These are just thoughts I'm having as I study more, seek God more, and learn new truths about my own life. I've run into some really funny videos lately that address how fake Christians can be ... and then I heard a sermon along the same line ...
I'm excited about it because I think I'm seeing more and more Christians getting real with themselves and their search for truth among the Christian life. This has had me buzzing since the beginning of my 'return to church'. So this is a rambling my learning process, my growth lately, and some other stuff. I have some pretty strong words for those of us that have ever lived in denial, 'pretended', or who have just aimlessly 'gone through the motions'.
As I learn more about relationships, co-dependency, and what is true (God's truth), I have come to realize that no matter how many nuggets I find in a book or how many quotes that speak deeply to a situation, if I do not apply those things to my life, it's all pointless! And I mean ... REALLY apply them ... in a way that causes us to approach a situation differently because of the truths we have learned.
I wonder when is the last time I learned something and actually walked it out? Okay ... people say, "walk it out" and my mind doesn't grasp what that really means. It doesn't just mean to apply a truth to our own thinking so that we 'feel better' about us and how we live! It doesn't mean that this knowledge now takes up space in our brain, that it gave us an 'ah-ha' moment, or even that we have the ability to teach it to others, no, no, no ...
It means ... -oh, there is depth in what this means- ... It means ... To take these truths and then USE them TRUTHFULLY in new situations or (probably more appropriate) in the situations you HAVEN'T DEALT WITH yet!
You know how people always say things like , 'in your mess you find your message'? Well, if we don't deal with our mess truthfully, we don't really get the message ... we haven't really 'walked it out' if we haven't used the truth to deal with our mess. And to put it quite frankly, to 'deal with our mess' means to work out your issues once and for all!
You have anger issues? You have issues with your spouse? You have issues with addiction? You have issues with letting people walk all over you? You have issues with being a 'serve-a-holic' or a workaholic? You have issues with pornography? You have issues with gossip? You have issues with being jealous of a person or a person's talent? Guess what? There is a reason for all of these things coming up in your life. *If we don't deal with them, how can we ever help anyone else? Let's just stop trying to help other people until we've ... removed the logs that are blinding us.
We have GOT to deal with it and STOP walking around like Stepford Christians!!!!!! Hello!!! We are jacked-up individuals! I'm sorry, but I just get sick to death of people PRETENDING!!! Guess what???!!! You are just as messed up as I AM!!! LOL! How long will we just keep living in denial ...and for the very few honest Christians that admit having problems (Bless their hearts), we'll tell them what we've learned from a book because WE HAVE NO REAL EXPERIENCE in 'pushing through', 'praying through', or 'pressing through' ANYTHING! Well, that's just sad!
How often are we really making changes in our lives with God's truth that HEALS? I know I don't as often as I should and I don't see a lot of Christians having their lives changed drastically over and over again.
Change, hmmm ...
Our hair,
our car,
our clothes,
our church,
our job,
our house,
our location ...
We can find new places, things, and people to keep covering it all up, but in the end we are left with the same false belief working against us in our lives that isn't producing any fruit. Worse, it also plays out (in one way or another) in our children's lives ... and their children ... and it goes on and on until we decide to grab hold of the truth (freely given to us) to stop it!
There was a day in your life, or several days maybe, that the enemy wanted you to believe a lie... and you did.
You believed that you weren't good enough, that you deserved what you got, that you were not loved by someone or anyone, that you were rejected or neglected, that you were hopeless, that you were all alone ...
If you ever believed a lie like that, and we all have at one time or another, there is a truth that will heal your false belief. You find that truth in a eulogy God wrote for you. This is why knowing who God says you are is important. This is why our 'Identity in Christ' is important. And the longer we believe what He says about us, the more we begin to believe we don't have our own identity at all. Let's call off the search for self! We belong to God and that is where we are kept. We are not even our own. And we don't need to be ... we might WANT to show ourselves ... but all God is concerned about is that we reflect His son! That's the light the shines in darkness! That's the salt of the earth! It isn't YOU.
God didn't choose us because of how much money we make, or how good we are at something ... we've already been chosen. It's done. No reason for competing with one another or being jealous of God's other children. Let me tell you a secret .... They were chosen TOO! ((GASP)) hahaha.
We were ALL chosen and God doesn't have favorites!
To sum up my rant ... lol
Let's start believing what God says about us- get rid of our false beliefs,
let's get rid of the root cause of our dysfunction once and for all
and deal with our issues truthfully- stop being Stepford Christians,
let's become a light that looks just like Jesus so others will be drawn to HIM, not us
and give God ALL the glory!
Why?
Because it's just not about us!
Who does God say I am? Or ... The eulogy God wrote about each of us ... :)
• I am a child of God.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. John 1:12
• I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ’s life.
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:1, 5
• I am a friend of Jesus.
No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have
called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15
• I have been justified and redeemed.
being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24
• My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin.
knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, that we would no longer be slaves to sin. Romans 6:6
• I will not be condemned by God.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
• I have been set free from the law of sin and death.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Romans 8:2
• As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ.
and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him
in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:17
• I have been accepted by Christ.
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. Romans 15:7
• I have been called to be a saint.
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. 1 Corinthians 1:2 (Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2)
In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30
• My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in me.
Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1
Corinthians 3:16 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
• I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17
• God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the
sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14
• The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ.
But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:14
• I am a new creature in Christ.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new
things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
• I have become the righteousness of God in Christ.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
• I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
• I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir.
Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians
4:7
• I have been set free in Christ.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3
I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
blameless before Him. Ephesians 1:4
• I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7
• I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance.
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose
who works all things after the counsel of His will. Ephesians 1:10-11
• I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13
• Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we
were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been
saved). Ephesians 2:4-5
• I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ.
and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:6
• I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
• I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ.
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of
Christ. Ephesians 2:13
• I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise.
the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Ephesians 3:6; 5:30
• I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ.
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:12
• My new self is righteous and holy.
put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:24
• I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord.
you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.
Ephesians 5:8
• I am a citizen of heaven.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Philippians 3:20
• The peace of God guards my heart and mind.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
• God supplies all my needs.
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
• I have been made complete in Christ.
in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority. Colossians
2:10
• I have been raised up with Christ.
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
• My life is hidden with Christ in God.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
• Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory.
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:4
• I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved.
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
• God loves me and has chosen me.
knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you. 1 Thessalonians 1:4
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