Memory Verse:
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I am full of questions today. Why is it important for people to know us? What difference does it make if people REALLY know who we are? Does it hurt us when people get the wrong impression of us? If I needed someone to write my life story, what kind of person would I choose to do that for me? How would I go about finding someone who could accurately portray Who I Am to other people?
If you are still following along with us after three weeks of learning who the Great I AM is through the Old Testament, then hold on to your seat, because Jesus is going to ramp up the study! Jesus was like that, you know. Wherever He found people, He would push them outside their comfort zone, challenge their beliefs and get them to really see themselves for who they really are. Have you begun to look at yourself a little differently yet?
As we cross the Bridge from the Old Testament to the New Testament we walk across 400 silent, unholy, mixed-up years. God is preparing the world stage for the coming Messiah. The people were living life the way they wanted to, making gods of whatever they found valuable to them at the time. The Bridge crosses a silent ocean of godlessness. The picture of the Bridge in my mind sags in the middle. The first part is downhill, bottoms out at a very low point and then there is an uphill climb to get off on the other side.
Look at our memory verse for the week. It is John 15:11. If you notice in your study guide, there is a typo in the “I AM’s” of Jesus. It should read John 15:1 for that section. As I began to prepare for the study, I had all these questions, so I took them to Jesus. He turned that typo into our memory verse for the week and the answer to ALL my questions. He will do that, you know. There are no dumb questions when you seek Him with ALL your heart. He will give us the answers we need so our JOY will be FULL.
- Why is it important for people to know us? We were placed on this earth for a purpose. If we don’t share ourselves with others, we are missing our purpose. Don’t miss your purpose for living. Share your life with others.
- What difference does it make if people REALLY know who we are? If you do not show them who you really are, they will make up their own story. Some of it may be true, but it cannot ALL be true. Truth is important! Let others into your life so there is no question where you stand on important matters.
- Does it hurt when people get the wrong impression of us? Absolutely!!! There is nothing more painful than having someone tell a lie about us and have others believe it. It hurts even worse than when the story is true. We can grow through that pain, too.
- If I needed someone to write my life story, what kind of person would I choose to do that for me? I would want someone who was known to be truthful, honest, and fair. Someone who had taken the time to get to know me and my heart. Someone who would not back down when others had a different story to tell.
- How would I go about finding someone who could accurately portray Who I Am to other people? I would take the time to reveal myself to others so they could make up their own minds about me and let them write the story based on their own experiences with me. Each story would be different and unique—just like the relationship between us. By reading the stories of each writer, others would be able to get a fuller picture of who I really am.
Who did Jesus choose to reveal His character to? He chose to share His life with strangers who HE turned into disciples. He said, “Follow Me” and they did. The disciples got to see the good, the bad, and the ugly of living life as Jesus. Just like us, Jesus had best friends. John was Jesus’ closest friend and gives us our first seven “I AM’s.” If I truly want to know who Jesus is and what He is like, I want to talk to His best friends.
You are writing your life story RIGHT NOW. What would those closest people to you be able to reveal about your character? It matters, you know. If you aren’t showing them the example you had hoped, there is time to make changes and reflect the Light inside you. You can open the Door and offer Bread. You can point people to the Way, the Truth and the Life. Your story isn’t finished yet. Finish it well!
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Let’s Pray:
Dear Jesus, Messiah, Lord of ALL,
We thank You for making Yourself known to us. Thank You for loving us in our sinfulness enough to give Your life for ours. Thank You for showing us what it means to develop friendships. I pray for each person seeking You today. I pray they find You right where they are. We allow You into our hearts so that Your Spirit can change us from the inside out. We want to reflect Your Truth, Your Light, and Your Way. We can feel that JOY welling up now. Help us to reach the overflowing mark. We love You, Jesus!
AMEN
About Teresa Bolme
Thankyou for your words of truth and encouragement. Every day is a new gift from God and an opportunity to be the woman he has planned for me to be. I pray that I will finish well.
