Our Image in Christ

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work.”  -John 14:10

Have you ever found yourself lost in something?  We can often find ourselves lost in movies, entertainment, work, or other activities.  It isn’t wrong to be completely focused on something; in fact God calls us to work diligently and faithfully.

But when something consumes us before God, it can cause identity issues, limiting us from God’s unlimited power and presence in our lives.

Recently I was sitting in church during worship asking God some questions about certain things that were going on in my life.  "Look to Me," I heard Him say. At that moment, a gush of revelation about being "in Christ" came over me. 

"Your image in Me is going to look different than anybody else.  Don’t look to others - look to Me.  I am the source of your true identity."  When we look to Jesus, we don’t look to anything else to find or define ourselves.  We are defined by God and His plan for our lives. We can’t look to others for our identity because God has made us each unique.  It is okay to honor someone who has helped you in your walk, and it is okay to look to an admirable person as a good example.  But, when we cross the line into comparing ourselves and trying to live exactly how they live and do the things they do in order to earn acceptance by others, we are headed for trouble. God made us each uniquely, with a unique call and a unique set of gifts for our life.  This is not to say we do not live blameless, holy lives. 

When we look to Christ, the old image of our old self passes away.  (2 Cor 5:17) We become a new creation in Him.  We are no longer bound by old ways of thinking - we are released to live life to its fullest potential.  Our faith in Christ releases us to pursue all we’ve been given with everything we are.  Our weaknesses are overcome by His image being released in us.    If we are in Him then He is in us - and our true identity with shine through.  We find ourselves in Him.  "Lose your life to find it," (Matt 10:39) means when we lose ourselves in Him we find all we were really meant to be. 

Do you find your image in Christ?  Let Him help you discover all you were meant to be in Him today. 

Having Faith for Today

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. -Matthew 21:21

Faith is difficult sometimes. When we're in a tough spot, when things are hard - it's challenging to have faith for situations. Sometimes our problems look so big compared to God, although we know in our minds that God is bigger. That's because our knowledge hasn't translated into faith - into real belief. The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
 
Faith is not just saying we believe - it's having a sure conviction in our hearts that this or that thing will be accomplished. It is moving past our natural circumstances and into a supernatural dimension, where God's words resonate. Faith is belief we feel in our hearts when we have decided put our complete and total trust in God.
 
Just as we can't live on other people's faith, we can't expect to live today using yesterday's faith. Each day, situation, problem is different, with its own set of challenges. We need new faith every day, for every situation, to get through the tough spots in life. We need God's words to guide us for today. Have you ever thought about it? The Bible says God's mercies are new each day... and we need our faith to be that way too. "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." -2 Corinthians 4:16
 
If you need faith for today, I invite you to pray this prayer: "God, give me faith for _______. I believe that you are bigger than my situation, and you able to do anything!"-and believe in your heart that God is bigger. He will honor your faith - for whatever you encounter!
 
"These (trials) have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." -1 Peter 1:7

One Step At A Time

"The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man's precious possession." - Proverbs 12:27

 

I love the Jordan Sparks song "One Step At A Time". Even if you're not a pop music fan the message is encouraging. When we encounter obstacles in our path, the best thing we can do is keep moving, one step at a time.

Recently our worship director was sharing about how we can get overwhelmed looking at the big picture, when all we really need to do is take a small step towards our goals.

God blesses our diligence; He is moved by our faith. Action accompanies faith.

Matthew Barnett, author of The Cause Within You says, "Never confuse activity with impact." What step can you take toward making a life of bigger impact? Sometimes our dreams and goals can seem so daunting. But we need to start somewhere. Is there a way you can break down your goals into small pieces?

Diligence, patience, and perseverance are what are necessary to keep moving forward. Sometimes this process involves patience with ourselves. Maybe it involves forgiving ourselves and letting go of past regrets that keep us from seeing the light ahead. Most often, fear stands in the way of the goals and dreams that we want to achieve. But just one step toward our goals can give us the confidence we need to take another step.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Are you able to take just one small step toward your goals?

