It is good to be back again, beginning a new year with a heart eager to grow in the Lord with you. It is so easy to forget how much God loves us. We can start to do, do , do instead of believing that it is done, done, done.He only wants us "to be". To be what? No, "to be" with Him. How often we can forget that the Lord is alive, living His life in us and wants to draw us closer to His heart, saying to us,"sit with me"
I have been a believer for over forty years, and just recently the Lord spoke to my heart saying" My child, you are asleep." Honestly, I didn't
understand what He was talking about. "Where am I asleep , Lord? " I asked. "It is in your struggle against sin. You have mistaken your identity. There is an area of unbelief that I want to talk to you about. Do you not know that I MADE you righteous my daughter? Why do you yet struggle against sin? You still think you are a dirty rotten sinner, but, I have made you righteous apart from your good works," He explained. I had always believed in my position in Christ as a believer, but the thought of being MADE righteous in Christ Jesus had never occurred to me. I had been focusing on the sinner more than my new life in Christ, the saint, set apart to Christ.
The Lord was so gentle to show me this area of unbelief. I never felt condemned, just grateful, for His love and patience waiting for the time to reveal this truth. No wonder it has been easy for the devil to condemn me, especially when I didn't believe in MY HEART that I was MADE righteous in God through Jesus Christ. Once I began to explore my true identity in Christ, my whole Christian walk started to changed.
The bible says, "Awake to righteousness, and sin not." (1Cor.15:34) This now means so much more to me.
Every day, as I confess that "I am righteous in God through Jesus Christ", I am more aware of God's love and forgiveness than I am of myself. His love and grace can be emotionally very overwhelming.
In the New Year, I believe the Lord wants me to share with you our new identity in Christ. It will be something to ponder as we prayerfully grow together as sons and daughters of the living God. We will begin to experience God's intimate love for us and for each other.
Hi, Dottie!
ReplyDeleteJust spoke w/ Rog and he gave me this web address.....made an appointment for Bob and I to see him
at the office. Exchanged a lot in information re: Lyme Disease....
This blog absolutely blessed and encouraged me - I read everything! Knowing our identity in Christ, really knowing, in a consistent manner, is something that I believe we all struggle with, in one way or another, depending upon our individual battles, and the path He has for each of us. He has accomplished everything for us. When you confess, "I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ", you are doing what Paul instructs the Ephesians to do, when he says, "Therefore take the the whole armor of God..." You are speaking (fastening on the belt of) Truth, wearing the breastplate of righteousness! The last thing our enemy want is for us to really, really, get this, because his purpose is to rob us of our joy, which is living in the pure love of Jesus.
Thank you for this.....I'm praying for you, my sister, for Jesus' presence to bless you, especially, today.
-Lynn
I hope I get to you Lynn. Thank you so much for your encouragement, but most all your prayers. They mean so much to me. I am learning so much about blogging and it is fun, but frustrating at times.
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