{"id":16900,"date":"2014-01-13T02:55:02","date_gmt":"2014-01-13T07:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=16900"},"modified":"2014-01-13T03:48:36","modified_gmt":"2014-01-13T08:48:36","slug":"christlife-chapter-one-crucial-question","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2014\/01\/13\/christlife-chapter-one-crucial-question\/","title":{"rendered":"CHRISTLife – One: A Crucial Question"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/center>Who<\/strong> are you<\/em>? Is your first response, \u2018Don\u2019t ask me that question!\u2019 or perhaps, you have a ready litany to spout out of accomplishments and positions you hold, of who you are in relation to your little world. \u00a0So I ask you again (and believe me…we are going to ask this question of each other and of ourselves many times during this study!)<\/p>\n

Really now…who<\/em> are you?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As the answers rise up within you, I suggest that you write them down. \u00a0Keep a running list. \u00a0And don\u2019t NOT write down any response that is a little ugly or dark or something you don\u2019t want to admit. \u00a0As we move along through this study, we will purposefully and intentionally work to find the Truth from the Scriptures of just God says you are. \u00a0And your list can be overwritten with those Truths.<\/p>\n

Now, when you ask yourself \u2018Who am I?,\u2019 how do you feel about looking within? \u00a0Is it uncomfortable…painful even. \u00a0We each have areas of our hearts, our memories, our minds where we have pushed down the things that we don\u2019t like and the things that we don\u2019t want to deal with. \u00a0And perhaps there are things in your heart way down there that you aren\u2019t even aware of anymore.<\/p>\n

The Psalmist knew that it was God, and God alone, Who knew the depths of his heart! Over and over we read of him asking God to show him<\/em> his heart. \u00a0In Psalm 139, he declares,<\/p>\n

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
\nVerse 1<\/p>\n

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
\nVerse 23<\/p>\n

Throughout our lives, situations and circumstances have led us to believe \u2018things\u2019 about ourselves\u2014things that are simply not true. For many of us, perhaps even the majority of us, because of life events, our thoughts and beliefs about who we are have been molded without our even knowing it.<\/p>\n

I encourage you to let the Holy Spirit reveal to you these lies that you believe about yourself. This will not be easy…most probably, very uncomfortable! But what great value there will be to not holding onto these lies anymore. And to shed light where there was darkness! And to hold onto the Truth that is revealed\u2014the Truth about who God made you (each of us!) to be.<\/p>\n

For You, O Lord, are my Lamp; the Lord lightens my darkness.
\n2 Samuel 22:29<\/p>\n

This little song, sung by a few teenager girls, expresses my heart. How about yours?<\/p>\n