Remind Me Who I Am (Jason Grey)

Wow, this is an amazing song..

I am susceptible to fall to the lie of believing in who I am not, believing the lie that I am a nobody, etc.  Then I end up feeling that I am "not enough" - not good enough, not strong enough, not lovable enough.  And I seek ways to "be enough" - futile ways that lead only to failure and dead ends and condemnation.

And yet..All along that whole process I have been FINE!  I have already been made "enough" by the perfect work of Jesus!  I am ALREADY accepted, complete, whole, holy, lovable and loved!  I am already enough and will be for all eternity, because Jesus' work made me so for all eternity! 

"For by one offering He perfected forever those who are sanctified."  Heb 10:14.  You can't get any more perfect than that!  You can't be any more "enough" - than that, any more accepted or loved or right with Him.  Thank You, Jesus!

It's time for me to stop worrying about being lacking or "not enough" and to just enjoy the wonderful gift of intimate fellowship with Christ, because that's what He's brought me into.  He says I'm enough.  He says to come away from the crazy lies and look into His eyes as He calls me "Beloved."  Beloved!  Think of that!

What a relief to know who we are..

If I'm His Beloved, that's truly "enough" - that's all I've ever really wanted, all I've been searching for - Someone to love me and accept me, embrace me and delight in me, Someone to love in a deep genuine, intimate, open, secure relationship!

He is more than enough to satisfy my deepest longings to be loved, and He says I'm more than enough - that I'm His perfect and beautiful Bride!  Beloved!

I am the one Jesus loves..I am Beloved!

You are the one Jesus loves..You are Beloved!

We are the ones Jesus loves..We are Beloved!

"You're My Beloved" (Kari Jobe)

Wonderful Quote from Sammy Bilyeu

Here's a wonderful quote I read on the Facebook page of Sammy Bilyeu (his page is called Grace, Life, Now!).  It's exactly what I need to hear right now (and always!) and exactly the message I want to share with this world..

"God is at peace with you!

He loves you and you're okay with Him.

He has given you peace.

He has paid for your perfect standing with Him.

Come to Him boldly, He is smiling to you with open arms ready to embrace you and kiss you...

That's our Heavenly Father.."

                                                                                         Sammy Bilyeu

Dance With Me

He seems to be calling me to just rest..

Not to try, not to strive..

But just to rest in His arms..

Just to let Him romance me..

Just to look into His eyes of love..

Just to enjoy the Dance with Him..

Just to be caught up in His tenderness and grace all over again..

He reminds me that nothing is required of me..

I can rest in His arms today..

Who I Am In Christ: A Great List

Recently, my dear friend Julie encouraged me by sending me a list she had compiled of confessions to make about our identity in Christ.  I want to renew my mind on the wonderful truth of who I am in Him, and this list is great for doing that!  It's a great list of statements and verse references, and she graciously has allowed me to reproduce it here.  (If you would like to visit the ministry website that Julie and her husband have, here's the link:  Harvest International Ministry

