Prayer

It seems as though telling myself not to fret or worry, seems a bit unrealistic. However, if God says to not do it, then what do I do instead, and how do I put this into practical application?

Theses are the steps, I believe, convert our/my worries into prayers and into conversations with God instead.

Believe God is listening: In order to believe God is listening we must believe that He exists to lead and guide us. “Look at this: look Who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him.” Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬ ‭MSG‬‬
“I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might, I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭1‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Believe God is for us: God loves us. He truly wants what’s best for us. “Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces, he answered. God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? God’s my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies. Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people; Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭5‬-‭7MSG‬‬
Believe God sees us: God already knows what we struggle with, what we celebrate and sees us. He is watching, waiting to be invited into, not only our struggles, but our celebrations too. “God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can’t take it all in!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Believe God is who He says He is: This is probably the most important step. The previous three steps are much more challenging to apply if we don’t simply take God at His word, in His Word. “If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God’s testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God’s own testimony regarding his Son.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬
“The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written, I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I’ll expose so-called experts as crackpots. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭MSG‬‬
“What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens. Your truth never goes out of fashion; it’s as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up. Your Word and truth are dependable as ever; that’s what you ordered—you set the earth going. If your revelation hadn’t delighted me so, I would have given up when the hard times came. But I’ll never forget the advice you gave me; you saved my life with those wise words. Save me! I’m all yours. I look high and low for your words of wisdom. The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me, but I’m only concerned with your plans for me. I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can’t contain your commands!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭89‬-‭96‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Believe for Salvation: It is crucial that we believe that Christ died for our eternal salvation. That He came so that we can be with Him for all of eternity. “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Believe you have Access to the presence of God: The Holy Spirit is the person of God that leads us while we wait for Christ to return. This encounter with God, counters every lie and misleading of this lost world. “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Believe prayer is talking directly to God. Prayer is our direct line to God in heaven. Our CEO, HR and advocate all wrapped into one. There is no being put on hold or AI generated phone service, He speaks in every language (because He designed us and every language that represents us), He sees you, He hears you and is eager to guide you on the perfect plan and purpose for your life. Below are some verses on prayer: “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.”
‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬
“God can’t stand pious poses, but he delights in genuine prayers.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬
“God keeps his distance from the wicked; he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭29‬ ‭MSG‬‬
“God, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears—it’s my voice you’re hearing! Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭141‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬
“I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms— I’m celebrating your rescue. I’m singing at the top of my lungs, I’m so full of answered prayers.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬

I am truly leaving today’s blog with such encouragement of these collection of verses. I pray that we each have a God-encounter, that we take prayer more serious but also more reachable and accessible than we did before. That today is a day that we celebrate the access we have to God, to His Plan and Purpose for our individual lives and for the corporate good of the Church. That prayer is a first thought to our day not a last resort to life’s problems. Amen!

““Yes, indeed—God is my salvation. I trust, I won’t be afraid. God—yes God!—is my strength and song, best of all, my salvation!””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/97/isa.12.2.MSG

#prayer #strength #joy #salvation #believe

Identity

We’re reading this book for one of my classes & this is what I want more than anything: I hope I read, meditate on, ponder, “Selah”, the Bible with the same confidence in my identity in Christ, as Jesus did when He read the prophecies that were being fulfilled, in His lifetime, by His very existence. #Identity #Truth #God #Selah #Bible

My favorite day of the week

Give it all…“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.3.20.ESV

Sundays are my favorite day of the week. I get to go worship the one true God that has led me through my darkest hour yet also has shared in my joy in my most celebrated moments. He is truly my most prized possession.

I don’t deserve it, I couldn’t earn any of it, yet here I am emptying all my junk on Him while He pours out mercy, love and grace to me. Sundays, I get to celebrate this God who is not mad at me, but madly in love with me, with other believers.

It’s mind blowing that He, the uncreated one who created everything…

“Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. They cried out to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disappointed.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭22‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭BSB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.22.3-5.BSB

Today, is a great day to go be with people that believe what God says, about everything. We need His guidance, His wisdom, His direction. Today, I challenge you to go to church.

