December 23, 2024

CHRISTLife – Two: Our Best Mirror

January 14, 2014 by

1545826_412714308860313_985682540_nI am not sure if you might be like me…at times it seems to be so difficult to keep thinking the TRUTH of what God says about myself.  Do you struggle with this too?  But, somehow by God’s grace, we muster up the fortitude and remind ourselves,

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5

When I recognize I am thinking these negative thoughts (lies), I try to remind myself, “I do not believe that!  That lie <negative thought> must be obedient to Jesus Christ.  God’s Word says ______ .”  (And then I speak or read the TRUTH of God’s Word which pertains to that situation.)

We are in charge of what we think!  We control the thoughts that we allow to live in our hearts!  We determine to put the TRUTH into our hearts and minds!   That is exactly what this verse reminds us to do!

Have you ever thought, or said, any of the following to yourself?

“I look _____ <fill in the blank> …no one could ever love me like this.”
The TRUTH is: I am beautiful in His sight!

I am fearfully and wonderfully made and beautiful in the eyes of the Lord.
Psalms 139:14

“I am not important…I have no value to anyone.”
The TRUTH is: I have great worth to God!

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?
Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight.
Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted.
Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!
Luke 12:7

“I can never forgive ____ for what they’ve done! They don’t deserve it.”
The TRUTH is:  I have been forgiven of so much!  Forgiveness has nothing to do with what is ‘deserved;’ it is all about trust and obedience to God.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others for their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Matthew 6:12, 14, 15

We all have thoughts that are lies; for some of us they are ocassional…for others of us we suffer under these thoughts.  Sometimes they are long-buried words that others have spoken to us in our past.  Sometimes they are strongholds that are in our hearts that we have not dealt with.  Sometimes they are deceptions that the enemy of our souls speaks to us.  It really isn’t too important where the lies/thoughts come from.  What we do when we think those lies/thoughts is vitally important!  We could dwell on those lies/thoughts, harboring them in our hearts and allowing them to fester and grow.  NOT a good idea!  Or instead we could recognize those lies/thoughts for what they are, and choose to refute the lie by replacing it with the Truth of God’s Word, and have peace and joy.  A REALLY good idea!

Finally, <sisters>, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—
practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8 and 9, paraphrase mine

This is one way to replace those lies/thoughts, “…think about these things.”  These are the things that God wants us to fix our minds on!  Just look at them: whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, of any excellence or worthy of praise…and when we do…we will have God’s peace.  Isn’t that just what we SO desire? Yes?  Amen.

Are there lies in your heart that you believe about yourself?  Take a moment…write down two negatives thoughts, or lies, on a piece of paper.  Now, compare them to the Truth; shed light—the Light of God’s Word on them.  Find the Truth in the Scriptures about who He says you are.  And write the Truth out on this same piece of paper.

Perhaps you are not quite sure how to go about this…try this:  google ‘God says I am worthy’  Now, try putting a phrase that you want to know the Truth from God’s Word into the Google search engine.  And, if you need help, come back here and let’s work together on it, ok?  I would love to work through this with you!   ♥

  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

Lord, we really want to believe with our whole hearts that ‘I AM what God says I am!’ In some areas of our lives, we regret that we believe lies.  Please guide us to Your Truth, Lord; please help us to change the lie into Truth.  We recognize our great need for Your help, Your guidance, Your healing, and Your deliverance.  We know that with You…all things are possible!  Thank You for helping us, Lord!!!  We thank You for it and look forward to praising You for our deliverance!  In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

 

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Who Am I? I Am Yours!

January 12, 2014 by

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star, would choose to light the way
For my ever-wandering heart

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean…a vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am—I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the Voice that calmed the sea would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am…but because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done…but because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean…a vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am—I am Yours, I am Yours

I am Yours! Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear ’cause I am Yours, I am Yours

~  written by Mark Hall; performed by Casting Crowns  ~

~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~   ~~~

“WHO AM I?” have we not asked ourselves this question time upon time upon time? We, of ourselves,…we are not much. But, for those who have accepted Jesus as Redeemer and Savior…and made Him to be Lord of their lives, we are MUCH in and through Him! God’s eternal plan of redemption was to rescue back for Himself those He had created for fellowship! He tells us ‘You are Mine!’

But now, this is what the Lord says—
He who created you, Jacob,
He who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.”
Isaiah 43:1

“You!”  Yes, you.  And me, too.  Go back for a moment, please…everywhere in that verse, where it reads “you” place your own name…say it out loud. “I have summoned you, Coleen, by name; you, Coleen, are Mine.”

Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth tells me, ‘You are Mine!” Not due to anything I might have accomplished, or any accolade I may have received. Not because of any credential I might have, or even any good and righteous act.  Just because I am who God says I am!

Not because of who I am…but because of what <He’s> done
Not because of what I’ve done…but because of who <He is>!

Tomorrow we begin this journey through Ruth Myers’ book, CHRIST|Life, Embracing Your True and Deepest Identity.  Listen to how she encourages:

  • “In this book, we’ll see how He expands our self-image as we allow Him to. This will broaden our view of what is really possible for us. He superimposes a glorious, positive self-image over our false and negative views of ourselves. This helps to make triumphant living possible”  (page 7).
  • And, “The closer we walk with the Lord, the more vividly we’ll learn to recognize both the negatives and the positive about ourselves” (page 8).

We will come to recognize just who we are in Christ!  Oh, to trust and believe it—I am who God says I am.  I am His!

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