"The only way we get there, is one step at a time." -Jordan Sparks

Unless Your Faith is Firm

"Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah. Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm." - Isaiah 7:9 NLT
 
There are so many "unless..." verses in the Bible. It seems that a walk of faith doesn't just encompass God's movement in our lives - it encompasses our movement that activates God's movement. 

I've heard it said before, "God isn't moved by need; He is moved by faith." 

Faith is always the prerequisite for God's activity in our lives, whether it be a miracle, healing, provision, or any kind of need we might have. God is moved by faith. It says in Hebrews 10:38, "The just shall live by faith." 

In the time of Isaiah, two kings, King Rezin of Syria, and Pekah the King of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. King Ahaz of Judah was worried. But God sent a message from Isaiah saying, "This invasion will never happen; it will never take place... Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm." 

Is your faith firm in God? We have to be sure we keep our hearts aligned with God's in order to see His activity in our lives.

Taking Ground - A Time to Fight

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." -1 Timothy 6:12 

One morning in Sunday service I heard our pastor talk about covering and protection.  He requested that we cover them in prayer and defend them, and also that we defend and protect each other.  But then he challenged us.  He said, "Sometimes you gotta fight - 'cause that's how you take ground." 

I thought about how much this can be applied to so many different areas of our lives.  For instance, in the workplace:  We want to be promoted or we want to excel in what it is we're doing.  In order to do this, it requires we give more attention and focus that the average person. We learn new things.  We develop a "fighter" spirit within us, doing the best we can with passion, excellence, and a dedicated will.  Sometimes it's not enough to do our work well - sometimes the battle requires that we do all that is necessary to excel - come in early, stay late - and finish the project before it's due.  

Maybe it's a dream that needs fighting for.  Perhaps there is something on the inside of our heart that needs to be birthed into reality.  In order for this to happen, it calls for prayer, support, encouragement, and the dedication needed to bring the dream to pass.  Each and every time something great is born there will be resistance, such as those who doubt us or our dream, or our own uncertainty and fear.  But we must overcome this resistance if we want to see our dreams come to fruition.  

Relationships also need fighting for, and perhaps most especially.  If someone offends us, the Bible says we are to go to that person and talk with them about it. If the person listens to you, you have gained a brother (or sister!) (Matt 18:15)  Maybe we need to call someone we haven't seen in awhile to check in on them.  Perhaps we need to set healthy boundaries with those who tend to take advantage.  Or maybe we need to defend AND fight for someone who we know is doing right.  

There is a right way to fight and a wrong way to fight.  We shouldn't fight with manipulation or underhandedly using procrastination or deceit (our flesh).   We have to keep in mind that we're not fighting against people - we're fighting against the principalities of darkness in ourselves and in others.  The person isn't the issue - it's the issue that's the issue. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  (Ephesians 6:12)

Are there things you need to fight for?  Make it a priority to fight for those things that are really important in your life today. 

The Bigness of God

"His Spirit made the heavens beautiful, and his power pierced the gliding serpent. These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?" -Job 26:13-14  

Every time I go to the mountains I am enamored by God's creation. The sun, the sky, the rivers and lakes, the sunset and sunrise - it's all so amazing and awe-inspiring. I am amazed by the "bigness" of God.
 
The sun, for example, is 875,000 miles across. It is so big, in fact, that 64 million of our moon could fit inside it.* Wow. Our God created that sun. (See Genesis 1:3) Our God is that big!
 
We are not aware of this majesty most days, stuck in the grind of our daily routines. And yet, although we might think of ourselves as insignificant in the grand scheme of things, we can have the most awesome, intimate, and most fulfilling relationship with the God who created the universe.
 
I don't think we as a culture or even as a Christian sub-culture spend enough time focusing on how magnificent God really is. We make little idols out of problems in relationships, the things we have to get done for the day, and our adversities, or whatever it is we think takes us away from our adversity, if only for a moment. But our God is so much bigger! And we are His children, made in His image, saved by His grace.
 
Have you received this revelation of kinship to God and of His "bigness"?

"Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light." -Psalm 36:5-9

Why not focus on the bigness of God in your life today?

