This paragraph really stuck out – “I tried to earn my worth through a performance-based value system, convinced that if I did the right things, said the right things, wore the right things, and looked the right way, then I’d be worth staying for. My life was far from perfect, but I didn’t want anyone to know. On the outside everything looked “fine,” yet on the inside I was haunted by thoughts of never being good enough. I felt like I could never do enough to measure up.”(*)
Swope, Renee (2011-08-01). Confident Heart, A (Kindle Locations 382-386). Revell. Kindle Edition.
“I felt like I could never do enough to measure up” – – the perfection thing in me, the looking for worth and identity in achievements. When I left an abusive husband of 23 years, thats how I felt – I could never do enough to measure up to whatever it was he wanted, nothing was good enough. I wont get into specifics, but God is healing my heart and showing me that my identity is in him and my worth is in Him & He loves me, Sherry – extravagantly.
So much of the chapter is highlighted on my kindle that it is just uncanny. Sam is going to stick with me for a while!
Thank you Renee for your willingness to share your struggle of insecurity with us in your book..I truly have found this book so helpful and encouraging.
All my life I have had a desire to use a talent that God gave me not just in my own church but other ways as well. Because I was always doubting and comparing my abilities to others around me it kept me from pursuing other areas that I could have used my talent. Today I stepped out of my comfort zone and no sooner did I do that the thoughts of self doubt began to creep in. Immediately I thought, I am so tired of allowing my past failures and self doubt to to define my future, I want to be the woman God designed me to be and not hide my abilities because “I” think I’m not good enough. Instead of dwelling on the negative thoughts, I began to remember something I underlined in the book that says “A woman with a confident heart chooses to believe that God wants to make an impact through her life, and she looks for ways to let him”. Today I looked for ways to let him and I am going to choose to believe that he will provide me opportunities to share with others his gift of salvation.
I think, as in the first chapter, chapter 2 is chock full of richness.. I have a couple favorites, but I think this one sums it up for me:
A personal relationship with God sets us free to be all we were created to be. As children of God we were designed to find our identity, our significance, and our confidence in Him. We establish a personal relationship with our Creator, the One who knows us and accepts us fully, but who also desires our transformation so we can become all He created us to be. (p. 43)
I have gotten tangled up in some relationships where I was relying on the person to carry me, and became depressed, and eventually was angry toward this person because they could not hold me together and could not fill me and that person ended our mentoring relationship. I had to take a good long look at myself and what i was doing both to her and to myself — I have found through prayer and God’s love and truth that our true spirit does not want to be mean or evil or rude, for those things are not of God. In going with our word of the week, we were known before we were formed.. we were set apart simply so God can enjoy us and so that we can praise and worship Him. Our TRUE selves are who God made us to be. Loving, holy in Him, called for higher purposes. For me, the quoted section above from our book means that slowly God is transforming me into who I need to be in order to do the most possible good for Him and for His unending Kingdom. My focus has been wrong for so long and though each of us have our own mess to work through, I find great hope in that He is with us as we take each step.
One other thing that Renee said that I think goes along with this is that “Nothing could keep Him from wanting to be with you” – I am humbled and amazed by this kind of love. Isn’t that the kind of love that we all look for in all the wrong places? Wow. We are to just come as we are, mess and all and He will help us figure out how to fix it. It’s amazing to think about.
I do not have a problem saying “I am not fine” when I need to – the problem is really finding someone who cares enough to want to know if you are REALLY fine or not. You have to have someone you know will respond before you can say you are not ‘fine”. I don’t believe I have masks with God – but a lot of times He is silent and I find that difficult.
I just began reading John 4 again and verse 6 stood out to me. “…Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey…” We are all on a journey as we delve deeper into the heart of Jesus and seek His promises for our lives. I read in the comments above about so many of us being wearied on this journey by our doubts, relationships, struggles, sin, addictions, life and it is OK. I love that it is OK to NOT BE FINE! I have a friend in my life where it is OK to not be fine with her and it makes all the difference in my life. I see this place as a safe place for so many to not be fine, to admit that today they are weary and I LOVE THAT because Jesus was weary on His journey too. BUT one of the most powerful stories of transformation was when he was weary. Sam was transformed. The comments I read from one weary women to another to encourage, pray and lift up one another is transforming. Our weariness must not stop us from reaching out and touching lives and being Jesus in the flesh to someone else. I am so blessed from reading these comments and seeing that happen through this study.
“The only way we’ll have a confident heart is if we move beyond knowing about God to knowing and relying on him — to depending on His Word with our whole heart, mind, and soul” pg 43.
In the margins of my book I wrote, “I believe He can do anything He wants, but why do it for ME?” which has been my mindset for 35 years. I have also read Ps 139:13, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”
I guess I always likened this passage to mixing up a cake and throwing in the oven to bake…….not giving it much after-thought. But after this chapter, the words, “formed” and “wove” took new meaning. Forming and weaving take time, a vision, and a purpose for the creation. THIS is why HE wants ME, because I am not an after-thought. His eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in His book were all written the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them.
