Ephesians – Part 1 -- “Who We Are: Seen by God”

Hi everyone! Welcome back to our new mini-series of messages titles “Who We Are”, where we are taking some Biblical in-sites that can help us pause to pause, look inward and help us to see ourselves the way God sees us.

Have you ever had a moment where you felt pushed aside? Not rejected outright… just quietly moved to the margins. Maybe by circumstances, maybe by people, maybe by life itself. And in those moments, it’s easy to wonder if God sees you at all — if He notices the weight you’re carrying or the questions you’re wrestling with.

If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re not alone. One of the most overlooked people in Scripture is Hagar.

Hagar didn’t choose her situation. She didn’t choose her role. She didn’t choose the tension in her home. She was a servant caught in a story she didn’t write — and when things became unbearable, she ran. She didn’t run toward something; she ran away from pain, confusion, and mistreatment.

And that’s where God met her.

In Genesis 16, Hagar is alone in the wilderness —with no support, no protection, no plan. But Scripture says, “the angel of the Lord found her.” Not by accident. Not by coincidence. God went looking for her.

He spoke to her. He comforted her. He gave her direction. He gave her hope. He gave her a future.

And Hagar said something no one else in Scripture had ever said before:

“You are the God who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13)

Not the God who sees crowds. Not the God who sees nations. The God who sees me.

Ephesians 1 tells us the same thing about who we are in Christ. We are seen, known, and remembered by God. Not overlooked. Not forgotten. Not lost in the shuffle.

Sometimes the wilderness is where God speaks the clearest. Sometimes the lonely places are where He reminds us who we really are. And sometimes the moments we think are the end are actually the beginning of something new.

Maybe today you’re carrying something quietly. Maybe you’re walking through something nobody else fully understands. Maybe you’re in a place that feels like a wilderness.

But, my dear friend, hear this clearly: God does sees you and God knows you. And God is with you — right here and right now.

So today, walk like someone who is already seen. Pray like someone who is already known. Live like someone who is already remembered by God.

Because that’s exactly who you are… in Christ.

And that's another reason to Keep Choosing Love Today!

Hi everyone! Welcome to this series of messages I’ve titled “Who We Are.”

Let me start with a question — something simple, but something every one of us feels at some point: Have you ever wondered if you’re really loved? Not “liked,” not “appreciated,” not “tolerated”… but genuinely, deeply, unconditionally loved?

Most people won’t say that out loud, but almost everyone feels it. We all have moments where we question our worth, or wonder if we matter, or hope someone sees us and cares. And Paul, right in the middle of Ephesians, speaks directly to that part of us — the part that needs to know we’re not alone.

In Ephesians 3:17–19, Paul prays that we would be “rooted and grounded in love,” and that we would somehow begin to grasp “the breadth and length and height and depth” of the love of Christ — a love that “surpasses knowledge.” That’s not just encouragement. That’s identity. That’s who we are. We are loved.

Rooted and grounded — those are foundation words. Paul is saying love isn’t just something God feels toward you. It’s the ground you stand on. It’s the soil your life grows out of. It’s the anchor that holds you steady when everything else feels uncertain.

And he doesn’t describe God’s love with small words. He uses words with size — breadth, length, height, depth — like he’s trying to stretch our imagination far enough to understand something we’ll never fully grasp. Because God’s love isn’t fragile. It isn’t conditional. It isn’t based on how well you’re doing or how strong you feel. It’s bigger than your past, stronger than your fears, and deeper than anything you’ve ever walked through.

Let me bring this into real life for a moment.

There have been days — and you’ve had them too — where I didn’t feel very lovable. Maybe I was tired, maybe I was frustrated, maybe I wasn’t proud of how I handled something. And in those moments, it’s easy to think God must feel the same way about us that we feel about ourselves. But He doesn’t. His love isn’t a reaction to our behavior. It’s a commitment rooted in His character.

I remember a morning not too long ago when everything felt heavy. I was running on fumes, trying to get through the day, and somewhere in the middle of all that noise, God reminded me: “Mike, you’re loved. Not because you’re doing great. Not because you’re strong. Not because you’re getting everything right. You’re loved because that’s who you are in Christ.”

And that’s true for you too.

So whatever today looks like — whether you’re confident or uncertain, whether you’re carrying joy or carrying weight — remember this: you are loved with a love that surpasses knowledge. A love that doesn’t shrink. A love that doesn’t fade. A love that doesn’t depend on your performance. A love that holds you steady.

That’s who you are.

Thanks for listening… and keep Choosing Love Today.

Ephesians – Part 1 - “Who We Are: Chosen, Seen, and Called”

Hi everyone. Today, we are starting a new mini-series of messages sub-titled “Who We Are”. These mini-messages are simple reminders of who we are in Christ. They're short reflections that help us pause, look inward, and see ourselves the way God sees us.

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you’re just… overlooked? Not forgotten, exactly — just kind of lost in the shuffle. Life gets busy, people get loud, responsibilities pile up, and before long you start wondering if anyone really sees what you’re carrying.

If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re in good company — because one of the most overlooked people in Scripture was David before he ever became king.

When Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel, Jesse lined up all the sons he thought looked the part. Strong ones. Impressive ones. The ones who fit the mold. And David? He wasn’t even invited to the lineup. He was out in the field doing the quiet work nobody noticed.

But God noticed.

And when Samuel asked, “Are these all your sons?” Jesse had to admit, “Well… there’s still the youngest.” The one nobody expected. The one nobody chose. The one nobody saw.

And that’s exactly where God stepped in.

Ephesians 1 tells us that in Christ, we are chosen — not because we look the part, not because we earned it, not because we impressed anyone, but because God sees what others overlook. He sees the heart. He sees the quiet work. He sees the faithfulness that nobody applauds.

Maybe today you needed that reminder.

Maybe you’ve been doing the right things in the quiet places. Maybe you’ve been faithful when nobody was watching. Maybe you’ve been carrying something heavy and wondering if anyone sees it.

And yes, it hurts when nobody notices, or when you think nobody notices, but God sees it and God sees you. And just like David, you are chosen, blessed, adopted, redeemed, and called — not someday, not eventually, but right now, in Christ.

So today, you need to walk like someone who’s already chosen.

Listen to me....you need to think like someone who’s already seen. Live like someone who’s already called.

Because that’s exactly who you are… in Christ.

And Keep Choosing Love Today.