Everyday IS a new opportunity. No matter what happened yesterday, we have the choice to fill today with God honoring actions. I pray you finish well, too, my friend. With Jesus, we all will. <3
thank you, teresa, for setting those beautiful and amazing “I AM” statements that our Lord made before our eyes today. sometimes i think, ‘wow, wouldn’t it have been so incredible to be Jesus’ friend, to walk and talk with Him…!?!’ and then i get a grip because the truth is I AM Jesus’ friend…i can walk and talk with Him…i have God in Christ IN me…. how very,very, very thankful I AM to be able to know about Jesus through His friends, His followers, His disciples as i read the Scriptures! but even more so, how i know Him because He lives in my heart! <3
I am always so full of questions! I used to get told to keep quiet, stop asking, figure it out. The day I realized that God made me with this mind full of questions and that He wanted to answer them for me was a BEAUTIFUL day. I could be who God created me to be AND know Him in the process. We can be Jesus’ friend. He lives through each of us. We just have to be transparent enough for His light to shine. Love you friend.
Thank you for the reminder! Sometimes life gets in the way or the enemy blindsides and my reaction matters! My story needs to reflect His story.
And it WILL. You have the most amazing heart, Kim. Conti ue to let His light shine through you.
Great comments today Teresa! I struggle with the acceptance issues, and worrying what people would think if they really knew me. But He knows all about me and loves me anyway. That alone should be enough and it’s my pray that I focus on this truth when I start playing the “oh no! What will he/she think?” game. Thank you for another amazing reminder!
When I have those doubts, I think about Jesus’ life. He was not accepted by people in his family or hometown. We will not appeal to everyone, but we do appeal to the only ONE. Keep striving to be just like Jesus. You are reflecting His light well, my friend.
Theresa, I love the questions. I actually stopped to ponder on them about myself today. 🙂 It is a good reminder as it is important that others know who we are as we may be the only Jesus they have ever see. We have opportunity to show other Jesus by the way we live our life. What a responsibility .
Absolutely. How arrogant we are to think that we no longer have a responsibility to others once we are “saved.” What were we saved from? and What were we saved for? We have to live a life that leads others to Jesus.
I see myself about 25 yrs ago, so much in today’s blog! I still struggle with acceptance by certain people in my life. Today’s blog was extremely encouraging!!! Thank You Mama T!! 🙂
I think we are all here at some point in our lives. At least I hope so. God wants us to ask the hard questions. He is big enough to have the answers for us. I need the bridge and I’m oh so thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice.
thought about asking those people closest to me what they would write about my character, but then I thought the only One that really matters is THE ONE closest to me, my Lord and Savior, because when He shares with me what He thinks then I grow and learn from that which will then reveal His character in my character. Thanks Teresa for this beautiful lesson today!
I agree with you mostly. A survey of people around you would probably give a varied response. Depending on how and how well those people know you. How you respond to other people’s opinion of you is a matter between you and God. He promotes the spiritual maturity within us.
Reading about revealing myself (had a conversation with God about this before I sat down to this study) makes me cringe.I want close relationships, but I don’t trust people to understand or care to take the time to get know me. People come and go from my life so quickly, I figure why bother. I know God knows me inside out. I’m comfortable with this, I still have to remind myself that I’m accepted and loved when I mess up. I still want a friend who I can be an open book with, though. What I want and don’t want to do are not lining up, lol. This stirred a conviction in me… one that I know I will have to walk through. Thank the Lord he is the way, the truth and life!
Thank you.
I struggle with letting people know who I really am. I don’t want people to see the real me as I fear that the real me will be rejected. So I portray the kind of person that I think people would want to see but it is all pretence. I long to be real but…
Luke 4:14-30. Jesus gets us, and he shows us what to do in Luke 4:28-30. I laughed and am still a little baffled and rejection still isn’t fun, but remember he went through it, so he can help us. You are accepted by best! Who cares about the rest. (My Pastor says.) I had to break that down into two parts, because I can say, sometimes, I care about the rest. I shall pray for us. 🙂
Lord, thank you for loving us and accepting us. You made us so that you could delight in us. Not only do you love us, but you like us. Help us to reveal ourselves to others and trust you and the fact that you are holding onto us, when things don’t go so well. Help us keep our emotions anchored in you as we learn to be transparent with all. Thank you, in Jesus name, amen.
This blog gives way to this question what is Godly in me and what does God need to stripe away so that His lite may be reflected. Sometimes after I do something I wonder was that my best presentation of my walk. Truly I want less of me and more of Him. I often say to myself Live like Jesus, Love like Jesus & Lead like Jesus – then I ask myself am I living to my potential.