Party like it’s 1776

Fourth of July is more like a week long event of carnivals, parades, BBQ’s, and of course, fireworks. My hope is that though none of those things are bad, in fact, all are very good, we realize what happened on this day, hundreds of years ago.

It’s our Independence Day. It’s the day that we put everything on the line by signing the Declaration of Independence. If we won the American Revolutionary War, we would be free from all British rule but if they won, we would lose everything and once again, be under the British regime.

As we play patriotic songs, light up the grill, shoot off the fireworks, take a minute, close your eyes, face up to the sky, arms raised high and thank the good Lord, the brave men that led the way for the Independence you and your family have, because of today.

God bless! And God bless America! From sea to shining sea!

Independently, dependent on my sweet Jesus

As an American writer and Christian, I must pause, every year to reflect on my religious freedoms. Many people that I’ve met throughout the years have shared their fight to acquire these freedoms that I have never been without.

With that introduction as a backdrop, I am here to express my sincere gratitude for my country, my faith, my church and my family. The United States is not perfect. We still experience growing pains from remaining to be the melting pot of the world. I want to thank everyone prior to me that fought for the freedoms my family and I enjoy to this day.

I highly recommend listening to Max McClean’s reading of the Declaration of the United States of America.

May you have a blessed Independence Day!

Reading, writing and living

As I read my daily devotional, I take notice of this habit that took me years to form. Reading God’s word inspires me to write from the heart and live out the life that God promises me.

I’m starting to get an understanding that obedience is far more valuable to God and my’s relationship, than sacrifice. Ultimately my obedience is a sacrifice. When I obey, I sacrifice the desires of my sinful nature, the ability, to sabotage the promises God has for me. Obedience over sacrifice. It’s a way of living. It’s a decision to follow Christ, to follow His character, until I reflect who He is in me.

Living to please God instead of people is a result of my daily indulgence in His living word. This lifestyle was bread out of committing to my daily time with God, as well as studying, memorizing and meditating on the Bible.

What has been your source of nurturing your relationship with God?

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Nobody Makes It Out Alive Week 6 Maintenance plan Day 7 Seize the day

“so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:15-16‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Here we are at the end of our journey. We have conquered much, these past few months together. We have fought for our minds to embrace a truth about who God is to us, who we are to Him and why that matters. Taking our eyes off of what we see in this world while we long for the unseen treasures of eternity.

As you have probably discovered, there is no generic formula to get from the beginning of your time here until you pass on through to eternity. You are a unique, designed being, on a set course, for an eternal destination.

Where we spend eternity will be determined by who we put our trust in. We can put our trust in The One who designed and created our inmost being, before we were given, on loan, to our mother’s womb, or we can live our lives with no creator in mind at all. Whichever we choose, time ticks and eternity awaits our last tic on the clock because nobody makes it out of here, alive. We are not promised tomorrow. We cannot change the past. Today is meant to be seized with eternity in mind.

I leave you with some real questions. Where will you spend eternity?
How will you spend your daily 1440 minutes as you walk out the timeline given to you that disrupted eternity?
Do you know who God is to you?
Do you know who you are to God?
Do you know that where you spend eternity is anchored in those last 2 questions?

Only you can answer these questions honestly. If you do not know where to start, start with the Salvation prayer then by reading the book of John, Acts and Romans, in the Bible. I recommend the, The @YouVersion Bible App has a permanent spot on my home screen.
http://bible.com/app , so you can pick a version of the Bible that is easy for you to understand and memorize.

Salvation prayer:
Lord, I admit that I am a sinner. When I have sinned and when I sin, I sin against You only. I believe that You were born to a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified for no crime but for my sin to be erased, that You died and rose from the grave, conquered sin & death on my behalf, that You are in heaven preparing a place for me; and I believe that You are coming back for me, to be with You, for all of eternity. I confess to You Lord my sin ( confess whatever comes to mind) and I believe that my confessed sin is erased at the cross where You willingly laid down Your life for me. Lord, I believe Your word is an echo of Your heart and I will study, meditate and keep it in my heart and mind, daily. Amen.

