Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Pastor's Ponderings, December 27, 2016

What God Thinks Of Us

On Friday, December 23, 2016, Reuter’s news service reported that Russian president, Vladimir Putin praised U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday and branded Democrats as “sore election losers.” While many people have post-election commentary, this particular example highlights how our old cold war enemy has tried to define an entire group of Americans.  When someone defines who you are, they can confine you to what they decide you are or will become.

In the Bible, there is another accuser, the devil (Revelation 12:10).  His sole mission is to accuse the children of God. He tries to tell us who we are, what we can do, and most of all that we are guilty of sin. Thank God, the blood of Jesus has purified us from sin (1 John 1:7). We are no longer under Satan’s authority. Sickness, disease, pain, suffering, poverty, and sin will all try to limit the victory that God wants us to have.  No, we are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:36-37).

We are the city set on a hill (Matthew 5:14); we are blessed and accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:5-6). We are the apple of God's eye (Psalm 17:8). He watches over His word in us so that it works according to His will (Jeremiah 1:12). When any adversary tries to convince us that we are losers, we must remember that we are not sore losers; we are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). We must meditate on what God thinks of us and not be defined by anyone else.

Revelation 12:10
New International Version (NIV)
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

1 John 1:7
New International Version (NIV)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin

Romans 8:36-37
New International Version (NIV)
36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Ephesians 1:5-6
King James Version (KJV)
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Matthew 5:14
King James Version (KJV)
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid

Psalm 17:8
New International Version (NIV)
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings

Jeremiah 1:12
New International Version (NIV)
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

2 Corinthians 5:21
New International Version (NIV)
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God



No comments: