LEARNING DAILY

“Look in the mirror and call yourself up to who Christ called you to be!” (Community Bible Church Listener Guide)

This page of the blog was begun with a statement instead of a verse or two of Scripture; it is the first time since the blog was first written. It will not take long to understand why. Dr. Ed Newton has been going through the book of Colossians, teaching verse by verse. Colossians 3:12-17 are about much of what has been written in this blog. The words from Colossians and pastor Newton’s message were about walking with God the way He demands – by becoming like Him and no longer doing the things the world tempts us to do. That means Believers stop making provisions for the flesh and walk in the power of obedience and being led by the Holy Spirit.

To do that we do what Colossians 3:12-13 tells us to do. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, put on compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, forgiving one another, if one has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” The message centered on being able to look at yourself each day and reminding yourself who God says you are and “living peacefully in a world that is full of chaos and adversity” (Pastor Newton). He also stated, “believers are to take their Eyes off what the world is saying about them and turn to what God says about them.” We started wring about who God says a Believer is several weeks ago. Read through the following words from Scripture that tell you who God says you are.

You are a child of God. John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, He gave the right to become         the children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

You are a friend of Jesus. John 15:15, “No longer do I call you a servant, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father, I have made known to you.” See also Galatians 4:7.

You are justified and redeemed. Romans 3:24, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”.

You are no longer a slave to sin. Romans 6:6. “ knowing this, that the old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin,” See also Galatians 4:7.

You are no longer condemned. Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

You are a fellow heir with Christ. Romans 8:17, “and If children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we indeed suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

You are a saint and faithful. Ephesians 1:1, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints at Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus”. See also Philippians 1:1 and Colossians 1:2.

You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

You are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore anyone who is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

You are the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

You are chosen, holy and blameless. Ephesians 1:4, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

You are righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:24, “and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

You are a citizen of heaven. Philippians 3:20, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Lord Jesus Christ,” See also Ephesians 2:6.

The peace of God guards your heart and mind. Philippians 4:7, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

This is only a partial list of who God says you are in Him. What if you did look at yourself in the mirror each morning when you get up and remind yourself who God says you are before you begin your day. Put on what Paul wrote in Colossian 3:12-13 and begin to look at yourself as God sees you!