Who I Am In Christ Devotionals

  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 When I Act Like I am Two “I believe in Jesus. I believe He is the Son of God. I believe He died and rose again!” (Tommy Bolton) And He loves me. Why do I know this? According to the verse, the Lord directs my heart to the love of God. This is a divine work of God. I want to use the word magic, but that would be wrong. It's a miracle. Does that seem too strong a thing to say? That it's a miracle for man's heart to be directed to the love of God? The reason it's a miracle is that I naturally have the fallen heart of Adam who fell in the garden of Eden. I am haughty, angry, selfish, and rebellious when not walking in the Spirit. I want what I want when I want it. I'm two. The Steadfastness of Christ But he lovingly, miraculously directs my heart to the love of God. He's making me new. And He directs me to the steadfastness of Christ. I looked up the word: st

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 I Am Clay I am in Christ. I am a new creation. This is His promise. The old has passed away. He says, "Behold!" Look here. Don't miss this: The new has come. Since I am new, it follows that the Lord will work that new creatureliness out in me. And I don't fully know what that means. What will He do in me today and how will it grow over time? I'm clay. I am a work that He is doing. May He work deeply! Other than, living a holy life, set apart. I know that bringing every thought captive to the Lord must be part of being a new creature. In times of stress, I sometimes forget this. I know it is not appropriate for a child of God, a new creature, to forget God when in stress. He brings profound peace even in times of stress. But rather, I must lay it out before Him. I must turn my will and life over to Him as I walk. Live Like The Creature That

  We always pray for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and with power fulfill all your good desires and works done by faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him... 2 Thessalonians 1:11‭-‬12 Praying For Believers It is a blessing to get to draw near to God. And I get to pray for other believers. This verse teaches me how I can pray for them, and more importantly what I can expect from God. When I say "expect" that might sound disrespectful. But what I mean is that He reveals through the apostle Paul what He wants me to ask. 1. I can pray that God counts you worthy of this calling. 2. I can pray that He fulfills ALL your good desires. 3. I can pray that He fulfills ALL of your works done by faith. 4. I can pray that Jesus be glorified in you. 5. I can pray that you be glorified in Him. When I Pray First, I can pray that God counts you worthy of this calling; there is a strong expectation that He answers that pr

  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 Practice His Presence What a verse for a believer! In whatever I do. WHATEVER. Do it well? Just do it? Nope. Do it heartily. (I'm picturing a bunch of medieval feasters singing around a large banquet table. Heartily. Okay, maybe that one's just me.) Do it heartily for the Lord. To do things for the Lord, I need to practice His presence. I must remember He is with me. I am seeking Him. Praying. And not for men. I don't want to read something into the passage that's not there, so I want to be careful. I know we do things for people. But we do it "as for the Lord" when we do it. We are not seeking their esteem. Child Of The One True King And we KNOW. Look at that word: I know. What? That I will receive a reward of the inheritance. I am a child of the one true king. Yes

  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:8-10 The impulse to do bad things subsided. I'm a believer who needs my godly friends. It takes humility to rely on friends and grace to help them. The verse says, love covers a multitude of sins. One way to look at that is that we need each other. And if love covers a multitude of sins, that means that friends know about those sins. I am blessed to have godly friends that I reach to. They reach out to me too. We listen to and help each other. They remind me to be bold, to forgive, to make amends, and to be honest. They are Christ-like though they might not ever describe themselves that way. The other day, I was tempted hard. I reached out to two friends. One got the notification and texted me back immediately.

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea... Psalm 46:1-2 He is clearly saying that I don't have to be afraid. He is present in trouble. Not so busy that He doesn't know my trouble. He KNOWS. Since He is present, I can take a deep breath. And know He is God. But what if this..? And what about that..? Though the earth be removed. And the mountains thrown into the sea. The earth removed? What? The earth being removed: that's as bad as it gets. He is present. And I am His. Now, how do I get to the part where I am not afraid when the mountains get shoved into the ocean? I don't know. But He is clearly saying that I don't have to be afraid. For I'm a child of the true God, the deliverer who brought a nation out of Egypt. I matter to one who is, who is present. He died for my sin and rose again in glory and power. (3 nails,

For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that it may be revealed that his deeds have been done in God. John 3:19-21 Walking in the Light Believers come to the light. I am a believer in Jesus, the light. I am a child of the light (1 Thess 5:5). I want to be in the light as He is in the light. Yet, I don't always feel so "lighty." I can feel so foggy. One day, I can feel like I've stepped into the light. No denial. Honest. Walking in the Spirit. The next, I feel like a vampire when the sun comes up. But He keeps working. The verse says that he who does the truth comes to the light, that it may be revealed that his deeds have be DONE IN GOD. Like a Sailboat Taking Credit for the Wind My confession: When I walk in the light, I so much want to take credit! It is a constant struggle for me to be humble. I've been learning that when this pride comes on, to co