*Source: http://ds9.ssl.berkeley.edu/solarweek/DISCUSSION/howbig.html

Overcoming Discouragement

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." -Deuteronomy 31:8  

The Israelites were discouraged. After Moses had sent Joshua and 11 other men to explore the Promised Land for forty days, ten of them came back with a bad report, and the people were upset.
 
"All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, 'If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?'" -Numbers 14:2-4
 
Joshua and Caleb were the only ones with a positive outlook.
 
"Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, 'The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.'" -Numbers 14:6-8
 
How easy is it to look at a situation with natural eyes instead of looking past the challenges and seeing with eyes of faith? Both Caleb and Joshua had faith in their God that He was going to do all that He said He would do. They were living based on God's promises, not on what they saw. So, when they saw the size of the giants in the land, they were not discouraged. They had faith in God that He was greater. But, Joshua also knew that the Israelites had to get their hearts in the right place in order to ensure God's blessing. "Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them." -Numbers 14:9
 
How often do we miss what God is doing because we see our situations as bigger than Him?
 
Winston Churchill, British politician known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II once said, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
 
Let us be "faith optimists", and allow God the opportunity to work when we think the obstacles are insurmountable. God delivers on His promises - always! Our part is having faith, trusting that He is bigger and that He has our best in mind. Our God never fails!

Living by Faith vs. Living by Emotion

"A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones." -Proverbs 14:30 (MSG)

We tend to live by emotion in our culture. "Just do what feels right," seems to be the general norm. Many of our thoughts about right and wrong are based on our emotions, on what we perceive is right, or wrong.
 
When someone hurts us, we stand on the perceived reality that they "hurt our feelings." Sometimes we imply a motive behind others' actions which causes us to wrongfully judge them instead of asking about their intentions. We fail to employ discernment to see if the wound had a deeper root from something from our own past or even theirs. And then, we often do not do the even deeper work to discover and let God restore and heal what's broken through the power of forgiveness.
 
Faith, although a substance like emotion, is different from emotion. Faith comes as a response to God's words that knows that what the Bible says is true. It is a response to situations which says, "My God is in control."
 
When we live by emotion, it's like our faith hasn't fully taken root in our hearts. It hasn't yet extended to those situations that make us upset. Jesus described it in this way: "The seed cast in the gravel - this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it." -Matthew 13:20
 
Character is what we do when no one else is looking. It's also what we do in the midst of challenge. Do we bend and fold, or are we able to stand strong on the foundation of our faith? Living by faith ensures a firm foundation. Although it is natural to feel emotion, we should not make decisions based on our emotion. We should make them based on our faith.
 
"The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." -Matthew 7:25
 
Let us be like the house on that firm foundation of faith, as we place our faith and trust in God with whatever difficulties come our way - no matter how we feel.

Use Your Gifts!

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ." -1 Peter 4:9-11

What is your gift? The Bible calls us to use the gifts that God has given us to serve others and to minister to Him. The Bible also says His gifts and His call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29) Through the discovery of our gifts, we can bless others through the "various forms of grace" that God has given to us.
 
"...so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach..." -Romans 12:5-7
 
Often we may not know what our gifts are. There are many great self-assessments and tools you can use that will help you discover your gifts and talents. One I have taken is The Call. Sometimes a leader or friend can see your gifts in you. There are many spiritual gifts which include prophecy, teaching, healing, helping, discernment, and miracles, but also "natural" gifts that God has given as well. (See 1 Corinthians 12:27-29)
 
Sometimes, we might be in a place where we're afraid to use our gifts and talents.  Nonetheless, God instructs us to. Sometimes we might think another person has a greater gift than us, so we are ashamed of our gift. But God doesn't feel that way about it. He gave us our gifts for a reason. He had a purpose in mind. There is no hierarchy in gifts, and in order to operate as Christ's body, everything must be working! God will give us grace for the things He's called us to.
 
We should use the gifts God has given us so we can be a blessing to others. But we will also find that when we serve in alignment with the way God has gifted us, we will experience joy as a result, because we are being used by God in the ways that He created us. In this, we discover our purpose to be uniquely used by Him to further His kingdom.
 
Are you using your gifts?