Christ

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Christ is All that Matters

 

 

 

 

“Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us.” Colossians 3:11

Do you ever get so caught up in the busyness of life that your priorities get shifted? I do. I get so focused on getting the next job so I can pay the never-ending demands of bills, that I forget my purpose.

Jesus said that because He came and died for us we could live an abundant life…and that means here, not just in eternity.

So sometimes I let my meaning of abundant life overshadow Jesus’ meaning. When I think of abundant I want abundance. Yes, ever flowing money to meet all of my wants and then some.

And yes Jesus does want us to live in the freedom of a stress free life and in this world that often means an excess of money. But I can honestly say that I have been more joyful during times of need then when I’ve had more than enough.

It’s because during those times I’ve had to rely solely on God to meet all of my needs. I’ve had to focus on Him instead of my problems, because if I didn’t I would be a complete wreck. And by focusing on God and not me, I found joy because God is greater than any problem I will ever have.

And to be honest, focusing on me is just plain boring. God is simply amazing and continues to wow me. Without Jesus I’m just blah.

Right now I’m in a time where I need to keep looking to God for sustenance. I need Him desperately to fill me with strength and courage and boldness. God has to come through for me on a daily basis or I will crawl back in my cocoon and raise the white flag of surrender to the world’s pressures.

But I am reminded that Christ is all that matters. We are called to be in the world but not of the world. We have to deal with the issues we face, but we don’t have to surrender to the materialistic, self-absorbed mindset of our society. We need to be Kingdom-focused.

Our main purpose as Christians is to guide people to Jesus. Our lives should be a living testimony of how God has changed us from the inside out. We should be the happiest people on this earth. The joy of the Lord should exude from us. We should be incapable of keeping silent about Jesus.

Christ is all that matters. This place is temporary for us, just a blip on the timeline of our lives. We all have problems, and yes some are extreme, and yes I’ve been through some strength zapping times.

But I’m choosing to believe that Christ is all that matters. I can get through anything because Jesus said I was important enough to die for. And He said that about you too.

So what will you believe? I hope you will decide that Christ is all that matters

 

 

Share:

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mighty Warrior

“The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty warrior, the Lord is with you!” Judges 6:12

We are mighty warriors! Did you know that? Do you feel like one? Do you act like one?

I know I don’t always claim the mighty warrior status. I have warrior moments and I do have more victories than I used to (thanks to Jesus), but I don’t act like a mighty warrior on a full-time basis.

Feelings are not a good indicator of the truth. Just because I don’t FEEL like a warrior doesn’t mean I’m not one. If God calls us His mighty warriors, than we are mighty and we are warriors.

Ephesians 1:15-20 states that the same power that raised Christ from dead lives in us. Let me say that again. The same power that raised Christ from the dead and made Him victorious over Satan lives in us. And yet we still live like we’re in chains.

But we are powerful!

Not by our own strength but by Christ’s power in us. He said that in our weakness He is strong. But that doesn’t mean we have to walk around like weaklings. No! It means that we understand that the only reason we can live victoriously is because of the power of God in us.

Jesus told us we would have challenging times, but to be joyful because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Jesus has already won the battle against Satan for us. This should make living easier and yet we live weighted down by guilt, doubt, insecurity, bad habits, and defeat.

We need to act our way into a new way of thinking and feeling.

We need to act like mighty warriors. We need to put on our armor and defeat the enemy with God’s word. When arrows of doubt, insecurity, self-pity, anger, jealousy, gossip, envy, and pride fly toward us, we need to raise up our shield of faith and instead of retreating, begin our attack and defeat the enemy with the truth.

Knowing and memorizing scriptures allows us to defend ourselves against Satan’s mind games. The trick is recognizing when the enemy is pulling the trigger. At that moment is when we need to launch into our attack. A lie is replaced with God’s truth. A self-doubt is replaced with knowing who we are in Christ. Bad feelings toward others are replaced with the love of Christ. Pride is replaced with knowing that our strength comes from our surrender to God.

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

I am ready to be a mighty warrior – to see it, to believe it, to act like it. Are you?

Share:

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Superlative

FreeDictionary.com defines masterpiece as

1. An outstanding work of art or craft.

2. The greatest work, as of an artist.

3. Something superlative of its kind.

God calls us His masterpiece. So what does that mean?

We are Outstanding. We are God’s Greatest Work. We are Superlative.

Hmmm…I like that. Now why don’t I believe it? Oh I want to believe it. I want to receive it, claim it, accept it as the truth. I so desperately want to look at myself and see a masterpiece. Instead most days I see ordinary.

That’s like visiting all the museums in the world and looking at the sculptures and paintings of the world’s greatest artists and saying, “Ih, they’re okay.” It’s like visiting the Sistine Chapel and looking up at Michelangelo’s painting and thinking, “Whatever.” It’s like looking at the beautiful sunrises and extraordinary sunsets and turning away unimpressed.

God, the world’s greatest artist who designed the heavens and the earth, which to me are breathtaking and worthy of praise, also created me, you, us and declares us as very good, as His masterpiece.

And we look at ourselves and say, “Ih, whatever.”

But we are not whatever, we are wonderful! In Psalms 139 it is written that we are beautifully and wonderfully made. God watched as we were being formed inside our mothers. He rejoiced as we were designed knowing the amazing life He had planned for us. And He looks at us now and delights in His masterpiece.

Imagine how our lives would change if we looked at ourselves in wonder. Not in a haughty or prideful way, but in the way we would look at a work of art. We would delight in the masterpiece; we would admire the Artist; we would walk away amazed at the beauty and it would change how we see the world.

God designed us. Christ makes us priceless. Let’s live a life that honors our Artist and worship the One who bought us with His life.

Share:

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 comments

But God!

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5

“But God” – I love that phrase. Two words that hold such great power and promise.

I am unlovable, but God loves me. (John 3:16)

I am unlovely, but God thinks I’m beautiful. (Psalm 139:14)

I am broken, but God came to heal the brokenhearted. (Isaiah 61:1)

I am unforgivable, but God has the power to forgive and forget. (Psalm 103:12)

I am tired, but God has the strength to carry me through. (Isaiah 40:29-31)

I am afraid, but God will protect me. (Psalm 27:1)

But God – when I look at my circumstances, my challenges I get overwhelmed. My empty bank account tells me that I can’t pay my bills, but God will supply all my needs (Philippians 4:19). My overwhelming debt makes me feel inadequate, silly, frightened of how I’ll pay it all, but God tells me to trust in Him in all ways, in all my life and He will show me how to get through (Proverbs 3:5-6). My failures loom overhead always reminding me of my inadequacy, but God has wiped away my past and made me a new woman (Ephesians 2:10).

This has been a rough year for us, but it also has been one of great promise. Circumstances are changing for the better, but the biggest change has been in my attitude. For too long I’ve let my circumstances dictate my attitude, my joy, my hope. So I asked myself the clichéd Dr. Phil question – How’s that working for ya? – and could easily say not so well. I’ve tried it my way for too long, so I began surrendering things in my life to God…little by little. And the heaviness of my burdens began to lift. Circumstances didn’t change, but I did. And so I gave God more and more of my life until I laid it all down at the cross asking Him to carry the burdens for me. Yes I still try to control things, but then I get that uneasy feeling and I don’t like it, because now I know what peace feels like. I’ve experienced joy unrelated to the craziness of life, I’ve laughed in spite of my problems, I’ve released my concerns to God in prayer instead of spending hours worrying about them. And I like it!

So when something comes into my life that I could worry about, that makes me want to cry, that threatens to make my blood boil, I think I can’t do this, but God can!

Share: