The True You

Have you ever heard anyone say, “You just have to be true to yourself?”

What on earth does that mean?

Frankly, most of the time it’s an excuse to indulge their selfish flesh.

However, the reality is that our choices flow from our perception of self.

For example, if I see myself as a person with a bad temper, then I will be perfectly comfortable with biting someone’s head off.

On the other hand, if I see myself as a nice person but react to someone with angry words, it will bother me, and I will quickly apologize.

Our perception of self forms in large measure based on the verbal and physical feedback we get from our parents, siblings, friends, and teachers.

Unfortunately, none of those folks are the Source of Truth.

The key to mental health is perceiving ourselves as God perceives us.

Author Brennan Manning wrote:

“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God.  This is the true self.  Every other identity is illusion.”

In Christ, you are loved, accepted, made righteous and holy, safe and secure, His friend, complete, lacking nothing, blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

The very life and essence of Jesus flows in you and through you thanks to His gift of the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, we need to put off our old self perceptions and  put on God’s perception of us.

This is where truth is regardless of what we feel.

We have been taken out of Adam, so people no longer define us.

We have been born again into God’s family; we are children of the King of Kings; we are princes and princesses.

God sees us as we really are: complete in Him, perfect, holy, Christ-like brothers and sister of Jesus.

Beloved, this is the true you, so be true to yourself and live out of your new identity in Jesus.

Blessings!

Robyn

 

 

What do you really value?

Philippians 3:8 “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.”

Only that which is eternal has any real value.  Who is the only source of eternal life?  Jesus.  God has written eternity in the hearts of man.  We all want to live forever; it’s programmed into us.  The Apostle Peter declares in Acts 4:12 that “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”  Jesus is the only way to salvation and eternal life.  He is beyond priceless.

Look at the people around you.  They are priceless.  Why?  Because they are eternal.  We are so easily distracted by the cares of this world that the life of Christ is hindered in us.  When we refocus and purpose in our hearts to make the time to really get to know Jesus, then we begin to see how much He values people, and we start to see others in light of eternity.  It is our own shortsightedness and selfishness that keeps us from sharing the gospel.  Shouldn’t we rather gather souls instead of stuff?  When we die, how much of our stuff do we leave behind?  All of it!  What do we get to take with us?  All of the efforts and resources that we have invested in the souls of the people around us.

There have been several recent incidents of strangers risking their own lives to save others in grave danger.  What is the biggest threat to people?  Dying in sin apart from faith in Jesus.   When Paul was stoned and left for dead, he was given a glimpse of heaven (2 Cor. 12:1-10).  He knew what was ahead for believers, and also he knew what was ahead for all of those who rejected Jesus.  This motivated him to proclaim the gospel even when the consequence of doing so was imprisonment and matyrdom.

What do you want out of this life?  Lots of stuff or lots of souls?  Seek to know Jesus more intimately each day, and He will teach you about all that is truly priceless!