Who I Am in Christ

I am a servant of Jesus Christ.   Romans 1:1
I am set apart for the gospel.     Romans 1:1
I am blessed because my sins are forgiven.       Romans 4:7
I am justified by faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.     Romans 5:1
I am reconciled to God.     Romans 5:11
I am alive to God in Christ.     Romans 6:11
I am set free from sin.    Romans 8:18
I am under no condemnation.     Romans 8:1
I am controlled by the Spirit.     Romans 8:9
My spirit is alive because of righteousness.    Romans 8:10
I am a son/daughter, so I received a Spirit of Sonship.    Romans 8:15
I am an heir of God and co-heirs with Christ.    Romans 8:17
I am God’s child.     Romans 8:16
I am predestined, I am called, I am justified, I am glorified.     Romans 8:30
I am more than a conqueror.     Romans 8:37
I am Abraham’s seed and an heir.    Galatians 3:29
I am redeemed so I’ve received the full rights as sons.      Galatians 4:5
I am a son and because I am a son, I am an heir. (Everything God has is mine.)     Galatians 4:7
I am saved & called.     2 Timothy 1:9
I am appointed a herald, an apostle & a teacher.         2 Timothy 1:11     
I am prosperous & successful.     Joshua 1:8
I am loved by God the Father & kept by Jesus Christ.     Jude 1:1
I am faithful.     3 John 1:5
I am a witness.     Acts 1:8
I am filled with the Holy Spirit.    Acts 2:4
I am made alive.     I Corinthians 15:22
I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ.    Ephesians 1:3
I am holy & blameless.    Ephesians 1:4
I am a priest of the Lord.    Isaiah 61:6, 7
I am a minister of our God.       Isaiah 61:6, 7
I am wise because I win souls.    Pr. 11:30
I am anointed.    2 Cor. 1:21   
I am the aroma of Christ.    2 Cor. 2:15
I am set apart. I am ordained by God.    Jeremiah 1:5
I am marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.    Eph. 1:13
I am seated with Him in heavenly realms.    Eph. 2:6
I am God’s workmanship.     Eph. 2:10
I am an heir together (w/ Israel)  in Jesus.     Eph. 3:6
I am an apostle.     Eph. 4:11
I am light in the Lord.     Eph. 5:8
I am always in God’s love.    Romans 8:39
I am a citizen of heaven.    Php. 3:20
I am richly blessed because I called on Him.     Romans 10:12
I am sanctified.    I Cor. 1:2 
I am enriched in every way.    I Cor. 1:5
I am the salt of the earth.    Mt. 5:13
I am the light of the world.     Mt. 5:14
I am strengthened and encouraged in my faith.     I Thess. 3:2
I am chosen.    I Thess. 1:4
I am approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.     I Thess. 2:4
I am appointed a herald and an apostle.    I Tim. 2:7
I am holy & faithful.    Col. 1:2
I am a faithful minister.    Col. 1:7
I am alive with Christ.    Col. 2:13
I am God’s chosen (people).     Col. 3:12
I am holy & dearly loved.     Col. 3:12
I am rescued from sins.    Gal. 1:4
I am set apart and am called to preach Him.    Gal. 1:15
I am blessed along with Abraham.    Gal. 3:9
I live by faith.    Gal. 3:11
I am redeemed from the curse.    Gal. 3:13

Harvest International Ministry, Inc. 

A Special Verse God Gave Me Recently

I went through a slump recently, just getting into some "performance" thinking, imagining I needed to do more or be more to really be a "good Christian."  I was into the comparing game, examining myself in comparison with other people and feeling I came up short in many areas.  This led to feelings of self-condemnation and withdrawal from spiritual thoughts.

And there in my muck, God ministered to me.  He reminded me of such wonderful truths.  He healed my thinking and threw out the lies of the enemy!

Here are some words He shared with me through a friend:  "God has no agenda for you today.  He has no expectations of you.  There is no  - as in zero  - condemnation.  Jesus smiles and laughs because He is so in love with you.  He loves you no matter what you do."

God gave me a beautiful verse from Luke 15 that spoke directly to my needs.  I had needed to know from God that He was still around, still loving me and being with me even though I felt like a failure.  And I needed to know that I wasn't lacking or inadequate, because I kept comparing myself to others and feeling so much "less."  He gave me a verse that was perfect for me in dealing with these troubling thoughts (thoughts which were lies from the enemy, by the way!):

Son (Daughter), you are always with me, and all that I have is yours."

Wow..First He calls me daughter..this makes me feel special and wanted.  I love how God jumps over the faults and troubles and doubts which SEEM so big to us, and He goes right to our hearts and ministers LOVE.  He ministers to our real need.  When we get confused or whatever, He never sees our sins (it's been dealt with at the cross already!) - He sees His dear child who needs to be held and loved and reassured!  He is so tender with us!  I love how He continually delights in us!

