Where does my identity come from?

Earlier today i had a chance to catch up with a friend. Satan attacks my friends. I don't enjoy Satan, but i Love Jesus, mainly cause he always wins, unlike carolina, anyways...back to seriousness, (im a little ADD today)

My friend who i will call "stacy" is a very Christ centered woman. She loves God with all of her heart. She has a few friends that are seeking out the peace and the love that they see in her. Seeking out the Christ that stacy lives. She talks to them, she is a friend to them. They come to her with needs, with questions, when they just need someone to be there. i have alot of respect for stacy for what she does for the kingdom.

Unfortunately, sometimes Satan can use these lost sheep to pull stacy down, not that they are bad, but satan has a way of twisting words and confusing the truth, God's truth.

Today, one of these friends told stacy something to the effect of, -You are just a perfect little christian girl so your life is all perfect, my life will never be perfect enough, i might as well stop trying to do right.-

I don't know what this friend was looking for, maybe just fishing for someone to say, "you can do it, you are perfect," im not really sure, all i know is that Satan twisted that around and had stacy questioning the authenticity of her witness to not only this friend, but everyone.

She thought she was portraying something that was causing her friend to think she was perfect. Now maybe you have never found yourself in this situation, maybe not even close, but i can tell you that these words will mean something to you. Just as they did to her, and to me.

Your identity and authenticity does not come from your interaction with people, how you minister to their needs, what you do for them, what they think of you, or anything even close to that. The only one that validates your faith is God. Your identity is between you and God first and foremost. He is the one that you have to be authentic with. If your life is on a hill of multiple blessings and your life is "good" and seems like everything smells like roses, then, first of all thank God, second, watch out for the valley you are coming up on(its sure to be there), but theres no crime in telling people about good things that the Lord is doing in your life. Obviously without gloating.

God has given us all times of rejoicing and times of suffering and crying out. We also know that our actions or our works don't make our breaks. Its not about how good or bad of a time we are having in our lives that we need to be sure and show the world, rather its the Christ that lives in us, the love of Jesus, the most high that should shine through, in good times and bad. The message isn't if you live good you will have an easier life, its about showing God's love, grace, and mercy prevailing through the thick and the thin, the good and the bad.

Im not sure if what im saying makes sense to anyone else, but please know that in God you will find yourself, dont look to your friends or actions or anything else to authenticate your faith and your witness.


Pray for stacy


-t

lovechangelive...

Taking for granted and giving 10%

First off, i know its been a long time since i have posted anything, lots of life happening, hills and valleys, but hopefully i can share more and more of what God is showing me in my walk in the months to come. Perhaps i will share some very personal revelations that  have occurred in the past weeks, but in the meantime, I have this note to offer, something that i have recently come across in  a bible study....

What is your ministry? Do you perhaps take care of the children one Sunday a month, play or sing in the worship band, run audio or visual? maybe you are a greeter, a bulletin folder, a pastor, a teacher, a leader, a director, what ever you do...are you really doing it? are you truly being your ministry?

In the past week i have been doing a bible study that is part of the Lifeway threads series, the book is titled "blemished" It studies the book of Malachi. one thing that has my attention is the fact that the people were sacrificing animals that were maybe blind or crippled, whatever the case, they weren't the best that were available to give. 

how often to we walk into do our "job" at church? We wake up Sunday morning and dread taking the first step out of be because we know we have to deal with those noisy kids again, or that old sound system, or those complaining people? But I have a question, when did doing work for the Lord include our preferences or agenda? I am just as guilty as the next person, at my church, I run the video projection system, and some weeks, i really don't wont to have to worry about It, maybe i have other stuff to do, but its not about me. its not about the fact that its another thing to do. its all about serving the lord, and if i am gonna offer something up to my God, the Lord of all creation, I want it to be un-blemished. 

God knows what our 10% jobs look like, but do we know what his 10% looks like? Think about that. everything God has every done has been 100%, (that's probably way underestimated). He created us. if that's not enough, he sent himself, his only son, to the world to show us his love in yet another way, and then took OUR punishment for OUR sins to HIS cross. but that was only 50%, then he rose again after three days, holy cow! i think that puts it over the top donchathink?

God loves you. 100%. Next time you walk into church to do your "job".... remember that. You might want to think about giving more than "10%"

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lovechangelive...