Transcript

Heavenly DNA · Fostering Faith

0:00
Welcome back to Fostering Faith. My name is Tracy
0:02
Foster. I will be your host of this episode as
0:05
we are getting ready to start our summer vacation
0:08
here. And so we are excited. We're going to be
0:10
bringing Gia back for some episodes this summer.
0:12
If I can catch her in between camps and basketball
0:16
is already starting next week. And then she goes
0:18
into volleyball again. And so raising teenage
0:21
kids is very time -consuming and expensive and
0:27
all the things and so we are trying to keep up
0:31
with life and struggling through Just meeting
0:36
and going and doing all the things that we feel
0:38
like we are called to do and we are Sticking
0:42
with our fostering faith podcast too. So we're
0:45
gonna throw this in there this summer as well
0:47
And so, if you've never been here, this is Fostering
0:50
Faith, my name is Tracy Foster, I will be your
0:52
host. In today's episode, we're going to be talking
0:55
about a whole kind of different vibe. If you've
0:58
ever felt like you were made for more, like you
1:01
just didn't quite fit in here, like you're wired
1:04
a little different than other people around you,
1:07
then buckle up. Because we're gonna be talking
1:10
about it and going through it all. We're gonna
1:13
be talking identity. not surface level stuff
1:15
like Instagram bio, but kind of identity. I'm
1:18
talking about the heavenly DNA, the divine fingerprints
1:22
on your life that shape the way that you love,
1:25
that you live, and walk on this earth. And so
1:28
we're going to call this episode, Your Heavenly
1:30
Father's DNA. What is in you? And yes, I'm a
1:34
nurse practitioner. And yes, we talk about DNA
1:36
and all the things that are related to health.
1:39
But let's talk about the DNA that you can't see.
1:44
your Heavenly Father. We're talking about and
1:46
want to explore what really means how being made
1:50
in the image of God isn't just a poetic verse
1:52
in Genesis. It's a calling, a charge, a holy
1:57
reality that should shape how you live every
2:00
day. So pour that cup of coffee, get comfy, turn
2:04
me up on the radio while you drive to work, or
2:07
do the dishes, or get on the treadmill, because
2:10
this one, this one's gonna live rent -free. in
2:14
your spirit for a while and so you got it from
2:19
your father instead of whenever you were little
2:22
your mom said go talk to your father and so let
2:25
me start with the question have you ever heard
2:27
someone say you are your father's daughter or
2:32
you act just like your dad and whether that made
2:35
you smile or cringe probably depends on your
2:39
feeling dynamic right But in this episode, we're
2:42
going to be talking about not your earthly dad,
2:45
but your heavenly father Genesis 127 says so
2:49
God created man in his own image in the image
2:52
of God. He created him male and female he created
2:56
them and You were made to resemble him. You weren't
3:01
an accident. You weren't thrown together. You
3:04
were formed intentionally wonderfully and uniquely
3:08
And not just to exist, but to reflect the heart
3:12
and character of God who made you. And what I
3:17
want you to understand today is what God's spirit
3:21
lives in you. This nature, his compassion, his
3:26
patience, his mercy, his wisdom, it's in you.
3:30
The world will try to label you. You're too much.
3:35
You're not enough. You're too loud. You're too
3:39
emotional. You're too soft. You're so intense.
3:45
But God says, you're mine. You were created to
3:49
carry his likeness. You don't just kind of resemble
3:55
your father. You are born in a spirit. The realest
3:59
kind of DNA is in there. And so now here's the
4:03
thing, whenever we start talking about and acting
4:05
like God, people immediately picture a big rule
4:08
book and like maybe a nun hitting you across
4:11
the hands with a ruler or whatever and how ever
4:15
you grew up. But that isn't the behavior modification.
4:19
It's not identifying transformation. You have
4:23
2 Corinthians 5 17 that says, if anyone is in
4:26
Christ, the new creation has come. The old is
4:29
gone. and the new is here. This isn't about pretending
4:34
to be something that you're not. This is about
4:37
becoming who you already are. If you've ever
4:41
seen someone trying really hard to be something
4:44
they're not, it's exhausting. It's like putting
4:47
on a mask when you weren't meant to wear it.
4:52
But whenever you're walking in your identity
4:54
in Christ, you're not acting. You're simply aligning.
4:59
You're not working on approval. You're walking
5:02
in it. You're not performing You're reflecting
5:05
and whenever you're not striving it's because
5:09
you're abiding and What's the difference between
5:12
religion and relationship? Religion says do this
5:16
so God will love you Relationship says God already
5:22
loves you. So let's grow together so if you have
5:28
a heavenly father and he lives in heaven and
5:32
So as we are not of this earth, but we are citizens
5:36
of heaven Then living like you belong in heaven.