Then He assures me that I'm ALWAYS with Him, no matter what my behavior, no matter how many times I get caught in the same tired legalistic lies, no matter whether I prayed this morning or not...He is still here with me and I am still with Him!  He hasn't left me because my performance wasn't so great.  He is committed to me and sticks with me, no matter what.  I love the STABILITY of our relationship!  I read a verse about that, it said, "My only hope is in Your steadfast love and faithfulness."  He won't let me down - He will keep on loving me and being faithful to stay with me!

And He says that ALL that He has is MINE!  I have such a rich inheritance, really have EVERYTHING in Christ!  ALL of Christ is in me and mine!  HE Himself is my peace, joy, hope, victory, strength, love, etc.  Talk about adequacy!  As it says in the Bible, "our adequacy is in Christ."  Having Him, I have all the Father has to give, and it's wonderful.  I'm not lacking or less than any other person.

When we end up in the gutter because of our confusion at the enemy's lies/attacks, God in grace is down there in the gutter with us, and He lifts us up out of the gutter!  We were only in trouble in our mind, we were always free and safe in His arms, we just had a momentary memory glitch!  He brings our minds back to clarity that all is well, and that during that whole time of confusion, He was right there with us, loving us, working to bring us to see the truth again!

I thank God for ministering GRACE to me in my confusion!  He is so good..

God the Lavish Giver

I was talking with a friend recently about how God always gives, always loves, always has more beautiful things to show us about Himself, more, more, more!  He just wants to lavish His love on us!  The image came to me of a daddy who just can't wait to grab hold of his little child and give that child hugs and kisses.  Or see that child open up the gifts he has brought for him, just anticipating the look of excitement and happiness in his little one's eyes when the gift is opened.

What a wonderful Father God we have, who always wants to lavish His love on us!  And nothing is required of us, nothing is expected of us, nothing is demanded of us..we can just sit on our Father's lap and enjoy His loving attention.

It touches me so much to know that God wants, actually wants to be with me, to just hang out with me.  He loves each one of us exclusively yet equally - a mystery to me, yet so wonderfully true:  He loves each of us the best, the most, the greatest, as if we were His favorite and the only one in His vision.  Yet he loves all of us that way.  We are each His favorite and His first choice.  We are each loved exclusively and uniquely, in a way that is just between the individual and Him.  Wow!  We can each say we are the apple of His eye, the favored child sitting on His lap, the joy of His heart.  We can each declare that we are in His favor and love and delight at all times!  That we are cherished and adored, held and safe!

He is a good God, and He is ONLY a good God, never bad or harsh!  God doesn't give bad things!  God only gives good gifts, and every good gift we receive is from Him.  He has so many gifts He has already given us in Christ, and we simply 'see' they are ours with the eyes of faith and so receive and claim and enjoy them as our own.  That is how He is helping me understand it right now. 

Thank You, God, that You are a Giver and that You love to lavish all Your love and joy and gifts on us, Your dear, favored, beloved children!

Third Day - Call My Name and I'll Be There

God has had this song on my mind lately, and it's played twice in the car recently and just seems so appropriate right now.  I have been feeling a little unloved, a little condemned, slipping under some law thinking and comparing myself to other Christians, feeling I didn't measure up.  It's such a joyous relief to know we're loved no matter what, and that He's always right here with us.  There is never any distance between us and God.  He keeps this relationship going, and He keeps us perfectly loved and accepted before Him in Jesus' precious work and name!  The love He has for us is so alive, as the song says...it's a love that causes rest, peace and joy to flow.  It's a love that gives new hope and banishes despair.  It's a love that erases fear and doubt and makes everything clear again.  It's a love - and a Lover - that won't leave us or forsake us, ever..

It's been so long since
You felt like you were loved
So what went wrong
But do you know
There's a place where you belong
Here in My Arms

When you feel like you're alone in your sadness
It seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I'll be there
You just call My name and I'll be there 

The pain inside
Has erased your hope for love
Soon you will find
That I'll give you all
That your heart could ever want
And so much more

When you feel like you're alone in your sadness
It seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I'll be there
You just call My name and I'll be there

You just call My name
You just call My name
Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive
 

Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive 

You just call My name
You just call My name

The love I have for you is so alive

You just call My name                                    Third Day