Remind Me Who I Am

I've been there before. Mad, sad, frustrated . . . just plain tired! Sick and tired of being sick and tired.

It seems like every time you get your head above water, the waves of life knock you back under and you are left gasping for air. The current is so strong and waves so forceful you feel like you are still submerged even when you're not. If God loved me so much, why am I going through this?!?

That's the question you want answered and honestly I don't have that magical answer for you. I wish I did, but what I do have is hope. What I have is encouragement you are going to make it through. What I have is PROOF the Lord loves you and hasn't forgotten about you!

Do You Not Know!?!

Do you not know sisters and brothers, if you were the only one left on earth God loves you so much He still would've sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for you? Do you not know when Adam and Eve chose sin in the Garden of Eden, it caused a great divide between His beloved creation and God? Jesus was and IS the bridge that gets us back into right relationship with His Father.

Do you not know you are God's worksmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do?!? (Ephesians 2:10) Since you are His worksmanship-- You should walk with a king mindset . . a queen mindset . . not entitlement, but just knowing who you are. It's knowing you can achieve anything you want to achieve-- no dream is unreachable, no aim too high-- if you have faith, believe in yourself and work hard at your craft! In doing so, you don't have to 'settle!' Having a royal mindset-- me being a young king-- I walk with assurance in who I AM, but I also walk with humility, knowing everything I have the Lord can allow it to be snatched from me just like that *snaps fingers*

Do you not know you are God's friend? Take a moment to wrap your mind around that! You are friends with the Most High . . . the Creator of the Universe. 'I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not understand what his Master is doing. But I have called you friends because I have revealed everything I heard from my Father.' (John 15:15).

Do you not know you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness (1st Peter 2:9). CHOSEN: One who is the object of divine choice; one who is elected. You are ROYALTY-- a young king . . a young queen (no matter your age compared to the Maker of time, you are young)! You may not feel too 'royal' right now. You may even feel like a royal screw-up, but beloved you are SO MUCH MORE than that! You are the apple of God's eye!

Do you not know you, YES YOU, are a joint heir with Christ?!? 'And if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--if indeed we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8:17, Galatians 4:7) Wait a minute . . . what did I do to deserve such a high standing? Absolutely nothing. It happened through the blood of Jesus dying on the cross for you and you asking Him into your heart as your Savior.

But you don't understand the type of person I've been. I am not worthy of such titles. Maybe that's who I was supposed to be, but through my bad decisions I've voided myself off that list. No you haven't! If there is breath in your lungs, it's not too late for you. There is hope. Check out 2nd Corinthians 5:17, 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away-- look, what is new has come!' Isn't that GREAT news?!? Doesn't it just make you want to scream!?

How is this possible? God is merciful, God forgives, God is love, 'For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities, I will remember no more!' (Hebrews 8:12). The blood of Jesus is spiritual Wite-Out. It erases our sins completely. That's incredible! Don't believe me? 'I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sins no more.' (Isaiah 43:25)

Do you not know your citizenship is found in Heaven? As Christians, we are just 'passing through' like hitch hikers. I honestly believe when we make it to our Heavenly Home we will experience the greatest feeling of deja vu/vous we have ever experienced. . . like taking that feeling of making it home after a vacation and multiplying it times infinity.

'But our citizenship is in Heaven, and we also await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.'
(Philippians 3:20).

Do you not know Jesus and you have the same DNA? We have heard we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27) so much I believe the gravity of what that truly means often times is lost!

'Put on the new man who has been created in God's image-- in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth (Ephesians 4:24)'

This is Great News!

So, the next time you feel inadequate. It could be you don't have a job. You don't have a girlfriend, boyfriend or maybe you're a little older and aren't married yet you have many family members and friends who are and who have children . . . don't be downcast! Remember not only whose you are, but remind yourself WHO YOU ARE as well!

Our hearts are fickle. In fact the Bible says it is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. (Jeremiah 17:9)  Sometimes it tells you you will die without that special girl or boy. Trust me, I've been there and still battle that daily. There is but One you would die without and His name is Jesus! Don't believe your heart, when it's telling you you are hopeless without that one special person, believe the One who occupies it. Remember you are His workmanship. If God had a trophy case, YOU would be the centerpiece. What an incredible thought!

We all struggle with sin. It's a never-ending battle. Some people struggle with little bit and some struggle with a lot, but it's a battle we too often lose. We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37) and we can also rejoice in the fact the Lord's strength is made perfect in our weakness (2nd Corinthians 12:9) and that He will provide a way out in the moments of temptation (1st Corinthians 10:13).

Remind yourself in those moments when your flesh is calling out to you, wanting you to be the 'old man,' you are a joint heir of the Kingdom of God. You are a citizen of Heaven and you are made in God's image. You can overcome. I believe in you! I've always felt the place all Christians want to achieve, their place of Nirvana, is where the satisfaction of being obedient to the Lord overrides your own desires.

You may be dealing with sin. You may be dealing with depression or feelings of inadequacy. It could be you're having a hard time finding a job or maybe you're struggling with addiction. Maybe you have gotten too caught up in 'status.' Is there any greater status than being God's son or daughter-- a joint heir, His workmanship, His friend and part of the Royal Priesthood? Or you may feel like it's 'too late' for you to be redeemed. You have messed up over and over again. Everybody who has ever believed in you, you feel you have let down through making another bad decision. It's not!

If we could see ourselves through God's eyes for a solitary second, our devotion to Him would change, we would never feel not good enough and we would walk with a boldness and stronger faith than ever before. Join me in asking the Lord to reveal to you how He sees you. Your life will never be the same.

'For He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and umblemished in his sight in love.' (Ephesians 1:4).

'In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins) according to the riches of His grace.' (verse 7).

So the next time you're struggling with anything, ask God to remind you WHO YOU ARE!

He will.

Please check out Jason Gray's song 'Remind Me Who I am.' I believe it will encourage you greatly and serve as a much-needed reminder of who you are!