“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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Nobody Makes it Out Alive Week 6 Maintenance plan Day 2 Review

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:23-24‬ ‭CSB‬‬

In order to maintain this mindset of seizing the day we must review what we have learned, contrast against what the Bible says about it and then apply it until it is as natural as breathing.

We need to review what goes against our natural instinct to do, especially, when it is centered around our sinful nature and bad habits. It took time to learn those habits and behavior it might take a bit to unlearn it and replace it with what is good. You are not alone. God is with you, cheering you on. You will have some wins and losses but in the end, you will shine like pure gold, if you keep your focus on eternal things.

A review of the last 5 weeks:
Week 1 Distractions: we discussed 7 temporary things of this world that get in the way of an eternal mindset.

Week 2 The Battle Belongs To The Lord: We battled through 7 common disappointments and misunderstandings that lead to confusion about who is, ultimately, in charge and responsible for our lives

Week 3 Grief: We learned about processing loss, hurt and unplanned disappointment so that we can pick up the pieces and move forward. A tough but necessary week.

Week 4 Nothing Wasted: We identified areas of our life that were more challenging than others and allowed God to show us He can turn any mess into our victory if we let Him.

Week 5: Focus: We turned our focus from who the world says we are, what the world says we should focus on; and made some decisions to focus on who God is to us, who we are to God and why that matters.

We can read, study and memorize quotes and verses, however, if we know what to do but never make the effort to do it, we will find ourselves wasting time we cannot get back. That’s the bad news.

The good news is, starting today you can stop going through the motions and apply what you have learned. Nothing changes, if nothing changes. Seizing the day is not about perfection it is about progress. If you try and improve by 1% each day, doesn’t seem like much, right? But if you do nothing your progress remains at 0% improvements. But after 100 days increased by 1% a day you reach 100% improvement vs doing nothing remains 0%. The point is this, 100 days will pass regardless.
It’s you vs you.

Lord, I need Your strength, empowerment and wisdom to review and apply what I have learned so far. More knowledge is good but to do it is better. Let me not waste one more minute gaining knowledge without application. Amen.

“Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭51:16-17‬ ‭MSG‬‬

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Nobody Makes It Out Alive Week 6 Maintenance plan Day 1 Remember

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love. He will not always accuse us or be angry forever. He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:8-12‬ ‭CSB‬

The maintenance plan to embracing or seizing the day rests on whose hands you place your day, your life and your reactions in. Have you or do you remember the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly)? We overthink and complicate things by rehearsing and agonizing over a past we cannot change as well as worry about a future that has not arrived yet.

I read somewhere that around 97% of the things that the average person worries themselves sick about never even happen. I found the information when I was struggling with severe panic and anxiety attacks. One of the application exercises I did, per my counselor’s suggestion, was write down the last 10 things I remembered that triggered a panic attack. Then write down what the actual outcome was. In my own writing, one hundred percent of what I was running through my head, DID NOT happen. I just sat there staring at it in disbelief. Almost trying to convince myself that I was wrong, it must have been much worse but it was not worse. In fact, everything worked out in one way or another with minimal issues. All of those scenarios had workable solutions that I learned to adjust to and live with. I still struggle from time to time with anxiety but the majority of the time I can practice that simple exercise in my head and it helps me put things in perspective. In fact, one of my coping phrases that came out of that season in my journey is this: “Everything is going to be okay. It may not be the okay I planned for but, ultimately, it will be okay.”

