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. 

Seeing What Others Can't See

"And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around." - 2 Kings 6:17

There are times we may look at someone and think they're crazy, or see a situation and see no solution. We think to ourselves, "There is no possible way to make this happen," or, "She is definitely out of her mind!" This is human. But to look past the circumstance or reality and see God's potential, this is supernatural.
 
It takes a lot to see potential sometimes. It definitely requires imagination. But when people's lives are so messed up that they can't see out of their situations, we need to be the ones who can see past their circumstances for them. But before we can do that for others, we need to be able to do it for ourselves.
 
God has a very different view of you than you have of yourself. He sees you in a way that no one else can see you. He sees you for who you are, unhidden, transparent, and with all the personality, gifts, and talents that he placed in you from birth. Many times the weight of the world puts layers on our soul. It takes awhile to peel back the layers of the onion, but when we finally do, we are able to see more of what God sees.
 
When we do, we become freer in the realization that God is our source, and we can do anything with Him.

Who are you? What has God placed in you that you have yet to discover? Ask him today to show you your potential. And see what amazing things will happen when you do.

Seeing People For Who They're Becoming

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."  -Matthew 16:18 
Have you ever doubted someone else's potential? Or have you ever doubted yourself? Have you ever said to yourself, "I don’t possibly see how God could use me... I have so far to go."

Well, the good news is, God is always looking at our future potential.  He doesn't care that we have this or that issue going on in our life.  He sees the finished product - when we've gone through what we've needed to go through to be refined.  He sees us at our best - in our complete capacity. 

There are many people who didn't believe they could do what God called them to in the Bible - Moses, Abraham & Sarah, Gideon, and Jonah just to name a few.  But God called them anyway - even though they were often not "assignment-ready" material when He called them.

What about the people you encounter?  What about the people you lead?  Do you see their future potential?  Do you see what God is calling them to?  I get so excited when I think about the potential that God placed in people, to change cities, nations, or even just their own families due to the changes that are happening within them. 
 
"God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called." Why not ask Him today to show you a glimpse of the potential in yourself?  Why not ask Him that about others you encounter, and those you are called to serve?  God sees us for who we are becoming, but He loves us for where we are now.