Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
Do I as a Christian understand myself?
Do I know my own real identity? My own real destiny?
I am a child of God, God is my Father; heaven is my home; every day is one day nearer. My Savior is my brother; every Christian is my brother too. Say it over and over again to yourself first thing in the morning, last thing at night, as you wait for the bus, any time when your mind is free, and ask God that you may be enabled to live as one who knows it is all utterly and completely true.
For this is the Christians secret of the Christian life, of a God-honoring life.
J. I. Packer
Wow.
Ask yourself those 3 questions as Packer suggests this morning.
But more importantly take a second to SPEAK and EMBRACE those AFFIRMATIONS today!
Yesterday was a STRANGE day.
I was informed we lost another good friend to her battle with addiction.
Many of my friends are facing unmentionable challenges with their work, the passions, their direction and provision.
It was a day filled with phone calls laced with discouragement and uncertainty.
It was a day filled with covert adversaries seeking and doing their best in the shadows to derail the dreams of others.
And yet despite all the negative I (and my friends) are still CHILDREN of the most high GOD.
Nothing, no measure of uncertainty, no measure of adversity, no measure of discredit, no measure of discouragement can separate us from that POWERFUL and EMPOWERING truth.
Romans 8:37-39 (ERV)
in all these troubles we have complete victory through God, who has shown his love for us.
Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus.
Discouragements will come.
Naysayer will nay.
The envious will seek to undermine.
The divisive will divide.
The narrow minded will ridicule.
The elitists will dismiss.
Let them.
For what does that passage assure?
NOTHING can extract our identity from us.
NOTHING.
All of this “hard stuff” comes with the territory.
...we are God’s children, we will get the blessings God has for his people. He will give us all that he has given Christ. But we must suffer like Christ suffered. Then we will be able to share his glory. – Romans 8:17 (ERV)
If you too are dealing with some discouragement or feeling oppressed, disenfranchised, or dismissed, join me in taking Packer’s advice!
SPEAK these truths over yourself today.
1. I am a CHILD of GOD!
2. GOD is my Father!
3. Heaven is my home!
4. My SAVIOR is my brother.
5. And I am built for loving!
For remember as Neal Anderson points out, “The most important belief we possess is a true knowledge of who God is. The second most important belief is who we are as children of God”
I love you all!
OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE
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