Lord, I know You are with me, that You want what’s best for me. I believe if You allow something or someone to come into my life or leave, it is for a purpose. My days are numbered. I do not want to waste my day on anguishing on a past I cannot change or a future I have not seen yet. I choose to seize the day rather than to have the day seize me. Amen

“For he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass — he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over it, it vanishes, and its place is no longer known. But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep his covenant, who remember to observe his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:14-19‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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Nobody Makes It Out Alive Week 5 Focus Day 7 Walk by faith

“Think over the things I am saying [grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you insight and understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ [the ever-living Lord who has] risen from the dead, [as the prophesied King] descended from David [king of Israel], according to my gospel [the good news that I preach], for that [gospel] I am suffering even to [the point of] wearing chains like a criminal; but the word of God is not chained or imprisoned! For this reason I [am ready to] patiently endure all things for the sake of those who are the elect (God’s chosen ones), so that they too may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it the reward of eternal glory.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:7-10‬ ‭AMP‬‬

What we focus on matters. Faithful people of God who experience life in its fullness know that focusing on what is in front of you is way more productive than rehearsing a past you cannot change or worrying about a future that hasn’t happened yet. Rather people of faith wake up to an overwhelming desire to speak to God about the day they have been gifted. They actually look at waking up as a gift from God, willing to live that day out with a sense of purpose and a Holy Guide to lead the way. People of faith understand that just as much as they are on loan to this space and time; the day that they awake to is also on loan to them. These, people of faith are defined by their Creator, not the ebb and flow of this world, but by the hope of heaven shaping and molding them into a perfect piece of the puzzle in the family of God. People of faith find their peace in knowing that though this world is filled with it’s troubles, this is not their final destination but a mere journey to prepare us for our heavenly home. They do not hang on to the temporary things of this world but cling to the hope in a heaven that has no more death, sin, tears, disease or even weeds in our garden. People of faith seize this gifted day as one day closer to heaven.

People of faith focus on what Jesus did FOR them and realize that there is nothing they can DO to make Jesus love them any more OR any less. They realize that Jesus went to the cross while they were still in their sinful nature, which is now, we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23-24) People of faith are reminded that the sin they struggle with today, is a reminder of their need for their only hope of our Savior and Forgiver of our sins, Jesus.

Lord, help me grab hold of this “people of faith” mentality so that I do not waste one moment in my head or of my time and resources on things of this temporary world but also understand that this is a necessary part of the journey to You. Help me walk by faith of an unseen heaven in the middle of a tangible mess of this world. I choose to seize this day with a heaven bound focus. Amen.

“So then, being always filled with good courage and confident hope, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:6-9‬ ‭AMP‬‬

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Nobody Makes It Out Alive Week 5 Focus Day 6 Labels that last

Nobody Makes It Out Alive
Week 5 Focus
Day 6: Labels that last

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28-29‬ ‭AMP‬‬

What we believe about ourselves matters. People will try label you, parents will try, our significant others, family, friends, politics, media markets, so many forces outside of you try to define who you are by labels.

We can be defined by our role in others lives like mom, dad, sister, brother, auntie, uncle, daughter, son, there are tons of role labels. The majority of these types of labels are mostly positive and true.

But labels like ugly, useless, dumb, lazy, stupid, weak are used to keep us from knowing our value as God intended. If these kinds of labels have been spoken over you, they can blur the image and sometimes blind you from who and what God has labeled you. These labels can “stick” to the point that we come into agreement with them. This is exactly what the devil wants. Because if He can convince you that you are invaluable then you will willingly give up your place within God’s Kingdom. You will miss out on the abundant life God intended for you right now. Do you really want to trade that for lies?

How do we undo the verbal accusations that have been engraved in our mind? We have to start with what God says about us. Your homework today is to take the two verses in today’s reading, everywhere you see the words“those” and “us”, replace it with your name. We, you and I, are “those” and “us”. Do this by reading it every time one of those devil labels try to stick.

I take notecards, rewrite the verses with my name in them so that I can easily tape them to my bathroom mirror, put them in my car or tape them to my desk at work. Some of us need to be reminded more than others depending on how long we believed these lies about us. It’s okay. What matters is what you believe about what God says about you. You can remove the labels, from the devil, and replace them with labels from God’s word. Then the next time the devil uses someone to blur your vision about being the image bearer of God, you can choose not to accept the label in the first place by becoming a nonstick surface for anything but God’s truth about you.

