Who I Am In Christ Devotionals

  But as for me, Lord, my prayer to you is for a time of favor. In your abundant, faithful love, God, answer me with your sure salvation.  Psalm 69:13 CSB My son asked to borrow my car. I paused, thought about it, and threw him the keys. I want to give him good things. And we get to ask God our Father for good things. We get to ask Him for His favor. It feels weird for us to ask. I’m not talking about one of those half-hearted prayers that puff through our cheeks like so much exhaust. No, I’m talking about asking Him like a son when he needs the car. A son has a hopeful expectation of an answer. He looks his father in the eye and waits for a response. Our prayers should be at least that sincere. I mean, it’s no fair to not (really) believe that God answers if we don’t ask expect an answer. But that’s what we've done so many times. This Psalm was written by David and he has every expectation that we should approach God like this too. He wrote it to be sung and memorized. To b

And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 CSB Some fathers ignore their children. At best, this kind of man rushes out to work and,  when he get home,  takes care of his own needs and comfort. Sometimes, he looks up to pat the kids on the head. Does God treat me like that, or does He walk with me, take care of me, and make my path straight? Okay, that's an easy answer. He loves. He is love. He is a good father.  That love involves testing too. These tests make me. And in this testing, sometimes, God seems like He ignores me.  He does not ever ignore me.  He is much more like that gymnastics coach who has his hand underneath my back the first time I try to do a backbend on a balance beam. I might not even be aware his hand is there. Yet, when I falter, when I slip, He is right there. He is fully able and engaged.  And He makes grace OVERflow to me. Overflow

As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.” Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan… Mark 1:10-13 Jesus is mine and I am His. And Jesus, according to this passage pleased God the Father. This means much for me and my life; Let me explain. Paul says to the church in the book of Colossians - “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God .” Colossians 3:1‭-‬3 CSB So let me try to pull this together. Jesus was pleasing to God the Father. I have died with Him. My life is hidden with Christ in God. What? My dirty, sinful, messy self is hidden. With Christ. With Christ. And that makes