So many times our humanness gets in the way of a right relationship with the Lord. In a twisted form of arrogance, we place our wretched past up on a pedestal and proclaim it to be “too terrible” for the Lord to forgive. Yes, your past may be riddled with bad choices…but nothing God hasn’t forgiven beforehand. Murder, adultery, rape…the list goes on in the Bible of deplorable actions done by people in difficult situations. But when they took responsibility for their sins and asked forgiveness…God forgave them. For there’s nothing so serious, so vile, that God’s redemptive power can’t forgive.
Author: kezha1
A Christian mother, grandmother, and retired nurse living in Illinois. Called into a ministry of encouraging others to find their ultimate plan and purpose in life through Christ.
Malachi 1:6 ” A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a Father, where is the honor due Me? If I am a Master, where is the respect due Me? says the Lord Almighty. “
We’ll readily agree that God is our Heavenly Father and the Master of the universe. But our actions seldom match the honor and respect we should be showing the Lord Almighty. Our reverence and appreciation usually goes to material things and our comfort… rather than God. We should all then ask ourselves if we’re showing God the respect and honor He’s due, or placing ourselves on the throne instead.
Matthew 6:25 ” Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life…”
How much time do I squander away worrying? I’d hate to count up the minutes I spend stressing over the most stupid things…worse case scenarios that 99.9% of the time never happen. Rather than worrying, we should be worshiping…rather than glorifying our anxiety, we should be exalting the Lord. For God has kept His promises to us in the past…and He’s not going to stop now.
Malachi 1:14 “For I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and My name is to be feared among nations.”
You are the Lord Almighty. The mightiest Warrior…the all-powerful King of Israel. Your Rulership is over the entire universe. By Your power, You have created all things, and You stand ever ready to preserve their existence. We thank You Lord for Your faithfulness, and stand in awe of Your total authority.
Malachi 1:7-8 ” You place defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you? says the Lord Almighty.”
Leftovers. For many, they’re not very appetizing. So why do we repeatedly offer them to the Lord ? Those remaining bits and pieces of our time and money in a rather half-hearted attempt at devotion. God doesn’t want our leftovers. He wants our utmost. He doesn’t want what’s left…He wants our very best.
In Christ Jesus…You are a citizen of Heaven.
In this upwardly mobile society, we move about a lot. Sometimes out of necessity, sometimes for pleasure…and there’s times we find ourselves in places that are different, strange, and unlike what we’re accustomed to…and we feel uncomfortable…longing for our home. As Believers, we’re foreigners here on Earth…for our citizenship is in Heaven. (Phil. 3:20) It’s no wonder then that we feel conflicted, uneasy and awkward…we’re just visitors here!
In Christ Jesus…You are more than a conqueror.
” I can’t do it.” Do you know that’s music to Satan’s ears? All he has to do is whisper, “You can’t do that.” and we usually cave in. For doubt is the biggest culprit of our disobedience to the Lord. If we could somehow not only realize, but allow the concept to settle deep into our souls, that it’s God doing the work and not us, we would become invincible. So the next time Satan is spreading doubt, remind him…I can do all things with the help of Christ, for it is the Lord, not me, working out His plan and purpose in my life…so back off Satan, and watch what God and I can do!
In Christ Jesus…You are a new creation in Christ.
In II Corinthians 5:17 it says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” If Jesus dwells within you, you have been born again…a spiritual rebirth of a brand new person. But we humans like to return to the comfortable and easy things of the past rather than step forward into activities that are new, strange…and scary. As a Believer, you can’t go back to your old person, for he or she doesn’t exist anymore. You can only move forward…for the plan and purpose of God is to make you into something you’ve never been before.
In Christ Jesus…You are complete in Jesus Christ.
Many of us walk around with gaping holes in our heart…holes caused from personal loss, trauma, or at the hands of someone else. We frantically search for things to fill these holes, but find nothing that lasts or gives us peace of mind. Jesus Christ is the only person or thing that can make your heart whole again. For in Him, you are made perfectly complete…lacking nothing… able to fully realize who you are in Christ.
In Christ Jesus…You are redeemed and forgiven.
Forgiveness. For some that’s a hard word to accept. They feel as if they need to “do” something first in order to gain God’s pardon. But to be forgiven by the Lord has nothing to do with us…for it is solely based on God’s unmerited love and mercy… His redemptive power working to heal and make us whole again.
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