December 26, 2024

CHRISTLife — TwentyFour: One With Him In Spirit

February 13, 2014 by

cl one with him in spirit

These are big, huge, incredible, awesome TRUE statements Mrs. Myers makes as we read through Chapter 24!  And as incredible as they are, we (you and me!) must hold them in our minds, remembering they are Jesus’ words.  And ask for help in believing them.

I was so encouraged and built up by the Truth regarding God living in me, the Holy Spirit living in me, and, Christ living in me!  Of course, this is not a revelation to me but somehow, someway (hmmm, perhaps the Holy Spirit working as my Helper?) today, these truths came alive for me.  Has that ever happened to you?

Listen to this:

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in them and they in God.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
1 John 4:15 and 16

And this:

And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father!
Galatians 4:6 AMP

And listen to Paul’s joy as he wrote that he was to

…make God’s message fully known—the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints. God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:26 and 27

Looking at just these 3 passages, our hearts can be built up in the Truth knowing that God lives in you (me, too!) because you choose to live in love, and that your Father—Abba!—has sent the Holy Spirt to live in your heart, and that the mystery hidden throughout the ages is now made known—it is Christ living in y.o.u., the hope of glory!

In a side note on page 101, Mrs. Myers writes,

“Take God at His word.  Accept it as true that you are indwelt with the fullness of God Himself, that His Spirit has His home within you and you belong to Him….”

I am setting my mind to do this, friends.  And I don’t want to just assent to it…I want to believe it with all of my heart!  Seeking God’s grace and blessing, and the help of the Comforter!  How about you? <3

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

And here are Kim’s thoughts and her beautiful inner identity album page for this week; she writes:

“To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with Christ. The Holy Spirit came to glorify Christ. Therefore, if I am filled with the Spirit, I am abiding in Christ. I am walking in the light as He is the light, and the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse and keep on cleansing me from all unrighteousness. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit to guide me on my path in Wisdom’s way.”

CLiiakimweek5

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.
You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:16-17 ESV

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CHRISTLife — TwentyThree: United With Christ

February 12, 2014 by

cl united with christUnited with Christ.  A one piece life for Him—that’s how we should live.  Every aspect of our lives should reflect Him.  But…do they?  Are you the same person at your work, or school, or mommy’s group, or bridge group, or Junior League?  Do you wear Jesus everywhere you go?  I know, that’s a lot of questions for a Wednesday but they are important ones.

When you became a believer, a follower of Christ, He came to live inside you.  He and you became one.  You have God’s Son living inside you and you have the same power in you that raised Jesus from the dead!  Can I get an “Amen“?

Let’s look at John 14:20 together and let it sink in.

You will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Now, let’s do a little exercise together. You will need 3 envelopes: one small, one medium and one large.  You will also need one index card.  On the index card I want you to write ‘Jesus.’  On the large envelope I want you to write ‘God,’ on the medium envelope write ‘Jesus’ and on the small one write your own name.  Now, place the index card in the small envelope that has your name on it.  Next, place the small envelope into the medium envelope and, lastly, place the medium envelope into the large envelope.  What do you see?  I see that anything that comes to you has to come through God, then Jesus, then you—and you have Jesus in you!!!  Pretty cool, huh? See, this demonstrates John 14:20… you have Jesus in you, you are in Jesus, Jesus is in the Father, and we all live together, in peace and joy and harmony. Nothing can separate us from Him, once He is in us.

Do you see things differently now?  He is not only in your life but He is your life. Our lives should be like the garment Jesus wore—one piece.  Oh I used to live a five piece life at least.  I was so busy trying to fit in this world that I forgot that I am to be set apart, made for greater things like eternity and leading others to Jesus.  If this is you, too, it’s so much easier to not try so hard and to just empty yourself of yourself and let Jesus fill you with what He wants for your life.  Yes, it’s that simple.  Every morning when your eyes open, just ask Him,”Empty me and fill me.”  He will direct your paths and guide you in the way you should go.  Every decision will be made by Him and you will live your life just like Jesus would.

His word is our guide as to how we are to live.  Start each day with Scripture.  Let His speak to you and through you.  Here are a few verses I found that go along with this chapter we just read:

Either way, Christ’s love controls us.  Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.   He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves.  Instead, they will live for Christ, Who died and was raised for them.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.  I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:10-11

 

So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning.  If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father.  And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life He has promised us.

