Mirror, Mirror
April 2013
"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Galatians 1:10 NIV
"It's better to have God approve than the world applaud!"
"He did not try to make Himself seem beautiful to the world." Mandy
How many times have you allowed this world to be your mirror and not Christ and His Word? How many times have you believed the lies of Satan instead of God's truth concerning who you are, your purpose, your value, etc.? How many times have you compared yourself to another person and felt inadequate or insignificant? It can come in many forms…….maybe you have a ministry that you know God told you to start, but you don't have as many "followers" as sister so in so, or maybe people don't seem to "notice" you like they notice "Lara." Friend, this morning during my quiet time with the Lord, I rolled across a young lady named Mandy's blog. She asked God one day," God, how am I supposed to be like Jesus right now….right here?" God answered her in a way that resonated in my spirit. Since my 22nd birthday (3/23) God has been heavy on my heart to write about insecurity and not only knowing who I am in Christ, but being sure of it…..walking in it all day, every day.
God said to Mandy, "He did not try to make Himself seem beautiful to the world."
Whoa.
I paused and thought about myself and how in many ways at times I have used this world as my mirror instead of Christ. At that time I was reminded of Galatians 1:10 NIV which says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Whoa X2
Friend, we must stop determining our worth and value by what people say or don't say. We must be determined by what the Word of God says about us. We must stop being so stressed out by everyone else's reaction to us…..whether they like us, see us, love us, accept us, approve of us, want to be around us or be our friend, sow into our vision, or our ministry, support us….etc. Jesus did not try to fit in, He did not try to make everyone like Him or be His friend, He did not try to appeal to this world just because of the fear that they wouldn't accept Him or the message that He was given to share…..He did not try to make Himself seem beautiful to the world. He was about His Father's business. He allowed God to be his foundation. He allowed God to shine through Him. When He looked in the mirror He did not compare Himself to others, or rate Himself based on the scale that this world has created. You may be be saying, "Well, that was easy for Him….He is Jesus….there is no comparison." Friend, if you are in Christ, you have the same identity, the same power, and the same inheritance as He does. You are an original. "Da Vinci painted one Mona Lisa, Beethoven composed one Fifth Symphony. And God made one version of YOU! YOU exist to exhibit God, to display His glory! YOU serve as canvases for His brushstroke, papers for His pen, soil for His seeds, and glimpses of His image!" Know this: there is no one else on the earth that can do what God has called YOU to do. "You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly position on the earth by the Master Craftsman...JESUS!" YOU have a PURPOSE and YOU are SIGNIFICANT! Our foundation as believers should be so firmly fixed on the Word of God and what God says about us that we don't have to think or hesitate, but can answer immediately when asked who we are. We must stop trying to win the approval of people! People did not call us, God did. People did not redeem us, God did. People may fail us, but God won't. We must develop more confidence and faith in God's Word than in what we see, how we feel, or in the opinions of others. The world's mirror says: "You're not good enough, you don't look good enough, your purpose is not as great as that girl's, you can't do __________, you are insignificant……etc."
Oh, but thank God for the mirror that God has called us to see ourselves through every day, all day: the Word of God! Friend, how would you suppose your life would be different if you allowed Christ to be your mirror and not this world? This is what He says about you:
You are fearfully and wonderfully made! Psalm 139:13-14
You are the salt and light of the world! Matthew 5:13-16
You are in Christ and you are a new creature! 2 Corinthians 5:17
You are God's workmanship, created in Christ for good works. Ephesians 2:10
You are complete in Christ! Colossians 2:9-10
You have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
You are a friend of Christ! John 15:15
You can do all things through Christ! Philippians 4:13
You have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit! John 15:16
You have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
You are hidden in Christ! Colossians 3:1-4
You are born of God and the evil one cannot touch you! 1 John 5:18
You are more than a conqueror! Romans 8:37
You are chosen, royal, and holy! 1 Peter 2:9
You are accepted! Ephesians 1:6
You always triumph! 2 Corinthians 2:14
You are free in Christ! Galatians 5:1
Nothing can separate you from God's love! Romans 8:37-39
Don't you ever again question your purpose because someone else doesn't "see it." Don't you ever again compare yourself to another or want to be someone else because "they look" like they have it better than you. Don't you ever again question your significance or value. Don't you ever again rate yourself based on what the world says. Don't you ever again believe the lies of Satan! Don't you ever expect the next door in your life to open, the next opportunity to come forth, or the next promotion or provision to be man-ordained! For we know that our promotion comes from God! (Psalm 75:6-7) So today, don't believe the world's message concerning who you are, your value, your worth, or your future/destiny! Don't believe what you "see!" Only believe the report of the Lord! His report says you are established, anointed, and sealed by God! His report says that you have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit! His report says that you ALWAYS TRIUMPH! Receive it! Believe it! Walk in it!
And anytime the enemy tries to make you believe a different report; say aloud this five statement pledge of faith:
"God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM.
I can do all things through Christ.
God's Word is alive and active in me.
I'm Believing God." (Beth Moore)
Be encouraged!
