Remember who you are!

God reminded me this week as I looked into the clear water of a pond that I had forgotten who He made me to be. The words of James 1 echoed through my mind.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:22-24

Don't forget who you are! 

You are my daughter! I am your Father!

Go into this new year remembering who you are!

I began to think about this list that I had read about Who I was in Christ!  It made me smile and I began to remember that He had called me by name and has set my feet upon a rock so that I could fulfill His purposes for me. may this list also encourage you to remember.

Who I Am In Christ

I am accepted...

John 15:15                    As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.


Romans 5:1                   I have been justified.


1 Corinthians 6:17          I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.


1 Corinthians 6:19-20      I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.


1 Corinthians 12:27        I am a member of Christ's body.


Ephesians 1:3-8             I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.


Colossians 1:13-14         I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.


Colossians 2:9-10           I am complete in Christ.


Hebrews 4:14-16            I have direct access to the throne of grace through  Jesus Christ.


John 1:12                      I am God's child.

I am secure...

                                   I am free from condemnation.


Romans 8:28                 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.


Romans 8:31-39            I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.


2 Corinthians 1:21-22    I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.


Colossians 3:1-4           I am hidden with Christ in God.


Philippians 1:6              I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.


Philippians 3:20            I am a citizen of heaven.


2 Timothy 1:7               I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.


1 John 5:18                  I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

I am significant...

John 15:5                     I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.


John 15:16                   I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.


1 Corinthians 3:16         I am God's temple.


2 Corinthians 5:17-21     I am a minister of reconciliation for God.


Ephesians 2:6               I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.


Ephesians 2:10             I am God's workmanship.


Ephesians 3:12             I may approach God with freedom and confidence.


Philippians 4:13            I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Father, thank you that you have called us into your glorius life! You have made us significant, secure and accepted! may this year be the year that we remember who we are because of You, your Son and the Holy Spirit.

In Deuteronomy Israel was told to observe the Feast of Tabernacles. All of the celebrations were intended to Glorify God and to help the people to remember.

Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the Lord empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 16:16-17

As I was reflecting over my last blog, I thought about when I heard Jesus call my name. I was 14 years old and struggling to make sense of life.

The word Grateful hardly seems to express how I feel about having a relationship with Jesus. Nevertheless, I am grateful and deeply in love with Him. He has blessed me indeed!

Grateful

God

Rescued, redeemed, re-educated

A

Thoughtless, teenager

Enfolded, encouraged,

Forgiven, freed

Unconditional, unbelievable, unrelenting

Love, love, love!

O come let us adore Him! Christ the Lord! We have been blessed indeed!

Jesus, as I remember and come with a heart full of praises I offer you this gift. Thank you for the blessing of knowing you and being known by you. Thank you for calling me by name and for offering me a relationship with you. Happy birthday O Mighty King!

O come, let us adore Him!

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him – Christ the Lord!

The wise men came to worship Jesus!

Wise men STILL seek Him!

Wise men STILL worship Him!

Let us adore the Lord Jesus Christ!

Why do we adore Christ?

• Not Christ the infant, but Christ the Son of God,

• Not Christ that lays quietly in the manger, but Christ who is seated at the right hand of God.

• Not Christ who was a good man, but Christ who is the sinless, spotless lamb who lovingly, willingly gave for us.

The world often portrays Jesus as a mild loving teacher and a good wise man. He was these things and yet so much more!

Scripture challenges us to think about him differently.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31).

Oh come let us adore Him!

We can adore Christ because;

• Christ brings God near! We were once alienated from God because of our sin and now we have access and communion with Him! All because of Christ!

• Christ gives us new life! There is a new way of living, a new relationship to God and to our world, a new hope, a new possibility in us. No more do we need to live a disoriented, confused, frustrated, troubled, lost life! We have a purpose, a reason for living! Jesus!

• Christ is, as Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God"! Jesus is the messiah, the one and only, the bright and morning star, the prince of peace, the one who is my savior and lover of my soul!

Why will you adore Christ this Christmas?


My present to Jesus this Christmas is to remember who He is and all that He has done in and through me.

Merry Christmas Jesus! Happy Birthday

Jesus, I am excited to celebrate your birthday with you! I have a long list of things that I want to use to adore you! I pray that you will help me to remember them all and to delight in you! For now I will praise you for being My Lord and my God! I love you bunches. :)

Jann

Snow, snow, snow!

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Snow, snow and more snow!

 I was looking outside today and realized that I can not see the street, the grass, the sidewalk.  Everything is blanketed with white. The weeds that were growing are covered up, the shrubs that need to be pruned are glistening in the snow, the cracks in the driveway are even hidden by the snow and ice that have accumulated there. 

I am reminded that this is what God's word tells us will happen when our sins are forgiven;

" Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

But unlike the snow that will melt and once again reveal the impurities, God's forgiveness will wipe it all away!

Thank you Father for your unbelievable gift of love, forgiveness and new life.

Jann 

Re-Gifting is a good thing!

Have you ever been given a gift and then rewrapped it and given it to another person? We all probably have. Sometimes we think this would be perfect for ...... or we think I am not sure I like this but I will give it to ....


We open gifts and sometimes say, “Just what I always wanted"! Trying to make people think we are happy about it, when we have already decided to re-gift it to someone else.


A gift from God is on the way. The basic reason we offer Christmas gifts to each other is to honor and reflect the only perfect gift ever offered—the gift of God through a Bethlehem baby named Jesus.


I think Re-gifting can be turned into a good thing.

Jesus came and gave us himself as our Gift!

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:10

The good news is that He has given us some amazing gifts. Here are some of my favorites;




Salvation
    The Holy Spirit
        Freedom from our sin, our past, ourselves
           The Fruit of the Spirit
              Unconditional Love
                  Mercy     
                    Peace that passes understanding
                      Protection
                         Comfort
                            Joy
                              Grace


For many of us there are a thousand things we think of when we think about all that Christ has done for us. He has given each of us the gift of a relationship with him and that is Good news!


When we receive Christ's gifts we have a choice in how we Re-Gift.

We can be like the unmerciful servant who was forgiven and had his debt cancelled in Matthew 18. This man’s account was wiped clean and instead of re-Gifting this to others, instead of offering the grace and mercy that was shown to him, he was unforgiving to those who owed him money.

He did not remember what had been given to him.

In the midst of this busyness we can forget.  We can be so focused on giving and getting that things become all jumbled.

I am trying to choose to remember all that He has given me!

Or

We can Re-Gift with love and excitement and Joy like the woman at the well. After meeting Jesus and realizing who He was, she went and told everyone. "Come and see the man who told me everything I ever did! Is he the Christ"?


We have an opportunity to share his love and peace, grace, mercy and hope to others.


This year, during this season, you and I have a choice to Re-Gift Jesus.


Who will be the person that you give Him to?

Father, thank you for giving us your son.  What an incredible and loving gift. Jesus, thank you for all that you have given to us. Choosing to love us when we are sinful and undeserving. Choosing to die for us. Choosing out of love to love us.  Thank you.  Holy Spirit, thank you for coming, for guiding, comforting, convicting and filling.  I ask that you would lead us and guide us to show others your great gifts of love.

Jann