1 John 2:24-25

I leave you with this invitation:  “From now on you must grow stronger through union with the Lord and through His mighty power…” (Ephesians 6:10 ).

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Now let us pray: God, we thank You for Your Truth. Your Word is Truth and dwells here among us.  You are our Father and You want so much for us, blessings upon blessings to be poured out over us.  Keep us pure and holy, Lord.  Help us to do only that which is pleasing in Your sight.  Remind us often that You gave us Your Son to live in us, to live through us, and to fill us with joy, peace, strength , courage, and anything that we so desire in His name.  Thank You for so readily forgiving us for the many wrongs we do.  For always being patient and loving toward us, Your children. Empty us of ourselves and fill us fully with only You, and Your Spirit.                                                                                                                                                                               We love You, we thank You. It’s in Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.

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CHRISTLife — TwentyTwo: A Liberating Separation

February 11, 2014 by

cl a liberating separation

See what it says right there?  Yup, right above in the graphic!  “…dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”  You (me, too!) are separated from sin…now and forever!  And that is SUCH a liberating separation!

If you would, please read through Romans chapter 6…and take note of six questions (and the answers, too!) that Paul asks.  Just click right here…come back when you are done!

Now THAT was encouraging, yes?  There is so much communicated throughout this chapter that would fill up our inner identity album pages.  But also of note are 6 direct questions.  These questions, to me, are equally confrontational and encouraging!  Perhaps, at first glance, you might even consider them rhetorical questions, i.e., questions which seem to need no answer. But, rather these are questions we really do need to stop and answer!  Let’s take a look at them….

  • What shall we say then…are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?

The answer—’May it never be!’ or ‘Certainly not!’ is supplied.  And, of course, we never want to take God’s grace for granted!  In fact, in the verses immediately preceding (verses 20 and 21) we are told “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” However, we recognize the Truth that we are dead to sin and do our best to NOT sin.

  • How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Endeavoring to always be mindfully aware of all that Jesus accomplished, we put forth our greatest effort to NOT still live in it.

  • Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

This ‘baptism’ is not speaking of water baptism.  Rather, as Galatians 3:27 tells us “For many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” we have surrendered or given up all that we had or have.   Since we are a new creation in Christ, our own will and desires and hopes are buried. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

  • What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?

May it never be! As verse 13 proclaims “…and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

  • Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

Oh what a beautiful picture—a slave to God obeying and having the result of righteous living before Him! Verse 14 reminds us, “…sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”  Oh yes!

  • What benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed?

The ‘things we are ashamed of’ were our sinful behaviors and lifestyle.  We are dead to those things, no longer slaves to anything but the One Whom we obey—our heavenly Father!

I hope that my answers to these 6 questions are just the beginning of this discussion. I would love to hear your answers either below in the comments, or over on our group study page!

Oh, one more thing…Mrs. Myers entitled this chapter ‘A Liberating Separation.” And that is a FACT and it IS the Truth.  However, it is our responsibility (yours and mine) to maintain the separation that our Lord accomplished for us.  We must consider ourselves dead to sin and keep ourselves separated.  It is a lifelong reckoning. Let’s not forget that.

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CHRISTLife — TwentyOne: Dead To Sin

February 10, 2014 by

cl dead to sinTherefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our Life, is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Colossians 3:3-5

As incredible as these truths are…they ARE the Truth!  God said so!  So, if God says, “You have been raised up with Christ; keep seeking the things above…”  then that is what we must do!  And we must remember that this IS possible!  This is <now> the real y.o.u. (and me, too)!

We have been working for awhile now on changing the images we hold in our hearts and our minds.  No longer always thinking of ourselves with the negative connotations and names that we did before, but confessing, “I AM who God says I am!”  And so I am:

  • dead to sin
  • alive to God
  • righteous
  • no longer a slave to sin
  • risen to God
  • resurrected with a new life

Mrs. Myers writes, “This new, Christ-centered view of who we are (which is unquestionably true, for God cannot lie) provides the basis for living a righteous, obedient life.  The more we see who we are in Christ, the more the idea of flirting with sin becomes inconceivable…” (page 90).  Consider this in a practical way:

Since I am alive with Christ in me, I can live as righteously as He and be obedient to God the Father.  How ludicrous then is any consideration of sin (or “flirting with sin, as Mrs. Myers puts it). Would Jesus have?  No;  He never sinned.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:14 and 15

He is always available to help us, to encourage us.  We have to remember that we are dead to sin…and ourselves, like our Lord, not give in to the temptation.  We CAN do this; God says so.  Remember “I AM who God says I am”—I AM dead to sin.  This means we don’t have to live with “sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, greed, covetousness (or any other sinful desire that you might struggle with—depression, addictions, self-pity, selfishness, ________, ________ (fill in the blank!).   Philippians 4:13 (AMP) says we have strength for all things in Christ, we’re ready for anything, and we are self-sufficient in His sufficiency.

