2 Corinthians 4:16-18 New American Standard Bible 1995
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
In a world filled with endless mixed messages, it’s easy to get lost in the fog and be deceived by half-truths or flat-out fabrications of God’s Word.
Just take a gander at some commonly used phrases below.
This, too, shall pass.
God helps those who help themselves.
God works in mysterious ways.
God will never give you more than you can handle.
The eyes are the window into the soul.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Spare the rod and spoil the child. And on and on.
While many of these well-known statements contain good wisdom and little nuggets of truth, some even referred to or “noted” in the Scriptures, they are often badly taken out of context to spin, weave some sort of personal narrative.
While generally shared in a purposeful and meaningful way to express a softer sentiment or extend comfort, these platitudes can undermine the words of our Savior, causing us take our eyes of the Bible and to lose sight of the real truth.
That said, now, more than ever, we need to have handheld copies of the Bible, maybe even in multiple translations, so when something doesn’t seem to add up or make sense, we can go straight to His Word and seek to find the real and absolute truth God is trying to reveal to us.
In addition, there are even more mixed messages in today’s culture about how we identify, that baffle many, including believers, about who God says we are.
For example, do we know how many total genders are there?
Besides being male and female, there are 72 other genders, which include the following: Agender: A person who does not identify themselves with or experience any gender. Agender people are also called null-gender, genderless, or gender -void or neutral gender. Abimegender: which is Associated with being profound, deep, and infinite.
https://www.medicinenet.com/what_are_the_72_other_genders/article.htm
About trying to sort out these identifications, still being a “good neighbor,” in the divisiveness which currently exists in the church, communicate the gospel?
Communicate, evangelize those who have been “marginalized” by these highly volatile, highly charged, highly politicized and politically motivated divisions?
Are we really precious in His sight? Priceless? Cherished? A one-of-a-kind, unique creation made on purpose? Are we really fully known and fully loved?
Who are we, exactly?
More importantly, nonjudgmentally communicating who does God say we are?
Well, my dear friend, I invite you to grab your Bible and open it up so we can discover some sweet verses that declare who God says you are.
While the list below only scratches the surface, let it prayerfully become a new, refreshed springboard to relish in His love as He proclaims who He says we are!
Then let His Words, beautiful truths, settle into your heart, reminding you that you were so intricately made with love and called to a greater purpose, setting your sights beyond this world and embracing eternity. (2 Corinthians 4:18).
1. God says we are each His beloved child.
1 John 3:1-2 New American Standard Bible 1995
Children of God Love One Another
3 See [a]how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
The very nature of our God is love, which envelops His holiness, purity, righteousness, compassion, justice, and mercy.
While God loves all His creation, when we make our heartfelt profession of faith, we each immediately become His “beloved” children (Romans 10:9-13)
Being a beloved child of God is a powerful statement that holds so much significance as no other relationship will even come close or compare (1 Corinthians 13:11-13).
11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I [a]became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror [b]dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the [c]greatest of these is love.
When we understand the gravity of that, we learn to revere and respect God as Father.
You are the beloved child of the Creator of the universe, and He wants to have an intimate and personal relationship with you. Tuck that in your heart today!
2. God says we are each chosen.
1 Peter 2:9-10 New American Standard Bible 1995
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
God has always had a special place in His heart for the people of Israel.
We see this weaved throughout the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 7:6).
6 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His [a]own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the [b]earth.
As believers, we have the honor and privilege of gaining a spiritual connection to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
In His sovereignty, God chose you (Titus 1:1-3, Ephesians 1:10-14).
I know it is naïve of me to ask; Can we each just say “Praise be to God for that?”
3. God says we are each His holy temple.
1 Corinthians 3:16-20 New American Standard Bible 1995
16 Do you not know that you are a [a]temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the [b]temple of God, God will destroy him, for the [c] temple of God is holy, and [d]that is what you are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.”
Paul is addressing the church in Corinth, stating that as a church body, God dwells inside of us, allowing each one of us to go forth and live on a mission.
As a church, we are to honor this sacred and holy dwelling and use it to connect and reflect on the nature of God, deepening our faith while also striving to reach out to the lost and unbelievers. God says we are to live with a mission mindset.
We are the light to a lost and dark world (Matthew 5:14-16)!
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a [a]hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a [b]basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
4. God says we are each made in His image.
Genesis 1:26-27 New American Standard Bible 1995
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [a]sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
God never takes His creation lightly.
In fact, when He speaks things into existence, there is value and a grander plan far beyond what we will fully know or begin to understand.
That being said, the very specific human blueprint not only claims we differ from anything else He created but that God’s unique and distinct love for us is quite beautiful and wholly and entirely “one of a kind” unique. Psalm 139:13-18
We matter so deeply to Him that He made us with attributes that resemble His own so that we can connect with Him in a meaningful and purposeful way. Just take time to ponder the thought next time you see your reflection in the mirror.
5. God says we are each valuable.
Matthew 6:25-26 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Cure for Anxiety
25 “For this reason I say to you, [a]do not be worried about your [b]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the [c] air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
In this teaching exchange, Jesus reminds His followers (and us) that our value is far more than that of any other creation, and therefore, if He cares for their basic needs, how much more will He care for us, His most beloved creation?
Obviously enough to ensure our salvation so that we can spend eternity with Him (1 Peter 1:17-19)!
17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not [a]redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Yes, we are each, without exception, in the eyes of God, seen as a far beyond priceless treasure, which is why Jesus paid it all so we could each freely live.
There are more and more examples of Holy Scripture which I will continue to bring to you in future posts of this blog. So, please be anticipating, expectant.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 8 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord’s Glory and Man’s Dignity.
For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.
8 O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have [a]displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established [b]strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
3 When I [c]consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have [d]ordained;
4 What is man that You [e]take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
5 Yet You have made him a little lower than [f]God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen,
And also the [g]beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 