In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2
My family has a favorite story on me. I was about 3 or 4 and we had gone to my Aunt Lita's house. Aunt Lita's house always had a unique smell. It was 1 part Bengay, 1 part musty, 1 part whole wheat bread made inside coffee cans, and 1 part re-hydrated pimento cheese that everyone tried to convince me that I loved. I had gone outside and couldn't get back in. I could look through the screen door and see my mom, my aunts and my grandma. They were visiting and drinking coffee. I tried the door and couldn't get it to open. I knocked but they didn't hear me and kept talking. I knocked louder and they still didn't hear me. Finally I had enough. I put my hands on my hips and said as loudly as I could "Somebody let this poor baby in!" They heard me then and opened the door for me. They hugged me and gave me some toast made with the round bread out of the coffee can.
My mom's family lived a good ways off. Visiting with them always meant a long drive. I would usually be asleep when we arrived. I would stumble out of the car and we would walk up to the porch where the light was always on for us. We would ring the doorbell and someone would open the door. Again, they would hug us and say, "COME IN THIS HOUSE!" No matter how sleepy I was it always made me smile.
You may have noticed that life is hard. Sometimes I have the feeling that I have been left out in the cold and can't get any help. I hate to try to get help with anything. I partly don't want to bother anyone and partly don't want anyone to say no. As a consequence I end up being self reliant which is good, but also being resentful which is bad. Self reliance has a down side, too. It can keep me from asking for help from God. I don't want to bother him and I don't want Him to say no. God has invited us to come boldly before the throne of God that we may find mercy and grace to help in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16.) That means we don't have to stand and knock quietly to be sure we don't disturb him. There is a children's song that we sang in Sunday school. It says
Tiptoe tiptoe in God's house
Tiptoe tiptoe in God's house
Tiptoe tiptoe in God's house
Tiptoe very softly.
I know that this song was intended to keep children from making too much noise during service but being over the top as I am I decided that this was how I was to approach God. According to 1 John 1 we have become children of God because of his great love. How many children would creep quietly into their parent's room to ask for what they needed? Not mine.
We are not home yet. Like the journey to family's house for holidays some day we will get where we are going. Jesus tells his disciples, In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2I have a friend who was recently killed in an accident. I can almost see him leaving his broken body behind to be greeted in heaven by a smiling savior who exclaimed, COME IN THIS HOUSE! Some day he will do the same for me and for you. Whether we meet him there or he comes back for us, I long to see him. Even so,come Lord Jesus.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Identity Theft
Identity theft
Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1
We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.
As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.
Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction
It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.
Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1
We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.
As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.
Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction
It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.
Identity Theft
Identity theft
Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1
We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.
As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.
Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction
It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.
Behold what manner of love the father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1
We can hardly turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the rash of identity theft going on. It can be devastating to victims. One victim said that it affected almost all areas of her life. Her credit was damaged and she couldn't get loans since there were already loans in her name taken out by the thief. The thief cleaned out her bank account and she had checks that bounced, causing even more financial hardship. The thief used her identity to commit a crime, so she had legal battles. The stress from all of this caused problems in her personal life and her relationships suffered. It took a lot of work and money and time to clear up the problems.
As devastating as identity theft is, there is a problem in our world that is even more damaging. Spiritual identity theft. In John 10, Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of the things he tries to steal is our sense of who we are in Christ.
Here is a partial list of verses that I pulled from Crossing Church's website.
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
I belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20)
I am a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
I am assured all things work together for good (Romans 8:28)
I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Philippians 1:6)
I am a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1 John 5:18)
I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
I am chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11)
I am holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
I am adopted as his child (Ephesians 1:5)
I am given God’s glorious grace lavishly and without restriction
It is easy to see why the enemy would want to distract us and keep us from realizing our true identity and the power and resources that go with it. Let's commit today to search out who we are in Christ, confess it and walk in it. Stand and fight, children of God.
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