5:40
Okay, so let's take a little deeper dive Philippians
5:43
3 30 says but your citizenship is in heaven possum
5:52
That means that your passport may say the United
5:54
States But your eternal identity says kingdom
5:59
of God and so let's think about that and so as
6:02
we have mentioned on our episodes before me and
6:04
Gia are dual citizens and so we are citizens
6:07
of Italy and citizens of the United States, but
6:11
really we are triple citizens and so we are citizens
6:16
of heaven first and foremost United States and
6:20
Italy So let that sink in you citizen of heaven
6:26
this world is not your home you are not a product
6:31
of this culture you are an ambassador of one
6:35
another so that's what does so what does that
6:39
mean what does that mean and how should we live
6:41
this means that we don't live down here to culture
6:45
we rise up for kingdom character we don't copy
6:49
what we see in the world we imitate our father
6:53
Ephesians 5, 1 -2 says, be an imitator of God,
6:57
therefore as dearly loved children and live a
7:00
life of love. I love that word, imitator. It's
7:07
not like a kid copying everything that their
7:10
parents does, even ever seen a toddler mimicking
7:13
or how their dad drinks coffee or their mom smiles
7:16
or how her mom walks in heels. It's adorable,
7:20
but it's so powerful. We are created to imitate
7:23
God in love, in mercy, in grace, and in boldness.
7:32
Heavenly traits are kind of practical, so let's
7:38
get into it. Let's go practical. What does it
7:41
look like to carry your father's DNA in everyday
7:43
life? Well, Let's do a little inventory checklist
7:47
because I love me a good checklist. So we have
7:50
Galatians 5 22 through 23 It says give us a list
7:53
of what grows in life and rooted in God Okay,
7:58
so if we are gonna be bride products of and we
8:01
are gonna be rooted we're gonna have fruit and
8:04
so We have but the fruit of the spirit is love
8:08
joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness
8:12
gentleness and self -control That's a heavenly
8:16
DNA in action. So let me break it down for you
8:18
in real life examples love Choosing to forgive
8:21
even when they don't deserve it Joy smiling through
8:27
the storm because your peace doesn't depend on
8:31
your surroundings Peace staying calm when drama
8:37
explodes around you Patience not losing your
8:41
mind in the Chick -fil -a drive -thru or whenever
8:44
someone gets your orders wrong or when the waitress
8:47
brings you something that you didn't order. Kindness.
8:52
Encouraging one another who can't do anything
8:56
for you. Have you ever helped someone that couldn't
9:00
do anything back for you? Goodness. Doing the
9:04
right thing when no one sees it. Faithfulness.
9:09
Showing up whenever you said you would. I was
9:14
talking about that in my class this weekend,
9:15
and I said, your word is your word. And so our
9:18
words are meant to edify people, to bring them
9:21
up. It is meant for correction. And it is about
9:26
whenever you say that you're gonna do something,
9:28
you do it. You show up whenever you say that
9:31
you're gonna show up. And that's why it's so
9:33
important to make our schedules. the way that
9:36
we want to and quit saying yes to everything
9:38
say no to some things and that way whenever things
9:41
show up on your calendar you're excited to go
9:43
you don't sign up on things for friday without
9:48
looking at your schedule so make sure that you
9:50
are showing up for whatever you said that you
9:52
were going to show up gentleness speak in truth
9:57
without stabbing someone with it and so that
10:00
is something that i think that we all have to
10:02
learn is how to do what is hard and have hard
10:06
conversations with gentleness and with love.
10:13
Because if you beat somebody with the Bible,
10:16
is that really Christ -like? Do some people need
10:20
hard correction? Absolutely. Am I one of those
10:24
girls? Absolutely. Did I need hard correction?
10:27
Yep, sure did. Did I need someone? Speak the
10:31
truth to me. Yep sure did did I need someone
10:33
I mean to maybe hit me over the head with the
10:36
Bible Yeah, I did because I was really in a different
10:40
way of life and So know your surroundings know
10:44
what that person needs in the moment that they
10:46
need it self -control Not texting back that pretty
10:51
comment whenever you say, you know And then you
10:55
clap back even harder not texting back not posting
10:59
the comments not doing what your flesh says to
11:03
do and just you just go crush them with your
11:05
words and let me tell you and no it's self -control
11:09
you have fruit you have that fruit and so come
11:16
on that's what it means to look like your dad
11:20
not with just a cross necklace but with a cross
11:25
bearing lifestyle Not just church on Sunday,
11:30
but in traffic, in your group chat, at your job,
11:35
on social media, and in your home. It's about
11:38
integrity. It's about honor. And so here's the
11:43
deal. Fruit doesn't grow because a tree is stressed.
