Today's Devotional

I needed this today, and perhaps someone else does too! :)

Disclaimer: To be certain that proper credit is given (this is not something that I wrote myself), here is the link to the devotional I am about to post: http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/devotionalforwomen/2009/02/10/know-who-you-are-2/

KNOW WHO YOU ARE


Are you living in spiritual poverty? Do you know that you are loved? We can pray for you. (http://christianwomentoday.com/prayer/share.html)

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat ( http://thelife.com/experience/chat/room/?channel=cwt-forum) today in our Women's Chatroom at 10:30am EST.

The Bag Lady did not understand her identity. She had lived so long as a bag lady. But the letter told her different today. It said she was an heiress. It said she was a wealthy woman. It said she had connections to one of the most powerful families in the area. "Nice", she thought as she set the letter aside amidst the clutter of her life. It gave her comfort to read the letter now and then. But she continued to think of herself as a bag lady. She simply could not picture herself with that name and that wealth and that inheritance and so she continued on in her poverty.

When we come to God He gives us a new identity. He says that we become His children. We have access to all the resources of His power. Yet, even as Christians, we so often continue to see ourselves in our old ways, just as the bag lady did.

In order to learn the ways of Jesus you first need to understand how God sees you. You first need to understand who you really are! When you said "yes" to God you stepped into a new identity. But just knowing that will not make the difference until you begin to walk it. When you begin to understand all that your new identity means, you can begin to live in the truth of who God says you are rather than in the ways you have come to view yourself through the ups and downs life has brought your way.

You are God's treasured child! You do not get your identity from what you have done, or from what has been done to you. You do not get your identity from what your earthly parents have said to you and about you! Those things have influenced the past but today is a new day for you as God's child! You get your identity from what God says about you! He is your Father. He created you to be all He knows you can be! And He is like no earthly Father!! Right here, right now, begin to change the way you see yourself. Put away the bag lady mentality of the past and step into who you are because of Jesus.

Know this for a certainty:

You are loved (John 3:16)


You are called Christ's friend (John 15:15)


You are forgiven (Colossians. 1:14)


You are God's adopted child (Ephesians. 1:5)


You can be sure that because God has started a good work in your heart, He will complete it! (Philippians 1:6)


You have a future and a hope. He has plans for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)


Get yourself a Bible and highlight these verses. Think on them. Absorb the truth of who you are in God's sight. When thoughts of low self esteem and insecurity crowd your mind, learn how to take those thoughts captive and replace them with the truth of what God says about you.

Father God, Thank you that I am precious and significant in Your sight! Help me today to believe it and to walk in my new identity! In Jesus' name, amen.

Questions: How does knowing that you have hope in your future help you live during this time of instability? How do you get your identity?

About the Author Gail Rodgers (http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/gail-rodgers/)

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, For me to live is Christ (http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/devotionalformen/2009/02/10/for-me-to-live-is-christ/), today on the Men's Devotional Blog


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