And you He made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins
in which you once walked, following the course of this world,
following the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.
Among these we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
following the desires of body and mind,
and so we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:1-5

The Amplified Bible translates verses 4 and 5 like this, listen:

But God—so rich is He in His mercy!
Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love
with which He loved us, Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings
and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ;
[He gave us the very life of Christ Himself,
the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace
(His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved
(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation).

Isn’t that beautiful?!!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Let’s pray the words of this anointed prayer together:
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;  that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,  that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.  Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen.

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CHRISTLife — Week Five

February 9, 2014 by

CHRISTLifepart2coverpic

As we move into Week Five, we are more than halfway through our study of CHRISTLife: Embracing Your True and Deepest Identity.  Here are a few highlights of our week to come:

● Dead To Sin

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14

Mrs. Myers makes such the good point: “It is not simply gritting our teeth, and repeating, ‘I’m dead to sin..I’m dead to sin…I insist I am dead to sin!’ (page 89)”  Now the Truth is—we ARE dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus!  It’s a fact.

● A Liberating Separation

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11

 Our new nature, given to us at our new birth, reflects Jesus’ accomplishments on the Cross and afford us the reality of this new nature. The real y.o.u., Christ in you, yearns to be conformed to His image. It’s available…so step up, embrace all you are in Christ!

● United With Christ

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

How equally humbling and exhilarating is it to proclaim, “My life IS Christ!” (If it wasn’t the Truth…we’d be foolish to think it; but IT IS!)

● One With Him In Spirit

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life
to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

With this new life in us, all the attributes and qualities that are true of Christ are equally true of you (and me, too!)  What He could do and did…I can also because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

● Filled

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—
that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19

What more could we need? In the fullness of God we have everything that is needed given to us by grace and due to mercy and in love!

Here we are right smack dab in the middle of our study, isn’t that amazing?!!?  As we move forward, ladies, let’s not loosen our grasp on the Truth we have received.  We have learned of–and BELIEVE—the images of ourselves that are communicated to us throughout the Scriptures.  We are learning to replace the negative lies we have held onto with the positive images—the Truth—of how God sees us. “I am who God says I am’ is not simply a cute expression…it is the absolute Truth!

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8 and 9

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CHRISTLife — Nineteen: Clean and More

February 6, 2014 by

cl clean and more

Hi there…it’s me, Coleen!  It is snowing here in upstate New York.  As I peeked outside in the early, early morning, I thought, “Oh, yes! It’s all clean again!”  All of the yucky, dirty, gross frozen slush and discolored ice and snow piles blanketed with grime kicked up by road traffic was—clean.  Sparkling, glistening, pure white clean. And then when I looked out again later, after some shoveling and plowing and snowblowing had been done, it was schmutzy again!  And more snow was wafting down…and the yuckiness was covered up again.  And I realized that really the snow hadn’t made the dirty and gross any cleaner…it just got dirty again.  Such is NOT how our hearts and minds are cleaned by Jesus’ blood.  ALL is clean…we are new again.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the Blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar
and His Word is not in us.
1 John 1:7-10

We are justified—just as if we had never sinned (that is CLEAN, I tell you)!  We are redeemed.  We are rescued.  We are made whole.  We are purified.  We are sanctified.   We are forgiven.

However…remember this: none of this is of our own doing.  We could never do enough, try hard enough, be good enough to have made ourselves clean.  We were dead in our trespasses and unholiness, our unrighteousness.

This uncleanness has always been an issue.  God knew it…and He purposed and made a way for the only answer for it.  King David knew of his immense need for cleansing and saving from his own sin. Here in Psalm 51 he cries out to God…knowing that only God could help.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love;
according to the multitude of Your tender mercy
and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt
and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!
For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them;
my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight,
so that You are justified in Your sentence and faultless in Your judgment.
Psalms 51:1-4

BUT God has always had this plan to redeem mankind.  To provide the way—Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the Cross, the spilling of His perfect blood—to atone and redeem us back to Himself!  There was only one way…thank God that it already has been accomplished!  This cleansing and purifying is yours to receive!  Have you received it?  If not, will You?  This IS God’s will—His plan, His desire—for you.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

And now…check out another page from Kim’s inner identity album, along with some thoughts she has to share on this subject, too!