Galatians 1:10 NIV
"It's better to have God approve than the world applaud!"
"He did not try to make Himself seem beautiful to the world." Mandy
How many times have you allowed this world to be your mirror and not Christ and His Word? How many times have you believed the lies of Satan instead of God's truth concerning who you are, your purpose, your value, etc.? How many times have you compared yourself to another person and felt inadequate or insignificant? It can come in many forms…….maybe you have a ministry that you know God told you to start, but you don't have as many "followers" as sister so in so, or maybe people don't seem to "notice" you like they notice "Lara." Friend, this morning during my quiet time with the Lord, I rolled across a young lady named Mandy's blog. She asked God one day," God, how am I supposed to be like Jesus right now….right here?" God answered her in a way that resonated in my spirit. Since my 22nd birthday (3/23) God has been heavy on my heart to write about insecurity and not only knowing who I am in Christ, but being sure of it…..walking in it all day, every day.
God said to Mandy, "He did not try to make Himself seem beautiful to the world."
Whoa.
I paused and thought about myself and how in many ways at times I have used this world as my mirror instead of Christ. At that time I was reminded of Galatians 1:10 NIV which says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Whoa X2
Friend, we must stop determining our worth and value by what people say or don't say. We must be determined by what the Word of God says about us. We must stop being so stressed out by everyone else's reaction to us…..whether they like us, see us, love us, accept us, approve of us, want to be around us or be our friend, sow into our vision, or our ministry, support us….etc. Jesus did not try to fit in, He did not try to make everyone like Him or be His friend, He did not try to appeal to this world just because of the fear that they wouldn't accept Him or the message that He was given to share…..He did not try to make Himself seem beautiful to the world. He was about His Father's business. He allowed God to be his foundation. He allowed God to shine through Him. When He looked in the mirror He did not compare Himself to others, or rate Himself based on the scale that this world has created. You may be be saying, "Well, that was easy for Him….He is Jesus….there is no comparison." Friend, if you are in Christ, you have the same identity, the same power, and the same inheritance as He does. You are an original. "Da Vinci painted one Mona Lisa, Beethoven composed one Fifth Symphony. And God made one version of YOU! YOU exist to exhibit God, to display His glory! YOU serve as canvases for His brushstroke, papers for His pen, soil for His seeds, and glimpses of His image!" Know this: there is no one else on the earth that can do what God has called YOU to do. "You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly position on the earth by the Master Craftsman...JESUS!" YOU have a PURPOSE and YOU are SIGNIFICANT! Our foundation as believers should be so firmly fixed on the Word of God and what God says about us that we don't have to think or hesitate, but can answer immediately when asked who we are. We must stop trying to win the approval of people! People did not call us, God did. People did not redeem us, God did. People may fail us, but God won't. We must develop more confidence and faith in God's Word than in what we see, how we feel, or in the opinions of others. The world's mirror says: "You're not good enough, you don't look good enough, your purpose is not as great as that girl's, you can't do __________, you are insignificant……etc."
Oh, but thank God for the mirror that God has called us to see ourselves through every day, all day: the Word of God! Friend, how would you suppose your life would be different if you allowed Christ to be your mirror and not this world? This is what He says about you:
You are fearfully and wonderfully made! Psalm 139:13-14
You are the salt and light of the world! Matthew 5:13-16
You are in Christ and you are a new creature! 2 Corinthians 5:17
You are God's workmanship, created in Christ for good works. Ephesians 2:10
You are complete in Christ! Colossians 2:9-10
You have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
You are a friend of Christ! John 15:15
You can do all things through Christ! Philippians 4:13
You have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit! John 15:16
You have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
You are hidden in Christ! Colossians 3:1-4
You are born of God and the evil one cannot touch you! 1 John 5:18
You are more than a conqueror! Romans 8:37
You are chosen, royal, and holy! 1 Peter 2:9
You are accepted! Ephesians 1:6
You always triumph! 2 Corinthians 2:14
You are free in Christ! Galatians 5:1
Nothing can separate you from God's love! Romans 8:37-39
Don't you ever again question your purpose because someone else doesn't "see it." Don't you ever again compare yourself to another or want to be someone else because "they look" like they have it better than you. Don't you ever again question your significance or value. Don't you ever again rate yourself based on what the world says. Don't you ever again believe the lies of Satan! Don't you ever expect the next door in your life to open, the next opportunity to come forth, or the next promotion or provision to be man-ordained! For we know that our promotion comes from God! (Psalm 75:6-7) So today, don't believe the world's message concerning who you are, your value, your worth, or your future/destiny! Don't believe what you "see!" Only believe the report of the Lord! His report says you are established, anointed, and sealed by God! His report says that you have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit! His report says that you ALWAYS TRIUMPH! Receive it! Believe it! Walk in it!
And anytime the enemy tries to make you believe a different report; say aloud this five statement pledge of faith:
"God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM.
I can do all things through Christ.
God's Word is alive and active in me.
I'm Believing God." (Beth Moore)
Be encouraged!
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