God spoke to me today with His still small voice that He does not want anything of me except for me to give Him my time and heart. God just wants my committment to Him. It is truly amazing how God knows everything about me (good, bad, and ugly) and yet still still loves and craves for me to be drawn near to Him. I have displeased Him; yet He is still there. It reminds me of one of my favorite Christian songs by Point of Grace entitled Jesus Will Still Be There. As the song says, “When the going gets tough, when the ride’s too rough, when you’re just not sure enough, Jesus will still be there.”
That is beautiful:)
My daily devotional this morning was discussing the same verse as are verse of the week is; “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” She mentioned that we need to BELIEVE and EMBRACE this. I found these words encouraging to me. I tend to find myself doubting that God has plans for me. It is time for us to believe that God does have great plans for us all.
Wow – Being adopted, I have always held on to the verse that he knit me together in my mother’s womb and knew me……but am unable to grasp the concept that His love unconditional…..I have longed and ached for someone to really know me and love me, done a lot of stupid stuff trying to fill up that space in my heart as did Sam…I have been hiding the real me for so long, I don’t think I even know me….There is so gunk in my past and even present, I don’t want anyone to know fofr fear of rejection. Have been praying for a couple years for God to send me a true friend. I am worse about letting women into my life, because of past experience. I have always been able to be friends with men, but there is only so deep that can go. I just know I am lonely and no one in my life even knows that. I want to be known and loved, God work in me please!
I confess that I don’t understand the purpose of loneliness. I’ve always struggled with loneliness.
But as for love . . .
You are SO loved!
By a woman who loved you enough to carry you rather than abort.
By a woman willing to raise you as a daughter.
By a God who provided you with both.
God bless you!
Having grown up in a family that knew God and Jesus Christ only as words used to express themselves (if you get what I’m saying) my life prior to coming to know the Lord was straight up the woman at the well. To be 100% transparent the first few years of my walk with Jesus I was in an addiction which I was in denial of I told myself I could stop anytime. One day I woke up, looked in the mirror and didn’t know who I was I had lost myself in the addiction, the hurt, the pain, the masks. I had come to the end of me… I couldn’t feel anymore. I dropped to my knees and cried out to Jesus, who was standing right there to scoop me up and held me tightly for the next 14 hours while I wept and wept. I cried out to Him confessing my disobedience my selfishness, the hurts I knew I had caused others, the pain I felt inside, the justifying I had done for the past few years, and so on… He gently sat holding me listening to it all, as he allowed me to cry myself out. Then, in a very low gentle voice I heard Him say, ‘So you’ve tried living life on your understanding, are you ready to lean on me mine now?’ I said Yes, and I also asked Him to take away the desire to drink alcohol and smoke. I told Jesus I am ready to serious learn to walk in His truth, and His way and if He’d have me to be used my Him as a Kingdom builder. As I got stronger in my walk and in my faith, ‘He said right then – your faith is what has brought me here to you.’ You have great Faith, it’s your finest gift. Since that day I’ve endured many painful days; to include my 14 year old daughter divorcing me, taking my entire blood family with her. Several years later my step daughter does the same thing only without the paperwork, she simply told her Dad I’ve decided I don’t want to come over anymore and stopped coming. Two years later, it was revealed that my husband was struggling with sex addiction… Talking about wanting to be loved and wanting to feel known – I’m praising God for my strong foundational relationship with Jesus Christ and my Accountability Partners, Sponsor and Celebrate Recovery Family from church who know me. I had to know me and love first to allow Jesus Christ in to do His miracle in my life so I could be used by Him to be a vessel. By allowing Jesus through the Holy Spirit to love me through the difficult times with the help His word, and the tools it provides along with mature Godly counsel and Godly Support I wouldn’t have made it through. Looking only to Jesus Christ for approval and love not looking to man, not going on feelings but holding on to the truth – Gods Word! I’ve been clean and sober for over 8 years Praise God. It’s due to His Grace in my life I’ve been coaching and sponsoring woman now for 8 years and it’s joy and an honor to be used by God in this manner to walk along a sister and to help her see her beauty and worth, and to know that she is loved beyond what the spoken word can express. Do I still struggle of course I’m human, however I know who I am and who’s I am. I have a great support, we meet regularly and I talk/pray with my Lord and Savior Jesus throughout the day keeping Him abreast of what’s up with me. I’m doing my best to stay keep my focus on Him, not me. Thanks for letting me share.
“I was made to know him and be known by him~and so are you..
I can’t access Chapter 2 of the Confident heart, kindly assist. Glory be to God. Thanks.
I am the woman at the well and almost 25 years ago, I married the youth pastor of a local church. Since then God has blessed me with four wonderful children and life has never been easy, but I know who holds my hand. I spent a lot of my day meditating on the passage and the verses that Renee gave us this week. The biggest thing for me is not living with a “spirit of fear”. I have confidence that God will provide, He already has in His Son Jesus the Messiah. No matter what happens, His grace is sufficient for me.
That is so true…we just need to stay focused on our Lord and that will help us resist the temptation to live in fear. 🙂