My Inheritance and Identity in Christ, Day 11

May you be strengthened with all power,

according to his glorious might, for all endurance

and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father,

who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of

the saints in light.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness

and transferred us to the kingdom

of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:11-14

My Inheritance and Identity in Christ, Day 10

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,

God making his appeal through us. 

We implore you on behalf of Christ,

be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 9

For as by the one man's disobedience the many 

were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience 

the many will be made righteous.

Romans 5:19

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, 

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Because Christ became our substitute and bore the wrath

of God in our place, he has provided the atoning 

sacrifice for our sins, and the sins of all who believe.

Just as God imputed our sins on Christ, "he made him to be sin",

so God imputes the righteousness of Christ - a righteousness

that is not our own - to all who believe in Christ.

Because Christ bore the sins of those who believe, 

God regards and treats believers as having the legal status of 

"righteousness".  It belongs to us because we are 

"in him", that is, "in Christ".

The righteous one, my servant, [shall] make 

many to be accounted righteous.

Isaiah 53:11

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 8

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, 

we have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1

Justified - declared not guilty, but righteous 

by the divine judge.  

This is so much more than saying one is found not

guilty, or that they are forgiven...this is saying

that we have been made righteous.

Declared righteous by God!

We are justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Romans 3:28

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

and are justified by his grace as a gift,

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 3:23 & 24

Justification is the result of saving faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Nothing can be added or taken away.

It is trusting Christ as my Savior, believing he did it all.

Once for all.

His was was enough.

JESUS IS ENOUGH.

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 7

There is therefore now no condemnation for those 

who are in Christ Jesus. -Romans 8:1

Why? Because God has condemned sin in the flesh

by sending his own Son to pay the penalty 

for sin through his death on the cross.

Romans 8:3, For God has done what the law, 

weakened by the flesh, could not do.  

By sending his own Son in the likeness of

sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.

My debt has been paid.

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 6

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our 

Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have 

now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:11

Not only have I been justified, legally declared 

righteous before God,  through the death of Jesus Christ,

I have been reconciled to God through the 

resurrected life of Jesus Christ!

Because of Christ I have a personal/intimate 

relationship with God.  No longer fearing the wrath of God, 

but rejoicing in my God and my daily walk 

through life with him.

My Inheritance and Identity in Christ, Day 5

Let us then with confidence draw near 

to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy 

and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

Because of Christ's sacrifice, securing my salvation, 

the forgiveness of my sins and my adoption into God's family, 

I have the privilege of a personal relationship with God. 

I can come near to him, confidently, even though he is the

Almighty, All Powerful, Great God!

Why?  Because he is my Father, my Daddy!  

I can speak to him without any fear of

being shamed or punished. 

God the Father with Jesus Christ at his right hand,

graciously dispenses help from heaven to those

who need it, who draw near, and ask.

It is given with mercy and grace.

Praise God!!

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 4

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, 

who gives generously to all without reproach,

and it will be given him.

James 1:5

Wisdom is God-given & God-centered discernment for the

practical issues in my life.

God gives this wisdom, generously to me, when I'm asking

seeking his will in a situation, without reproach.

Two thoughts, on this... 1) His wisdom will ALWAYS, be centered 

around his plan and will for me in any given situation.  

He isn't just putting his stamp of approval on "my plan". 

2) It is ALWAYS without reproach.

He doesn't say, "you again?! What to you want now?"

He wants me to come to him everyday, in every 

situation, and ask for his discernment. He doesn't want me

to hesitate to go and ask.  There is no reproach for being

"dumb or stupid" and not already knowing the answer!

I remember years ago, playing "Trivial Pursuit", with some

good friends.  I can't tell you how many times, while 

playing the game, and reading the question to 

someone else, my friend, would say,

"Oh that's so easy!  Anyone would know the answer to that!"

In my mind, I'm thinking, I'm so glad, this isn't my turn, because

I don't have a clue what the answer to that is, 

and they would just think, I'm totally stupid!

I think sometimes, I tend to have that reaction to God.  

I think, Oh no, I've got myself into another mess, 

and I have no idea which way to turn.  I need to figure this out 

on my own,  because I just went to God about that 

other problem, and I don't want to "use up" his good favor... 

BUT, the truth is, we never, ever use it up!  God wants us to come

to him about EVERYTHING, and he says, he will

give his wisdom to us, without reproach!

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 3

Do you not know that you are God's temple 

& that God's Spirit dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 

he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead 

will also give life to your mortal bodies through 

his Spirit who dwells in you. 

Romans 8:11

When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord & Savior, God adopted me into his family.

On that day, my adoption day, he sealed the legal act of my

justification by giving me a gift to mark the day...

That gift was his very own Spirit in me!!

The Holy Spirit of God dwells in me.

If you have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior,

he also lives in you!

Just let that sink in for a bit.

My Inheritance and Identity in Christ, Day 2

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, 

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1

I have been justified.  It is my objective legal standing as a Christian.

I have been redeemed, and declared righteous by God,

once and for all! Peace has been made between me and my God.

