My Identity

Who am I? Many ask this question, and I have to provide my ID to vote and to purchase prescriptions at the Pharmacy. I even admit, with some guilt, I have had to provide ID for a stop by police when I “accidently” drove a tad past the lawful speed limit. 

     But, who really am I? I may have risen to the office of Assistant Vice President during my working career, but that really is not who I am. I may be retired, but I am not a retiree. I have a daughter who made me a mother. I have a loving husband which makes me a wife. I have brothers and sisters so I am a sibling? I have joined a Church, so I am a Church member. I am be all of that, but really, really, who do I identify as?  

    I would have to answer that I am, first and foremost, a child of the Living God? Therefore, I have One living in me that is greater than I. 

 

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4  

 

Who I am has great meaning:

I am a Christian.

I am a Christian for whom Jesus died.

I am a Christian who has won the victory.

I am a Christian with the Holy Spirit living inside

I am a Christian with eternal salvation through Jesus. 

I am a Christian with the Father walking beside every minute.

I am a Christian given courage and strength through the Father. 

I am a Christian who receives daily guidance through the Holy Spirit.

I am a Child of God.

I am a part of God’s flock of sheep.. 

 

Identifying as God’s child, I can “Put my trust in Him. In God, whose word I praise- in the God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me.” Psalm 56:3-4

 

 

 

The Crooked Letter

Here in the South, many have used a chant to spell Mississippi. It goes something like: M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-humpback-humpback-I. Don’t ask me why I thought of this today. However, I did decide to use the “S” (crooked letter) to inspire ways I can strive to enhance my Christian walk. 

 

S avor the moments

S earch the scriptures

S eek God’s ways  

S eize opportunities

S erve others 

S hare open-heartedly

S harpen wisdom with God’s Word

S hout God’s greatness 

S ing praises

S mell the flowers along the way  

S ow seeds of kindness

S trengthen my walk with God

S oar like an eagle .....

"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 be faint." Isaiah 40:31  

 

Canning For the Spice of Life

     Canning has become a rare art.  Few do it anymore; however, if you can read a recipe and cook, you can turn garden vegetables into long term pantry commodities even though there is a slight learning curve.  The fruit needs to be good and not beginning to spoil.  It needs to be sterile and clean and, once packed into the jar, sealed properly.  One rotten vegetable or fruit can turn the whole jar sour.  Yet, seasoned just right a jar of pickles, relish, or tomatoes can provide the freshest of flavors throughout the winter.

     Christians are much the same.  We are fermented with the essence of the Spirit.  We are flavored with faith.  We are sealed!  We overflow with the presence of the Spice of Life, and we need to season over time.  The Christian family needs to soak in the whole realm of seasonings, changing the one individual into a full well-blended mixture of unity. 

    That being said, Christians also need a slight learning curve.  Although sealed, we aren't immediately seasoned.  We need to delve into the scriptures to enrich our lives and learn about the full love of Christ.  We need to season ourselves with love for others.  We need to overflow in the treasures of His promises as we join the family of His believers and become one in Him.  Only with Christ, can we develop and provide the true flavoring needed to enrich our lives.

A Christian

   A Christian

      What is the definition of a Christian?  Merriam-Webster defines it as one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
     Wikipedia says there is a wide range of beliefs and practices found across the world among those who call themselves Christian.  Denominations and sects disagree on a common definition of Christianity because some denominations do not acknowledge certain religious practices.
     The Bible refers to a Christian in a few verses of the Bible.  In Acts 11:26, "...And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."
     I believe Christians are those who profess belief in Jesus Christ, and they attempt, as much as possible in their fleshy state, to adhere to the character of Christ.  We know that good works do not make us acceptable to God.  Christians are acceptable because we believe in His Son and in His death for us.  Christians (believers) are acceptable through God's grace, His free gift to us.
     However, could there be a difference between a proclaimed Christian and a Person of God? For example:
      Proclaimed Christian
I say I love you                       
I go to Church.                         
I am offended
I help those in needs               
I look at your outward beauty     
I read the Word 
I pray for needs and for others   
   
       Person of God
I say I love you, but I love God more
I go to Church but most of all, I give God glory
I am offended but I forgive you
I help those in need and lift them up before God in prayer
I look at your inward beauty
I read the Word and obey it
I pray for needs and for others and give God praise and thankfulness

Oh, that we, as Christians, would strive to be People of God and "let others see Jesus in us."

A Real Christian

     While reading "When I Relax I Feel Guilty" by Tim Hansel, I came across a quote by A. W.Tozer.  Since it is struck me as unusual but true, I decided to share it.

"A real Christian is an odd number, anyway.  He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels the worst.  He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible; hears the imaudible; and knows that which passeth knowledge."

How many of us can say we are "real Christians" daily or do we admit to being "almost" Christians?

Happiness!

     I don't know who wrote this, but I read a post on Facebook about "Ten Things To Let Go Of To Be Happy."  They were:
1.  Let go of toxic people in your life.
2.  Let go of regretting past mistakes.
3.  Let go of the need to be right.
4.  Let go of feeling sorry for yourself.
5.  Let go of negative self talk.
6.  Let go of the need to impress others.
7.  Let go of limiting beliefs.
8.  Let go of the need to please everyone.
9.  Let go of gossip and complaining.
10.Let go worrying about the future.

     Developing these above listed habits sound like a good plan on the road to being happy, and if we research them further they are probably derived from biblical instructions.  Below are just a few of the scriptures I found that might go along with each one. 

1.  Toxic people:  Proverbs 18:1-2  "An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.  Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions."  Proverbs 18:24 "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."   Psalm 26:9  "Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men."

2.  Past mistakes:  Hebrews 8:12 "For I will be merciful to their righteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  Romans 3:25 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."  Roman 4:7 "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

3. Need to be right: 2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you."  Matthew 6:15 " But if  ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

4.  Feeling sorry for self: James 1:2-3  "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

5.  Negative self talk:  Philippians 4:8-9 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

6.  Need to impress: Psalms 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of  the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."  1 Timothy 2:9-10  " In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But with good works."

7. Limiting beliefs:  Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

8.  Need to please:  Isaiah 51:7 "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings."  Colossians 3:23 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;"

9.  Gossip and complaining:  Proverbs 20:19 "A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much."  Romans 1:29 "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,"   Proverbs 26:22 "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts."

10. Worrying about the future:  Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Although difficult at times, being happy is a part of the Christian life.  We are given a hope, a promise, and the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us even in our darkest moments.  We should rejoice in God. 

Happiness to be continued in my next blog.... 
























 








 

 

 

  







    

 

 

 

Humor and Devotional for Today

It is important to begin the day with a devotional thought and a little humor to make the day go better.  The following is an excerpt from our book, So? Whatever!

Crawling around under a house is not a fun job.  But this particular day a worker found a cute brass box.  He emptied the dirt and ashes, intending to take it home at the end of the day.  At lunch the lady of the house asked if they had seen the box.  It was her deceased husband’s ashes.  The worker quickly dusted the imagined ashes off, crawled back under the house, refilled the little box with some dirt and placed it back on the sill.

This presents a very important concept.  Listen carefully. Man is not a body that has a soul—he is the soul and has a body.  When God breathed into Adam the breath of life, he became a living soul. The real you is your soul, and it has a body; not the other way around.  When a loved one passes away, it is only the cessation of the body with the soul living on into eternity.  A Christian’s consolation is in knowing this great truth. 

 Psalm 116:8  For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling,