Who Am I?

By Alan Mowbray –

Who am I?

Who are you?

There comes a time in life when we all ask ourselves this question. The answer we get is based on who we listen to—man or God? Listening to man can be dangerous. On occasion, I‘ve had the opportunity to minister to those with a terrible burden on their hearts because of names they have been called by those around them.

Oooohh, names? Seriously?

Okay. We’re not talking about the playground name calling ritual we all grew up with. Look deeper. It’s more about the words behind the words. Those phrases of blame that say—you’re lazy, inconsiderate, fat, ugly, stupid, loud, ignorant, boring and a loser—without actually saying those words. Most of the time, the name callers don’t even know what they are doing; yet, deliberate or not, the wound is still inflicted and, unchecked, may fester for a lifetime.

“Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I don’t know how or when that rhyme originated, but it is wrong. Words can hurt. I could discuss how we should watch what we say to others, but no, let’s go in a different direction. When I encounter one of these broken individuals and listen to them for a while, I hear one thing—they don’t really know who they are in Christ. They think that they do, but it’s only head knowledge, not heart knowledge.

You have got to know the difference! When the situation arises, I ask each person to research and physically write down who they are in Christ. It seems like such a small thing, but part of knowing what you know, is knowing why you know it. That’s where faith comes from. It’s not enough to be told; you must research it yourself, get into the Word and discover who God says you really are.

Because I have received what Jesus Christ did for me, I know that I am more than a conqueror! I know that I am the head and not the tail! I know that I am a child of the Most High God, His ambassador, His precious jewel, His possession, His beloved and His heritage. I have been redeemed by the blood, given access to God, forgiven, washed clean, adopted into God’s family, justified in the eyes of God and set free!

Because of this, I have the mind of Christ, the tongue of the learned, boldness, peace, authority, and a hope that is sure and steadfast! I know who I am in Christ. Nobody else can name me now because only God has the authority to name me. Since I know this, I am not moved by disparaging words or condemnation from others. By naming and describing me Himself, God has provided me with a shield of protection against the tongue of the enemy. I know this without a doubt.

Possessing the knowledge of who you are in Christ is faith building. It is life enhancing. It is freedom!

If life circumstances have been tossing you about and left you rudderless and wounded, take the time to get to know yourself through God’s eyes. I did this myself about 9 years ago and the knowledge and faith that grew—from knowing who I am in Christ—have been a rock-solid part of my spiritual foundation. Once you turn from believing what man says about you to believing what God says about you, life is positively different!

Try it.

You’re worth it.

Distracted

By Cynthia Ruchti –

The conversation—the mom’s side of it—might have started like this:

“All buckled up, kids? Good. Hannah, stop poking your sister. You did, too. I saw you. Jenna, just because she poked you does not give you the right to take her juice box. Hannah, don’t just grab it back. Ask for it nicely or it’ll…spill. Here’s a paper towel. Two. Three. Get it quick before it stains. Now, you two, settle down. We have a long trip ahead of us. No, we are not there yet. Why don’t you read the books Grandma gave you? There, that’s nice. I don’t know what that page says, Jenna. I’m driving. No, I don’t know what that page says either. Driving. Oh, look! A cow! Let’s count cows. No, you may not get out of your car seats so you can see better. Because I love you, that’s why. And because it’s the law. How about let’s sing. Good. No, no, please, no, not that one! Please pick a different— The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round, the— What colors, Hannah? What? Oh, red and blue lights. Yes, they are pretty, aren’t they? Mommy’s just going to pull the car to the side of the road and see what the nice policeman wants. And you two are not going to sing while he— Oh, Jenna! Get your finger out of your nose. Hello, officer. License and registration? Sure. Spare juice box. Spare bottle of Advil. Spare diaper. What’s the problem, officer? Distracted driving? Impossible. I wasn’t texting!”

How distracted do I let myself become on issues that really matter, like safe driving? Relationships? My relationship with the Lord?

How many times do I let the mundane interfere with the profound?

PRAYER: Lord, I need You to help me not be driven to distraction, but driven to my knees, fully focused on You. I want You to have my full attention. Anything else spells danger.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).

Experience Your Own 15-Minute Miracle!

By Julie Morris –

If you knew that you could spend just 15 minutes a day—and it would change your life in incredible ways—would you do it every day?

I discovered almost 30 years ago how to start my day in a brand new way, and I have been amazed at the results: I have been able to do things that I thought were impossible! Because I seek the Lord first thing every morning, I have lost my harmful extra pounds and have kept them off. And I’ve lost most of the worries that weighed me down as well. Sounds too good to be true? It’s not.

Here’s what I do:

I have a prayer journal—a loose-leaf notebook with 5 dividers and lots of notebook paper. I write in my journal during those 15 minutes so I can stay focused and take advantage of every second.

Section #1 Prayers. I spend 3 minutes using the ACTS structure of prayer so I come into God’s presence with ADORATION, CONFESSION, THANKSGIVING and last, SUPPLICATION (intercessory prayers). Before I started using this type of prayer format, I spent most of my time asking God for things, or heaven forbid (!), telling Him what to do.

Section #2 Organization. I spend 3 minutes looking at how I did the day before to see if I have been off track. On my Monthly Activities Sheet I record how I spent the day before (I write the date in the left margin and record activities for each day of the month on one line per day). During the 3 minutes in my Organization section, I also write what I ate the day before, and I write down how I did with other weaknesses.