The result of this, is that I no longer live under the fear of judgment and the

wrath of God.  Rather, I have God's peace, which is not just

a feeling, but an objective reality.  This is a gift to me 

from my Daddy!!

God's Peace (shalom) does not just mean the absence of chaos and turmoil,

but also carries the idea of positive blessing.

Because I have inherited God's Peace, I can truly say, no matter 

what the circumstances are, "All is well!" I know to the very depths of my

soul that God is in control.

My Inheritance & Identity in Christ, Day 1

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, 

he gave the right to become children of God. 

John 1:12

When we put our trust in Christ, believing he is who he said he was, and we accept a personal relationship with him, and submit to him, as God's Son, 

we become a child of God, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails.   

That is our Adoption Day into God's family, 

and we are legally bound, (justified) to him for all eternity.  

It is legal and binding and can not be undone.

The family of God becomes our Forever Family!! 

That my friend is a pretty amazing thing!  

The Armor of God

Sometimes, God's working in our life is slow and gentle, and sometimes it comes as at a time when we weren't expecting and catches us totally by surprise.  Have you ever been in a place in your life, when you felt a bit unsettled, uneasy, or even just a bit fearful of what the future was going to be, or how all the pieces were going to fit together, BUT at the same time, felt that you were in a pretty good place in your spiritual life?  I mean you were consistently having your devotions and you were "doing" all the "right things".   Right in the middle of this, season, when even though you were struggling at bit with contentment and joy, you were sure everything was "fine"... God drops something in your lap, that totally lifts the "scales" that had been over your eyes, and clouding your spiritual eyes from what was really happening in your life?

Well, that is where I found myself just 4 short weeks ago.  We stopped at our friends house, for one night on our family trip along the east coast.  That evening my friend shared with me that they had started a new Bible Study with the Ladies of their church.  I shared the Bible Study I was doing, (which was/is an excellent study).  Then she mentioned that a few of the ladies that hadn't been able to attend Sunday evenings study was going to get together that night to watch the video from Session 1.  So I went up to watch.

I will admit that I almost didn't go up... I thought, I don't want to intrude.  I won't be able to do the whole study, why go watch the first session, I don't even have the book.  I'm in the middle of doing a great Bible Study, myself.  But, the Spirit of God prompted my heart to go.  Thankfully, this is one of the times, I didn't try to rationalize myself out of obeying, but just went up.  That first session,  I took several notes on my phone.  I was captivated by how many of the truths she was speaking about, lined up with what I had been studying...you know,  you really need to sit up and pay attention when God uses multiple people and sources to speak the same truth to your heart!!

A week later our trip brought us back to these same friends, where we were planning to spend a week.  In that week, I had the opportunity to watch Sessions 2 and 3, and my friend, gifted me with the Study book.  In one week, I completed the "homework" for weeks 1 and 2.  I couldn't seem to get enough.  I also kept wanting to share every new thought with someone.  I would think, WOW, I never saw it like that before!  Or WHOA, what a difference that would make if people actually applied it to their lives!!  What a difference it would make if I would just apply it!

Now,  I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was 5 years old.  That means that I have been walking this Christian life for 50 years.  Just like everyone else, some seasons better than others.  I have been taught and have taught about the Armor of God, we find described in Ephesians 6, countless times. As a child I did "sword drills" in Sunday School and Children's Church...(if you don't know what this is, it basically is a game you play with children, to see who can look up Bible verses the fastest).  I even became aware of the need to "put it on", daily, asking God to use each piece to guard the different areas of my, my mind, my heart, my walk, etc.  BUT, I can honestly say that until I did this study, I never really looked at each piece in detail or thought about how each one specifically was designed to protect me from the attacks of Satan.  I also NEVER connected the Armor of God in Ephesians 6 to the Armor of the Divine Warrior in Isaiah 59, BUT many of the people who were reading Paul's letter in that day, totally got the connection, both the examples to the armor of the Roman soldiers that they saw on a daily basis, and also to the Divine Warrior described in Isaiah as they were students of the Old Testament.  This armor God has given to me, is not just any armor that was lying around... It is his very own armor!!  He took it off and GAVE it to me!   I have God's own armor to put on and defend myself in this daily battle.  There is NOTHING more powerful that I could have than that!!

If you are feeling unsure of your value or who you are in Christ, or if you are filled with fear and insecurity right now.   I encourage you to read the book of Ephesians.  To put on your Armor, and remember who you are in Christ Jesus.  You have been adopted into God's Forever Family!!  He is your Father, your Daddy.  He is blessed.  He loves you and because He is blessed, you are blessed. It's part of your DNA!  If you have access to it, I highly recommend The Armor of God Study by Priscilla Shirer.  You can rent the video sessions on-line at Lifeway.com.   BUT you don't have to have the video sessions to do the study.  They are just an extra "bonus." :)  (and just as a disclaimer, I am not receiving anything to recommend this study.  I doubt the people at LifeWay or Priscilla Shirer, will ever even see this post and know that I have recommended the study.)