Like Pigs in the Mud
“Beloved, if our heart does nor condemn us we have confidence toward God.” I John 3:21 NKJV
God loves me, this I know. We say it & sing about it. But we don’t always believe it & can’t always receive it. Why? Our own heart tells us we’re unworthy. We hide out like a hermit & beat ourselves up. We wallow around in guilt and shame like pigs in the mud. We dislike ourselves immensely. We indulge in self-destructive behaviors.
That’s the opposite of what God desires! God wants us to come to Him freely & boldly without reservation or doubt. To be confident in the fact that we cannot be separated from His love.
So stop dwelling on your mistakes and behavior, whether they happened 5 minutes ago or 5 years ago. Instead direct your thoughts & focus your energy on how much you are loved. Embrace what God says about you! You are forgiven, redeemed, a new creation, accepted, beloved, beautiful and His.
Brave
God’s love penetrates so deeply & fills you so completely that there’s no room for fear! If you’re not feeling strong & courageous you need to meditate on how deeply you are loved.
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” I John 4:18 NLT
Since it is Musical Monday…here’s a great reminder from Nichole Nordeman: His love makes me brave!
Declaration of Righteousness
God has declared that you are righteous in Christ! So declare your independence TODAY from condemnation and guilt over your past! You are free! You are righteous! Receive what you were given!
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sin.” Romans 3:23-24 NLT
Whom the Son sets free is truly free!
Wonderfully Made
I’m not going to lie…when I first saw the 3D ultrasound pictures…I was a bit freaked out. They’re kind of…well…they’re kind of creepy. Then my sister showed me this one….
…and I fell in love. I was blown away by this miracle!! To see God’s newest masterpiece as He’s forming her. To see that my newest little niece has my sister’s nose even before she enjoys her birthday. To see her precious face and hand and tummy…the love overwhelmed me. And I cried. It made me want to run to the nearest baby clothing store and purchase the tiniest frilliest little dress ever.
Then I heard God say, “That’s exactly how I felt watching you grow.” And I cried again. Even though He’s the One who forms us and has known us before the foundation of the world, He still gets pumped to see us grow in our mother’s womb. He never gets bored but views us all as little miracles. He calls us masterpieces.
Let this photo of my niece remind you just how valuable you have always been and always will be to Father God.
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Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” Psalm 139:13-16 MSG
jillbeingstill 