HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
fa Today’s scriptures are about finding rest, in the faith we have in who we are in Christ. I so happened to run across one of Joyce Meyer’s broadcasts recently, entitled “Identity Theft”. Joyce was teaching about knowing who you are in Christ, and not allowing anyone to steal your identity. This was such a fitting teaching for me, because as I wrote yesterday, I sometimes don’t realize when I’ve been blessed. I love the Lord, and I believe with all my heart that He lives, but I sometimes get sidetracked by worldly things. I sometimes get hung up on what others do, or what I think I should be doing, and I momentarily lose my “Identity” in who I am in Christ. It’s so wonderful for our identity to be reaffirmed every once in awhile—in a way, that’s another reason why we should study His Word daily. When we know our identity in Christ, we can rest in the fact that we’re exactly who we were meant to be.
In Christ we are joint heirs to the throne of the Kingdom of God, so we’re Spiritual Royalty. We have power in His Name, and we have His love instilled in us. We’re each uniquely blessed with gifts and talents, which are meant to shape and mold us into awesome vessels for God. We are free from the burden of sin, because with Christ there is no condemnation for the believer. We are perfect in Spirit, by the blood of the Lamb, and no one can take that away from us.
Have you ever noticed that it’s exhausting to sin? For example, when you tell even a small “white lie”, it requires maintenance. After awhile, you have to make up another lie, to cover the first lie. Next thing you know, lying becomes your life. If you drink or use drugs to help null your inner pain, it eventually wears on your body, and your health is inevitably affected. If you spend a wild night out in the club, drinking and partying, you wake up sick and often times in a worst mental state. That sin can lead you to fornication or adultery, and then you have a whole mess of other things to deal with. Are these or other common sins worth the headache, when you can be who you were meant to be in Christ?
Walking in righteousness is so much better, because freedom really is bliss. Once you get to know Christ [but most importantly who you are in Christ] you’ll feel this exhilarating inner peace that can’t be explained. You get to put down the weariness of a sinful life, and walk in line with God’s will. Once you do that, the sky’s the limit. You can have or do anything you want in the world. If you ask for it, you’ll receive it, because now the things that you ask for are sure to be in the will of God. When you discover who you really are in Christ, watch out world! The key is self-discovery, and not trying to reinvent who you were meant to be, just because the world says different.
Know who you are, don’t try to be like your neighbor. Not everyone was called to preach and teach the Word, so don’t get frustrated because you don’t have that gift—God has blessed you with a gift just as important. For example, I was called to cook and not bake. I tried to bake, but I just don’t have the knack for it. In culinary school, there were people in my class who were masters at baking. They could whip up a batch of bread, or decorate a wedding cake beautifully. At one time, I thought I was a bad chef, because I couldn’t do what they could, and then finally I realized that it wasn’t meant for me. I can make a great turduckin, and season up some food really well, but baking wasn’t meant to be. We have to understand that God loves us just the way we are, because He created us this way. He knew exactly what we were going to do, before He even formed us in our mother’s womb.
Remember you are a chosen child of God, and through Jesus Christ you are awesome! Have peace in knowing that not one of your prayers will fall on deaf ears. God once said to King Solomon long ago: “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” (2 Chron. 7:14-16) Because of Jesus, we are now God’s temple, and Jesus lives in our heart forever. He has chosen us from the beginning of time, so when we step away from sin, and choose Him He’s attentive to our every need. This is a promise made by the Lord our God. Now do you know your Identity in Christ? Have you exhaled yet?
Be at peace brothers and sisters, by knowing that we are children of God, and He has given us rest. It’s too exhausting fighting against the flesh alone, because it’s a losing battle. Take your place, put on the armor of God, and allow Him to give you rest, and assist you in your faith walk. Jesus said, “come to me and I will give you rest”. If you don’t know Jesus, then life will be spiritually harder than it has to be. Spiritual peace is worth more than any amount of wealth, or prestige in the world. I can surely testify to that! If you want to know more, take a few minutes to take the God Quiz today! My favorite verse today is: Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455567&dtype=Scripture
http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/Broadcast/
http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional
I love you!
PS
For archived devotionals, visit my blog at: http://dailydevotionalangelicchef.blogspot.com/
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