Growing up we all need validation from those around us that we are loved, needed, wanted, and important…when this is missing, we can feel devalued, outcast, rejected and worthless. These very negative emotions can follow us into adulthood and unfortunately, into our relationships with others. But you are not insignificant in God’s sight, rather you are His child. And not only a loved and valued child of His, but a joint heir with His son Jesus. If invalidation was part of your past growing up, give it to the Lord, and move forward as a treasured co-beneficiary of the Glory beyond.
Tag: theology
Luke 6:38 ” Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
God’s premise is simple…give and it will be given to you…the proportion you use to give is the same proportion you will receive back. Give stingily, and you will receive little…give lavishly, and the Lord will bless you beyond measure…for you can not out give God! Blessings upon blessings, almost too difficult to contain, He will pour into your life.
II Chronicles 7:14 ” If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.”
This entire passage hinges on one little word, and that word is “then”. If the first part of the scripture is accomplished, it will be followed by the final portion. God is very specific of what He requires of us first…we are to swallow our pride, pray fervently, seek His face, and turn from our evil ways…and then and only then will He act. We’ve got to do our part before He’ll do His…if we are serious about pursuing our task, He will be just as serious about fulfilling His.
John 13:8 ” ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’ “
The place is the Last Supper…Jesus is washing the disciples feet one by one when Peter refuses Him. In Jesus’s reply He did not say, “You have no part in Me.”…which would mean that Peter was unsaved, but rather Jesus said, “You have no part with Me.”…which means having no communion or fellowship with Jesus. The Lord was showing Peter the necessity of regular spiritual renewal or cleansing in order to remain in fellowship with Him…and that simple act of foot washing symbolized sanctification…
being set apart for God.
Ezra 8:22 ” I was ashamed to ask the King for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the King, ‘the gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to Him, but His anger is against all who forsake Him.’ “
Ezra was going to lead a group of Israelites from Babylon back to Jerusalem over dangerous and isolated territory. He had boldly told the King that God would protect them during this journey,…but now he had to believe his own words. Ezra called a fast, in order to humble themselves before God, committing the trip to Him, and asking for safe passage. When God tells us to do something, in the back of our heads we’re always thinking…but what if God doesn’t show up?!…I’ll be humiliated! First, there is boldness in stepping out when God speaks to you, then there is obedience when you follow through…and just like Ezra, God will be there every step of the way.
I Thessalonians 4:7 ” For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”
What exactly is it to live a holy life? I dare say, what I consider to be living a holy life may differ greatly from what you think. Each one of us comes from differing cultures, backgrounds, and upbringings. Each one of us are at different places in our Walk with the Lord. Aristotle defined holiness as standing between caring to please no one, and endeavoring at all costs to please everyone. In other words…we should strive to please God not man, all the while being Jesus to everyone around us.
II Timothy 3:5 “…having a form of godliness but denying it’s power.”
You’ve probably heard the old saying that beauty is only skin deep…Well, sometimes you’ll happen upon a person whose godliness is an eternal appearance only. They may seem to be devoted to the Lord by what they do, but when it comes to seeing the manifest power of God in their lives, it’s not there. They have rejected the idea that God can work mightily through them, thus completely limiting the Lord in their life.
Matthew 4:19 ” “Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Jesus had been walking along the Sea of Galilee when He came upon Peter and Andrew casting their fishing nets. When He extended the invitation to follow Him he used an interesting Greek word for “make”…I will make you fishers of men. The word means that Jesus would be doing the work, producing the desired outcome in their lives. In other words He was telling them that if they followed Him, He would enable them to gather in all mankind for the sake of the Gospel.
Romans 10: 9-10 ” That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Trust builds in our heart as we hear about Jesus…this new found faith grows and sets well with our soul. It’s at that point we need to take the next step which is to publicly acknowledge Jesus as our resurrected Savior. We take what’s within our heart, and make it real by speaking it forth.
Ephesians 2: 8-9 ” For it is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Sorry, but we can’t “work” our way into heaven. That spiritual score sheet we’ve been keeping means nothing to the Lord. We will never do enough in His eyes to qualify for a free pass to the Pearly gates. It is only by His grace, unearned and unmerited, that we are granted this gift of salvation… so that none of us can brag about what “we” did.
Safetypinlove 