Lord, give me the diligence to do this homework and learn who I am to You so that I know and believe the truth and will have an antidote ready to combat every lie about me. Help this become a holy habit in my life when I am believing the lies that blur or blind me from Your truth. Amen.

“And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity]. What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:30-31‬ ‭AMP‬‬

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Nobody Makes It Out Alive Week 5 Focus Day 4 Truth vs Lie

“Who are you?” they asked. Jesus replied, “ I’m exactly who I have claimed to be from the beginning. I have many things to say in judgment concerning you. The one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him I tell the world. ” They didn’t know he was speaking about his Father. So Jesus said to them, “ When the Human One is lifted up, then you will know that I Am. Then you will know that I do nothing on my own, but I say just what the Father has taught me. He who sent me is with me. He doesn’t leave me by myself, because I always do what makes him happy. ””
‭‭John‬ ‭8:25-29‬ ‭CEB‬‬

We live in a time where information is at our fingertips at a click of a mouse or mouse pad. But that does not mean that the information that we have access to is true. So how do we know what or who to believe with so much information to sort through? Simply put, our Bible and the Holy Spirit that lives inside of every believer will guide us, if we read the Bible and give into the Holy Spirit.

Let me explain. There are many more owned Bibles than read Bibles. There are many more lip service believers than sold out believers, that depend on the Holy Spirit to decipher a truth from a lie. I know this to be true by mere observation of the world I live in today. The Bible is clear on what God created, who God created and why. Yet the world is confused about their identity. The world does not look to God for truth, it looks to what is trending on social media and popular for the moment.

We can’t really have an intelligent conversation about it if you have not read the Bible and what it says about it. When an unbeliever says the Bible is not true. I ask what part, point out to me what you’ve read that isn’t true. I do not recall, one answer, in my 33 years of being a Christian that the person in dialogue was able to point out a thing. So these conversations ended typically with, how about I give you a place to start reading in the Bible then we’ll talk. I also do not recall anyone that took me up on my offer that did not eventually become a believer. The others left indignantly as if I offended them somehow. Though, unfortunate, I always prayed that someone could reach them better than me. I am not everyone’s cup of tea but I am okay with that because I know who God is to me, Who I am to Him and why that matters. I’ll be me and let Jesus worry about saving the people.

Lord, I pray for any of us that me be in the middle of sorting out truth from lies. Whether it be biblical truths or just sorting out the crossroads we face in every day life as humans. That we would pray for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to Your truth, wisdom and power as we dig into the Bible for answers. Help us find a mentor to guide us when we do not know where to start. Thank You Lord for who You Are and helping me become all that You created me to be. Amen.

“So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].””
‭‭John‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭AMP‬‬

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Nobody Makes It Out Alive Week 5 Focus Day 2 Identity

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:13-16‬ ‭MSG‬‬

God, You, created us with such great joy and delight. You loaned us to our family for a season until we would be with You in paradise. What a concept. To fully identify with this verse and believe it is a huge milestone in our faith-walk level of maturity. Not to just see these verses as poetic masterpieces but to see ourselves as the Uncreated One’s living, breathing, reflection of His favorite design.

Maybe your parents encouraged you in believing that you are loved, purposed and valued. Maybe your parents made you feel like a mistake, a burden or unwanted. Either way, you and I were on loan to them.

You are not a mistake. You were made for a specific purpose by God before he began to shape your baby toe. The rest of the world may not understand your place in this world but it’s not their job to figure that out, it’s yours. Once you do, your whole view will go from darkness to light.

Lord, help us look to eternal You for our identity rather than this temporary world. This is not our final destination, You are. Help us identify, with Your guidance, who we are to you and why that matters. May we never accept the lie of being a mistake or unwanted, by people that were supposed to love us. May we be grateful for those that pointed us to You. Amen.

“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children — and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭CSB‬‬

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