Letting Go of My Former Names

If you are as massively introspective as I can be at times, you may struggle with constantly self-analyzing yourself. The ultimate answer is to "stop looking at yourself," but we need more help than that. Patterns of thinking that have developed over long periods of time, in order to be reformed, need constant bombardment with new patterns of thinking. Think of it like a basketball player, after being spotted by a "professional" as having bad form when shooting, is told the right way to shoot, and then practices daily shooting shots using this new, good form.

So why do I bring this up?

I was sitting in my bed last night, struggling through some things with my cousin on the phone, and I realized that I was stuck viewing myself and my situations in a way that is not based upon the truth. Yet, my thoughts on myself and my situations seemed so real, and felt so true. The result of my opinions on things: hopelessness, anxiety, sadness. I would also add, apart from my own opinions, I may be agreeing with the opinions of another, mainly Satan. The accuser and tempter comes and whispers his nasty lies into my ear. Most of the time these "opinions" of the enemy are based upon reality, and I find myself agreeing with him, and therefore falling into the same trap: hopelessness, anxiety, and sadness.

So what's the deal? What do I do now?

I must begin to fight back. I must fight the good fight of faith to believe that which God's Word says is true. I must preach to myself and rebuke Satan's seductive lies. And, if you have put your trust in Christ Jesus, you can embrace that which is true of you too:

- Jesus took God's wrath, due us, upon Himself; therefore, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

• "I am not condemned. Get away from me liar, for my sins are no longer counted against me."

- Our name is no longer, "sinner" or "adulterer" or "cheater" or "weirdo" or "hopeless one" or "mad man/woman," but rather "child of God," "saint," "redeemed," "Christian,"and "beloved" (Romans 8:14-17)

• "I am a redeemed child of God, and He loves me dearly no matter my flaws and failures - God is that good! Flee from me Satan, I no longer embrace your lies or your accusations; I only accept the truth about me, that I am God's child."

- What we did yesterday is not held against us. God's grace is not given as a wage for "good works." For example, I didn't spend time in the Word yesterday, therefore, today "that conversation" is not going to go well, or "that talk" will not go well. (Psalm 103:8-14). *(I am not saying that God does not give consequences to His children, but merely that the performance trap we get into to gain God's favor is a false reality)

• "God has good works for me to do today. God is working all things together for my good. God is not like a human, in that oftentimes human relationships are based upon, 'if you do this then I'll do that.' That sin I committed in the past does not mean that I have now missed God's 'best plan for my life,' and will now have to settle for God's 'second best plan for my life.' God will and is blessing me even now! Get away from me liar, I do not have to work my way back into God's favor, for because of Jesus, I am already in His favor!

To keep it short, I will keep it at three, but the Bible contains amazing truths which we must use daily to fight the good fight. I suppose it's the call to renew our minds in Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Join me in in the battle to "let go of my former names!"

Blessed Annoyance

So, what do we do when certain people in our lives annoy us?

I'm talking about those people who really get on our nerves. Even harder, those people who get on our nerves who we serve alongside in ministry. It is fascinating to me that in a given situation, I and another person have the capacity to say the exact "perfect" thing to one another that creates an awkward situation of disagreement and contention.

I confess that my desire in those situations is to "flee the scene." Or next time, to "avoid the scene." I'll chalk that person and I's relationship up to "different personalities" and "for the sake of the ministry" avoid interaction with he or she. This action may be best for the ministry. God may be using contention to call two different people to two different areas of ministry. However, this may not be the case. Unfortunately for all who struggle with this as I do, this may be a call by God into a season of learning the truth about love.

Jesus calls us to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us. This is one reason I know that the desire of my Father is that I love he or she who annoys me, and to pray for he or she who I do not get along with. Not to mention the fact that he or she is most likely my brother or sister in Christ - part of our family! Also, they are probably just as annoyed with me and my fleshly tendencies and personality. So, what do we do now?

The next time I am in those situations of "annoying interactions," resolve:

- to remind myself that God was annoyed with the way that I rejected His self-less love for me, yet He loved and pursued me anyway.

- to remind myself that I am speaking with, perhaps, a member of my family (God's family).

- to remind myself that God has power to change my heart so that we become the best of friends.

- to remind myself that I can serve and love this person in the power of Christ, and have joy in doing so.

- to chose to love them and pray for them.

- to chose to forget my flesh and the lies that I make up in my head, for the sake of another.


All of this in the hope of knowing Jesus more fully, and glorifying His beautiful love!

Forgotten By God?

No!

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Luke 12:6-7).

The Painful Test of Faith

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and the he rewards those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back" (Hebrews 11:17-19).

The test of faith is painful. One of the most difficult aspects of this test is that we cannot see. What the test is asking of us does not make sense. We are unable to see the outcome, and, left to our own analysis, all outcomes seem to lead toward misery. During this test, and only by such a test, can faith be tested. We cry out alongside Abraham, "God, Abba, why are you asking me to sacrifice my 'Isaac,' my 'Isaac' through which You promised me descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky?" Nonetheless, we trust Him. It doesn't make sense; we don't understand why, but we trust Him. We put our Isaac on the altar and say, "Your will be done." For he is the only one who is worthy of all our trust - He is perfectly faithful, and He loves us with perfect love. This is our conviction of things not seen. All our hope is in Jesus alone, for he is the only one that we can see. Only He is able to work all things together for the good of those who love Him.

Faith in Jesus is proven most supremely when all other hopes are removed but Jesus.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).

Trust

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

All we have is today. No, all we have is this second. Will we, will I trust Him, or will I let the cares of this world, the lies of satan, my own emotions, my own cares and worries cause me, or rather tempt me to trust Him not. If I do not trust Perfection, who will I trust?

Beholding Christ Compels Us to Believe

It is sad to me when I see the unsaved maintain their reasons for not trusting in Christ based on what they see or don't see in Christians, rather than what they see or don't see in Christ Himself. Every man falls short - man cannot be God, though he is often worshiped as a god. Only as we see Jesus and fall in love with Him do we trust in Him. Looking at man's works for what they truly are, we see filthy rags. Looking at Christ's works we see righteousness. And when we do see man's works and give God glory, it is truly God's work in man, not man's work in himself.

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5).

Your Purpose I Cannot See

O the pain and the deep sorrow,
the depths of this sadness;
the past it haunts me,
my dreams, even they confess.

My heart it wrenches,
the confusion is hard to bear;
years of not understanding this race,
my heart, it continues to tear.

What is my Father doing?
Why has He chosen this path for me?
Speak to me O Lord,
Your purpose I cannot see.

This life is but a vapor,
this world will pass away;
but O the pain that is here,
perhaps it will make sense one day.