CLiiakim020614

This picture is such a great reminder of where I once was—from a deep pit of despair with no hope…to a Redeemed woman with Hope and a future. I absolutely love the Scripture Mrs. Meyers uses in this chapter.

He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103:12 NLT

I praise You, Father, that my rebellious acts are as far away as the east is from the west; I am oh so thankful! And I thank You, Father, for this powerful truth for which I am thankful…

I have swept away your sins like the morning mists.
I have scattered your offenses like the clouds.
Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.
Isaiah 44:22 NIV

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Would you pray along with us these inspired words as we praise the God Who purposed all this?

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.  In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Ephesians 1:3-7

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CHRISTLife — Seventeen: Desired

February 4, 2014 by

cl desired

We have been called and chosen.  Why?  Just one reason—Almighty God desired to love us.  Paul says that God has set His love on those whom He loves from all eternity (Ephesians 1:4).  If you are a child of God, there has never been a time when God did not know you and did not love you.  Before you were even born He had determined to set His love on you.  He chose us not because we were love-able; but we become love-able because He chose us and desired us.

In this is love: not that we loved God,
but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.
1 John 4:10

You see, at just the right time when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person,
though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8

From the foundations of time, Sovereign Almighty God has desired His children. And He made a way—a very, very hard way—for sinful, not love-able people to be brought to His Holy Self.  And that was through the sacrifice and death of His Son, Jesus Christ.  And then through the centuries leading up to the perfect time when Jesus would come to the earth to show this incredible love, at sporadic times there were a few people who recognized this love that God had for mankind. David the psalmist was one.  He wrote many, many times about the reality of God’s love for himself.

And even Job, through all his worryings and complainings and the very difficult times he had, I believe he knew and was convinced of God’s love for man. Listen…

What is man that you make so much of him and that You set Your heart on him,
and visit him every morning…?
Job 7:17 and 18

God spoke through any number of the prophets declaring to the people He was drawing to Himself of His love, grace, and mercy and His desire for mankind.

Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace
which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
2 Timothy 1:9

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
Jeremiah 31:3

Particularly, through the life of one prophet, Hosea, God showed what the depth of His love looked like…right alongside the depravity of the idolatry and whoredom of His people.  The whole book of Hosea illuminates this truth but in particular I love one verse:

I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love,
and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
and I bent down to them and fed them.
Hosea 11:4

And then Jesus came! And showed clearly the depth of God’s love for mankind. He lived love to the nth degree always being the epitome of God’s love.

Now here is Truth (I know it is so because it is in God’s Word)…truth hard to comprehend but true nonetheless!

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Such love is beyond our ability to grasp with our minds, but it is not beyond our ability to experience with our hearts. Only through the power and influence of the Holy Spirit are we able to do so!

…And that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19

Truly not feasible by our own doing, our own efforts, our own works. BUT, because God tells us so through Paul’s encouragement to the church at Ephesus, we KNOW it to be true! And this is the awesome Truth of God’s desiring us—it is not based on you or me but completely on Him!

May I share something with you?  At the very beginning of today’s chapter, Mrs. Myers asks her readers to “Allow the Lord to fully convince your heart that He desires you.”  I had an extremely difficult time taking that step.  You see, on any given day, I have not been convinced that Almighty God desired me.  Let alone ask Him to ‘fully convince my heart’ of that fact.  But…today I did ask.  And He is doing so!!!  Oh, I have a <prior> lifetime of being fully convinced that perhaps God might desire everyone else but not me.  But that is not too much for our Father to deal with!  For little me, Coleen Ann Brigit McElroy Hayden, “I am <becoming> convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate <me> from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus <my> Lord.”  How about you?