11:47
It grows because a tree is healthy. You don't
11:50
produce spiritual fruit by trying harder. You
11:53
produce it by staying connected. And so John
11:55
15 five says, I am the vine and you are my branches.
11:59
If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear
12:03
much fruit. So if you're not seeing the fruit,
12:08
it's not a performance problem. It's a connection
12:11
problem. If I'm impatient, I don't need more
12:16
hustle. I need more Jesus. If I'm struggling
12:21
to love, I don't need to pretend. I need to abide.
12:27
I am not constantly reacting in anger. I don't
12:31
need more self -help books. I need more of the
12:35
spirit. We don't need to represent God. We carry
12:41
him. His spirit is in us. And the more we lean
12:46
into that, the truth, the more our lives will
12:50
show it. And so acting like your Heavenly Father,
12:55
not the world. And so let's go here for a minute.
13:00
This culture is loud. It tells you to be selfish,
13:05
do what makes you happy, cut off everyone who
13:08
annoys you, post that mean comment, win an argument,
13:13
post the perfect image, never show weakness.
13:19
But. Your father says, serve, love, forgive,
13:28
be humble, be holy, and trust me. So you make
13:37
the choice every single day. I'm gonna act like
13:43
the world or my father. Romans 12 to says do
13:48
not conform to the pattern of this world but
13:51
be Transformed by the renewing of your mind to
13:54
have metanoia That's the daily international
13:58
Intentional decision to think higher to live
14:02
higher Not because you're better, but because
14:06
you're set apart Okay, so let's pause for a grace
14:12
break And so you're not going to get this perfect,
14:18
I don't know, anyone else does. But here's the
14:23
beauty in God's DNA. It doesn't change based
14:26
on your performance. You don't lose your sonship
14:30
whenever you mess up. You don't stop being God's
14:33
daughter whenever you struggle. He doesn't un
14:38
-adopt you. And so Hebrews 12, 6 says, Disciples
14:43
the ones that he loves God corrects us Not to
14:48
shame us but to shape us. So whenever you slip
14:51
up run to him Don't run from him ask him father
14:57
Teach me how to act more like you Show me how
15:02
to love like you help me walk like your children
15:06
do today That's growth happening It's not about
15:12
perfection, but from connection to correction.
15:20
And so what's in you will come out of you. And
15:25
so let me take a close by asking you this again.
15:29
What is in you? If you said yes to Jesus, then
15:36
the spirit is in you. His love is in you. His
15:40
power is in you and guess what that means. You're
15:44
not weak You're strong in Christ You've not forgotten
15:48
You're chosen You're not average You're royal
15:54
You're not lost you're led You're not like them
16:01
You're like him So walk like it talk like it
16:08
Live like it and let your words your choices
16:12
your worth ethic your attitude and your love
16:16
reflect your Heavenly Father's DNA Because whenever
16:21
the world ask Who do you think you are? You can
16:27
say I'm a child of God and I take after my dad
16:32
And to today's episode of Fostering Faith, I
16:35
hope it stirs something up in you. To share it,
16:38
to text it to a friend, to post it, give it to
16:41
somebody who's lost, that maybe doesn't even
16:43
know Christ. Because here on Fostering Faith,
16:46
we want to be fishers of men and not watchers
16:48
of the aquarium. We want to grow the kingdom.
16:51
And so if you know Christ, that's great! But
16:54
who in your life does not know Christ? And so
16:58
let's remind the world of who our father is and
17:01
what it means to live like his kids. And so until
17:05
next time, I would love to pray for you. Dear
17:07
Heavenly Father, thank you for today. Thank you
17:09
for yesterday. Thank you that we are rooted in
17:12
you, that we stay joyful, that we act like our
17:16
Heavenly Father is watching because he is, because
17:19
you're proud of us. Thank you for knitting us
17:21
together. Thank you that you have made us in
17:23
your image. Thank you for every speckle on my
17:26
face. Thank you for my hair. Thank you for my
17:28
eyes. Thank you that you are changing the hearts
17:30
of the people that are listening to this. Thank
17:32
you that you are planting seeds. Thank you that
17:34
you are uncalcifying their hearts. Thank you
17:36
that we are kingdom builders. Thank you for all
17:39
that you do. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. And
17:43
so until next time, stay rooted, stay joyful,
17:45
act like your father is watching, because he
17:47
is, and he is proud of you. We love you, have
17:50
an amazing week.