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Friday, June 12, 2015

Who am I? My identity

I am not a sinner in the hands of an angry God
I am a saint who sins in the hands of a loving God
I cannot consistently behave in a manner inconsistent with my self-perception.
John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 3:26; 4:6; 1 Peter 2:9,10;1 John 3:1-3

WHO AM I?

Old: I am unworthy. I am unacceptable.
New: I am accepted and worthy. Romans 15:7
    "Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God"
Psalms 139:13-18    "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
Old: I am a fearful/anxious person.
New: I am free from fear.
Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."
II Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
I John 4:18-19a "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he (God/Jesus) first loved us."
Old: I am a weak person.
New: I am strong in Christ.
Daniel 11:32b "...but the people who know their God will firmly resist him."
Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
Old: I am not very smart.
New: I have God's wisdom.
Proverbs 2:6-8 "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protect the way of his faithful ones."
I Corinthians 1:30 "It is because of him (God) that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."
James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
Old: I am unloved.
New: I am very loved.
John 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I (Jesus Christ) loved you. Now remain in my love."
Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ: Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine...? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angles nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Old: I am unwanted.
New: I am adopted by God and I am His Child.
Romans 8:16-17 "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."
Galatians 4:5-7 "..that you might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."

Ephesians 1:5 "he (God) predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will"

Old: I am depressed and hopeless.
New: I have all the hope I need.
Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
Psalm 27:13-14 "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in this land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
Psalm 31:24 “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
Old: I am alone.
New: I am never alone.
Hebrews 13:5-6/Deuteronomy 31:6"...because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
    "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Romans 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels no demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Old: I have no one to take care of me.
New: I am protected and safe.
Psalm 32:7-11 "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you...  but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!"
Psalm 27:1-6 "The Lord is my light and my salvation -  whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?...One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple...I will sing and make music to the Lord."

WE BECOME WHAT WE FOCUS ON!

WHAT AM I LOOKING AT TODAY?

WHAT AM I FOCUSING ON TODAY?

WHAT WILL I BE LIKE TOMORROW?


Jesus is the truth
(John 14:6)

the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth
(John 16:13)

the Word of God is truth (John 17:17)

we ought to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

 

Additional Material
“Victory Over the Darkness” Neil T. Anderson
“How to Listen to God” Dr. Charles Stanley
“Wheel and Line” audio Dr. Charles Solomon

Turkeys and Eagles” audio Peter Lord

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News.

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