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

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CHRISTLife — Sixteen: Called and Chosen

February 3, 2014 by

christlife graphic wk4_1Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we would be holy and blameless before Him.
In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the kind intention of His will,
to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:3-6

Called and Chosen

Is that not amazing?  And it is true.  God chose you (me, too!) in His infinite wisdom and sovereign knowledge.  What truly amazes me is ALL that His calling and choice have placed into our lives.  As I have been meditating on these verses that Mrs. Myers so abundantly has sprinkled throughout this chapter, I see how these are definitely images that we should have in our inner identity albums:

  • blessed
  • chosen in Him
  • holy
  • blameless
  • adopted
  • sons
  • God’s heritage
  • His portion
  • foreordained
  • saved
  • purposed
  • treasured possession
  • not rejected
  • eternally loved
  • without blame
  • justified
  • glorified
  • worthy
  • beloved
  • known by God
  • approved
  • saved
  • sanctified
  • God’s elect

Consider this statement from Pastor John Piper:
“Your salvation did not begin with your choice to believe in Christ—a choice which was real and necessary.  Your salvation began before the creation of the universe when God planned the history of redemption, ordained the death and the resurrection of his Son, and chose you to be his own through Christ.  This is a great objective ground for assurance. And we should consider it deeply.” *

In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance;
for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand)
in accordance with His purpose,
Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will,
So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!
Verses 11 and 12

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—
not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.
This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus,
Who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
2 Timothy 1:9 and 10

“You’re CALLED. You’ve been called personally by God and to God. That’s an in-Christ fact about you that can help erase any sense of alienation or lack of purpose that you may at times feel” (Mrs. Myers, page 68).

In light of all of this, sisters, may we daily fulfill the joy and honor and privilege of being called and chosen by Almighty God.  The Apostle Paul encourages everyone who is called to,

…live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, how awesomely wonderful and gracious You are to us!  We struggle, Lord, (You know that) endeavoring to hold the Truth of who You say we are in our minds and hearts.  But we want to…please help us through the empowering of Your Holy Spirit!  I pray for each person who reads this little blog today, Lord, asking that You cause the Truth of Your Word to sink into their depth of their hearts.  I pray that each will remember that Your ways and Your thoughts are high above our own.  I pray that each will recognize Grace and Mercy for all that they are.  I pray that each will remember that Your power and strength are made perfect in their weakness.  And I pray that each will believe more and more that ‘I AM who God says I am!’  Thank You for calling us and chosing us to be Your own.  Praying and asking these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

* From a wonderful series that Pastor Piper did on having assurance of just who we are because of God’s chosing and calling!

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CHRISTLife — Week Four

February 2, 2014 by

CHRISTLifepart2coverpicOh! My!  THIS is going to be a good week!  Have you read ahead…or taken a look at this week’s lessons?  In case you haven’t, here is a sneak peek at just the chapter titles:

  • Called and Chosen
  • Desired
  • No Longer Condemned
  • Clean And More
  • Alive With His Life

I AM what God says I am (take a glance back at the list)…and, therefore, I AM all those things!  Talk about Truth and positive images to write in my inner identity album!

Are you a child of God?  Have you been redeemed?  Did Jesus die for you?  Do you love God?  If so Since ‘YES’ is the resounding reply… then take the verses below and insert your own name.  Personalize this Scripture with your own name (like this: “…God causes all things to work together for good to <Coleen> who loves God, to <Coleen> who is called….”)  OK?   Perhaps you might read this aloud…reminding yourself audibly that ‘I AM what God says I am!’  This IS the image that God holds of y.o.u.!  This is y.o.u. because your life IS Christ!

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to <y.o.u.> who loves God, to <y.o.u.>  who is called according to His purpose.
For <y.o.u.> whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
And <y.o.u.> whom He predestined, He also called; and <y.o.u.> whom He called, He also justified; and <y.o.u.>  whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall <y.o.u.> say to these things? If God is for <me>, who is against <me>?
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for <me>, how will He not also with Him freely give <me> all things?
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for <me>.
Who will separate <me> from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things <I> overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved <me>.
For <I> am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate <me> from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus <my> Lord.
Romans 8:28-39 (paraphrased)

(And take a few minutes to go over to the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs blog…the song that is featured today could just be our ‘theme song,’ my friends!)

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CHRISTLife — By Prayer and Petition

February 1, 2014 by

saturdayprayersandpraiseslongDo not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6 and 7

Great and precious are the promises we have been given! They bring such comfort to our hearts!

“Do not be anxious about anything….”  This always reminds me of our Lord’s words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6).  As He ministered to the vast crowd, He said to them:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the flowers of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Talk about being comforted and encouraged! But, y’know, Jesus’ words to them still apply to us…He is still encouraging us to ‘not worry about your life’ and asking the question of us ‘Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’  His heart is still to guide us along to seeking first the Father’s Kingdom and His righteousness…and the ‘all these things’ that we need, and desire, and pray for…’will be given to YOU as well.’

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 4:2

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