Given the Right to Become
12/16/2025
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12 (NIV)
There are moments in life when we long to belong, to be known, chosen, and welcomed. We see it in children on the playground hoping to be picked for the team, or adults striving for approval in workplaces, families, or relationships. So much of our identity gets wrapped up in performance, acceptance, or titles we’ve earned. But John 1:12 cuts straight through all of that and offers a truth that changes everything.
This verse does not say we are earned into God’s family. It says we are received into it. The language is powerful. To “receive” Jesus means opening our hands, not clenching our fists. It means trusting, not striving. And when we do, God grants us something extraordinary, the right to become His children.
That word “right” matters. It means authority. It means legitimacy. It means you don’t have to wonder if you belong. You don’t have to fear being turned away. Through faith in Jesus, your place in God’s family is not conditional or temporary. It is secure.
Think about the adoption process for a moment. A child does nothing to earn their place in a new family. They are chosen, named, and given a future. Their identity changes the moment the papers are signed. In Christ, that’s what God has done for us. He chose us. He named us His own. He rewrote our future. We are no longer defined by our past, our failures, or what others have said about us. We are defined by whose we are.
Believing in Jesus isn’t just agreeing with facts about Him, it’s trusting Him with your life and receiving what He offers. And what He offers is not just forgiveness, but family. Not just salvation, but sonship and daughterhood. You are not an outsider trying to earn God’s attention. You are a child learning to walk in the love of your Father.
Action steps:
• Start your day by reminding yourself: I am a child of God.
• When insecurity or shame rises, speak John 1:12 out loud as truth.
• Treat others today as fellow image-bearers who are also invited into God’s family.
• Spend a few moments in prayer simply thanking God for adopting you.
Today’s challenge:
Live from your identity, not for it. Let your words, choices, and confidence flow from the truth that you belong to God.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for welcoming me into Your family. Thank You that through Jesus, I am no longer distant or disqualified, but chosen and loved. Help me to live today as Your child—secure, humble, and full of grace for others. Teach me to trust You more deeply and to rest in who You say I am. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Pastor Jeff
#LoveGod #LovePeople #FindFreedom #FindYourDesign
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” — John 1:12 (NIV)
There are moments in life when we long to belong, to be known, chosen, and welcomed. We see it in children on the playground hoping to be picked for the team, or adults striving for approval in workplaces, families, or relationships. So much of our identity gets wrapped up in performance, acceptance, or titles we’ve earned. But John 1:12 cuts straight through all of that and offers a truth that changes everything.
This verse does not say we are earned into God’s family. It says we are received into it. The language is powerful. To “receive” Jesus means opening our hands, not clenching our fists. It means trusting, not striving. And when we do, God grants us something extraordinary, the right to become His children.
That word “right” matters. It means authority. It means legitimacy. It means you don’t have to wonder if you belong. You don’t have to fear being turned away. Through faith in Jesus, your place in God’s family is not conditional or temporary. It is secure.
Think about the adoption process for a moment. A child does nothing to earn their place in a new family. They are chosen, named, and given a future. Their identity changes the moment the papers are signed. In Christ, that’s what God has done for us. He chose us. He named us His own. He rewrote our future. We are no longer defined by our past, our failures, or what others have said about us. We are defined by whose we are.
Believing in Jesus isn’t just agreeing with facts about Him, it’s trusting Him with your life and receiving what He offers. And what He offers is not just forgiveness, but family. Not just salvation, but sonship and daughterhood. You are not an outsider trying to earn God’s attention. You are a child learning to walk in the love of your Father.
Action steps:
• Start your day by reminding yourself: I am a child of God.
• When insecurity or shame rises, speak John 1:12 out loud as truth.
• Treat others today as fellow image-bearers who are also invited into God’s family.
• Spend a few moments in prayer simply thanking God for adopting you.
Today’s challenge:
Live from your identity, not for it. Let your words, choices, and confidence flow from the truth that you belong to God.
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for welcoming me into Your family. Thank You that through Jesus, I am no longer distant or disqualified, but chosen and loved. Help me to live today as Your child—secure, humble, and full of grace for others. Teach me to trust You more deeply and to rest in who You say I am. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Pastor Jeff
#LoveGod #LovePeople #FindFreedom #FindYourDesign
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