Section #3 Journaling. I spend 3 minutes journaling about my problems. I have found that in this section I am able to cast my cares on the Lord—not the refrigerator, pray about the problems that I will have to face that day and plan how I will handle them.

Section #4 Meditation. I send 3 minutes meditating on a verse. I choose the verse as I read ½ chapter of the Bible each day and find one verse that stands out. I consider this verse a letter to me from God and respond by writing Him a short letter (2-3 sentences) about what His Words mean to me that day. There are many other ways I meditate on Scripture. I’ll tell you about them next month.

Section #5 Memorization. I spend 3 minutes memorizing an encouraging Bible verse. I write it in this section of my notebook. Then I put it on an index card and take it with me to study while stuck in traffic, in line at the grocery store or waiting on hold when I’m on the phone. During my memorizing time on the following days, I continue to work on this verse until I know it well, but I keep it in my memory section to review from time to time. I have learned lots of ways to make memorizing fun and have found that memorizing Scripture is the best way to get God’s Word from my head to my heart.

I have discovered that when I have a daily quiet time in this manner consistently each morning, my days go so much better. I am able to rely on God’s power—not my faltering willpower. I am directed by His Word—not driven by my circumstances, and I am guided by Him—not my feelings or worldly desires. Email me at julie@guidedbyhim.com if you want to know more about how to experience your own 15-minute miracle.

Laboring for the Prize

By Carin LeRoy –

I dread going to a dentist. There isn’t much in life that gives me more stress. Recently, I spent the morning in the dentist chair. When the doctor arrived to see me, the first thing I see is a needle aimed at my mouth. Closing my eyes, I mentally braced myself as several shots of Novocain were injected into my gums. Soon, I hardly felt my nose, so my only comfort at this point was that maybe I wouldn’t feel what would come next.

Then the grinding starts—lots of it—as he removes the upper part of my decayed tooth. Bits of dust fly everywhere as he works. My hands grip the chair and my body tenses as I lay there mouth open and unable to swallow. Neither do I find the short episodes of squirting water and suction any reprieve from all the grinding. It’s all just misery for me. After two hours, I emerge with an empty wallet and a newly crowned tooth.

Some things in life must be endured in order to gain something better. Laboring through birth to cuddle your newborn; Sitting in a 2×3 foot spot for endless hours in order to get to a vacation destination; raising a challenging teenager in order to make them a responsible adult; going through years of classes, papers and exams to obtain your degree. Many things in life require work, time and diligence in order to receive the desired reward that awaits us at the end.

Life has it’s hard times. We have challenges, pain, misfortune, death, sickness and debt. Many things bring difficulties into our life. But in the end of it all, if we believe in Christ who died for us, we have a wonderful “prize” that awaits us—eternity in heaven with a Savior that loves us. Let’s fix our eyes on eternity as we endure the struggles of this life. This life is temporary, but heaven is forever. Whatever you are dealing with today hang in there, because heaven waits!

PRAYER: Lord, give me strength as I face life’s challenges today and give me a heart that will focus on You. Keep me mindful that the struggles of this life are temporary and that You will walk with me through them until we meet in heaven.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV).

Mysterious Maladies

By Emily Parke Chase –

My toddler woke up with small red blotches covering his chest. Measles? An allergic reaction to a food? Poison ivy? What caused this mysterious rash? I wasn’t sure but my son was scratching vigorously.

We headed to the doctor’s office in search of answers. Entering the room, wearing his white lab coat, the doctor exuded an air of authority. He scrutinized each spot and asked a few questions. Then he pronounced his solemn diagnosis: “erythemia punctalis.”

My knowledge of Latin is limited but it was sufficient to translate this brilliant piece of medical insight. My son had “red itchy spots.” For this wisdom I could now proceed to the check-out desk and render up a co-pay. The spots disappeared on their own several days later.

Fast forward through twenty-three years of scientific research and medical advances.

One day earlier this winter, my son discovered that his torso was again covered with red itchy spots. He observed them over several days. They did not spread. But they did not go away. They itched and distracted my son whenever he wore a shirt.

Once again my son headed to the doctor’s examination room. Once again, an all-wise physician entered, exuding confidence.

My son removed his shirt to reveal the full extent of the rash. The doctor hemmed and hawed. He peered at the back and walked around to the front. With a sagacious nod of his head, he helpfully announced, “It’s pityriasis rosea.”

That is Latin for “inflammatory skin rash.”

“And what caused the rash?” my son asked.

“We don’t know what causes it.”

“How did I get it?”

“We don’t know. It is not contagious.”

“So it’s a mystery?”

“Oh, no. It is not a mystery. It’s pityriasis rosea.”

“But no one knows how I got it.”

“Right. It just happens to some people when they become young adults.”

“So it is a mystery.”

“No, no. I tell you it is pityriasis rosea.”

“How long will I have it?”

“No one can say. It might go away in a few days. It might last six weeks. It might come back again. No one knows.”

“So it really is a mystery, right?”

The doctor shook his head vigorously. “No, no! I told you it was pityriasis rosea.”

The wise physician removed his latex gloves, jotted a note on my son’s chart and walked out of the room.

And my son? He put on his shirt, picked up his paperwork and headed to the check-out desk to pay his bill. His rash cleared up after a few more weeks of therapeutic scratching.

Medicine with or without Latin — it’s a mystery.

“Laughter is good medicine for the soul” (Proverbs 17:22, paraphrased).

(The only thing contagious about this author is her sense of humor. Visit her at emilychase.com to learn about her books, such as Help! My Family’s Messed Up!)

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