Who? Me? Yes, You! - Week 2
“Embracing Your Identity in Christ”
This is a weekly devotion encouraging you to embrace your new identity in Christ.
This is who you are in Christ Jesus. He has made you brand new.
“Therefore if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature;
the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
(2 Cor. 5:17 NASB)
Let His word introduce you to yourself. In meeting Him and all that He has done and accomplished on your behalf, you will meet you. We all need a new perspective as the world has left us with a broken mirror. In today’s modern technology phones are used as mirrors. We simply hold up a smart phone, flip the lense and take a picture of ourselves. It is hilarious to watch someone pose for a selfie. They shift their head to get the best profile. Fix their hair. Clean spinach from their teeth. Make sure double chin is not doubling. Then snap…a new selfie!
As a new creation in Christ, may I encourage you to hold up God’s word, the best mirror! As you gaze at Him, look closely and you will begin to see a new you. All that is true of Him is now true of you. But it takes time to see it and believe it. It is not acting the part. It is not faking it until you make it. No, it is all fully true of you, but you have to believe it. These truths have to hit you right where you are and you have to ponder and let them sink down into your being….until they become belief.
This devotion is intended to be a mirror revealing Jesus so that you are able to see the new you. It is not to be a quick read through, but truths to ponder on for the week. Before you begin,
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you.
Read the Bible verses and ponder them.
Read the devotion.
Ask yourself if you believe it is true.
Ask God to give you faith to believe what is true, not what you feel.
Make Truth Cards to remind you of the new picture in your mirror. Please write out the Truth statement and the scripture for each devotion. Keep this card with you as you are reminding yourself of your new identity by declaring the truths out loud.
Pray about what you have received asking God to make it real to you.
On the following week do the same things, but continue to meditate and daily declare the past weeks Truth.
It is not reading that changes us. It is not a sticky note on the mirror that gives us a new perspective. It is not a quick glance that changes our view and belief, but a long gaze. As you gaze and meditate; declare and choose; you will begin to think a new way and believe a new way.
Shall we begin? Pick up the mirror and gaze.
Week 2
“I Am Dearly Loved”
Ephesians 5:1, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children."
Colossians 3:12, "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
This is a truth that must be grasped with your heart. Accepting that you are dearly loved by God must be grasped in order for all of the other truths to be accepted. I agree with Robert McGee’s quote,
“Living as His beloved comes as we discover and embrace an accurate perception of ourselves, God, and others based on God’s truth.”
I am convinced that God loves each and every one of us dearly and deeply because He is love. He doesn’t simply like you or just have nice feelings about you. He loves you intensely and deeply. He bought you with His Son’s blood and He loves you. “For God so loved….that He gave…” He created all of us with certain needs and the greatest and most profound is our need for love. This love is not obtained by good performance, living perfectly, having everything under control. As a matter of fact you can’t do anything to earn this love or to loose this love. Can you believe that? There is nothing; that’s right, nothing that you have done to make Him stop loving you.
I know that the enemy has told you a different story. He has used people and experiences in life to prove this truth to be a lie. But flash news ladies….The enemy is the liar; not God. Come out of agreement with the lie of the enemy that says you are not worthy of God’s love; your great sin ended His love for you; you lost His love when you lost control; or that God’s love is conditional like people you have encountered. It is a big lie. You must choose to break ties with that old way of thinking. Listen to the voice of God that says you are his dearly loved child. You receive it. As you look into the mirror of His word, you ask Him to reveal His love for you.
Let’s say it out loud together! “I am dearly loved.”