DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST?

The book of Ephesians is often called the “queen of the epistles.” It is like a Reader's Digest condensed version of the whole story of redemption from Genesis to Revelation. In one short book, the apostle Paul teaches in glorious detail what Christ's death on the cross accomplished for us, the seriousness of our need as sinners that caused God to do this, and the ways this gospel changes us practically.

Paul presents in Ephesians a great manual on “gospel-centered” living. He uses the phrases with Christ, in Christ, through Christ, with Him, in Him, and through Him over 30 times in Ephesians' six short chapters. The gospel, we see, has not just given us access to God through Christ, but it has also included us in Christ. It has sealed us in Him—a phrase that would sound blasphemous if the Bible did not say it first.

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise" (Eph. 1:13, NASB).

Our inclusion into Christ changes everything. It gives us a brand new identity—righteous, virtuous and powerful—because it is His identity.

Our identity is our sense of self. It is the thing that gives us continuity in how we interact with others despite changes in our circumstances. We often identify ourselves by lesser things than how God identifies us. Some of us identify ourselves by our career, our relationship status, or our children.

I have been a middle school, high school and college math teacher, jobs in which I found a great deal of personal fulfillment. Now I am a wife and mother. On the side, I am an author. Depending on the season of life, I have looked to each role to feel good about myself, to identify myself positively. But those are just roles I steward for a season. They are not my ultimate identity.

Even being the daughter of a family firmly rooted for generations in the low country of South Carolina does not ultimately define me. Jesus Christ, along with all His name invokes, defines me both here on earth and for eternity in heaven. He is my identity because I am in Him.

Practically speaking, when I mix up my roles at any given stage of life with my ultimate identity, I end up in idolatry. At the stage of life I am now as wife, mom, and author, my husband and children cannot be my identity. I cannot pin all of my hopes for the future on their personal successes. It is not fair to them, and it keeps me from placing my hope for the future in God’s hands. They become my idols when I do that.

I also cannot place my hopes for feeling good about myself on the books I write. It did not take long after publishing my first book to receive criticism from a reviewer. I figured out quickly that I would be undone if I allowed the way my books were received to make me feel good or bad about myself. Instead, God calls me to be a good steward of my roles of wife, mom, and author, not an idolater who looks to her husband, children, or books (or whatever stewardship God has given at the time) for her sense of personal achievement.

The problem with idols is not that they will not affirm us and satisfy us in the way that we long. The problem is they cannot. It is not in their power. We devastate relationships in our lives when we look to certain people to meet needs in us God never intended them to meet.

A spouse, friend, or child may try for a season to fill those needs and make us happy, but at some point, they will become so discouraged by the utter depth of our need and our inability to be satisfied with anything they do that they will push us away, perhaps even severing the relationship completely.

Jesus alone is our ultimate source of identity. But what exactly does it mean for us to find our identity in Christ? The Bible uses several word pictures which I find helpful to communicate the details of our relationship with Christ. The Word paints believers at multiple places in Scripture as, first, Christ's cherished bride. By Wendy Alsup

HOW DO I STOP COMPARING MYSELF WITH OTHERS?

Q: How do I stop comparing myself with others?

1. Get clear about you. 
A sense of self lets you see others' successes and become better, not bitter. List words that describe you: smart, strong, kind; mother, friend, visionary. Value yourself and you won't want to be like anyone else.

2. Seek meaning, not approval. 
When you spend your life chasing recognition, you can also expect to spend it worrying about who's passing you by. If you work to advance your dreams, your place in the pecking order ceases to matter.

3. Know that everyone has her own strengths. 
Our parents told us, "Sit up straight like your brother. Clean your room like your sister." The result? We learned to measure what we do by what others have done. But that isn't useful when every individual has unique gifts.

4. Emulate what works. 
When someone does something well, assess what made her succeed and figure out ways to incorporate those traits in your own life. If that's possible, great! If not, refer to #1—and keep doing you. By Iyanla Vanzant

WITH THE SAME MEASURE (expect harvest)

Saturday November 16, 2013 will remain forever fresh in my memory...why? It was such a delight to see God fulfill His word in ways beyond what my little brain comprehend. Mothers Summit is a vision that God gave my mentor, Rev. Mrs Funke Felix-Adejumo, I cannot but be fascinated at the zeal and enthusiasm with which this woman travels around the world encouraging mothers to pray for their seeds. This woman sowed seeds of faith, Christian and godly conduct in my life as an individual about 20 years ago, and I cannot thank God enough who caused my path to cross hers.

 

Where are you in life? What difference can you make in the lives of those around you? Do you procrastinate about the things you need to do today to make a difference? Do you count the cost too much to make a difference? God is a God of principles and He will honor His principles in the life of whoever follows them. Obedience is the shortest way to blessings. What are you measuring out? Goodness, kindness, love and support are fast becoming scarce even at the altar where everyone has become a hoarder and hugger. A man of God says; "you cannot be a star forever" that does not mean your star will grow dim but in the face of age, natural decline etc, you are not likely to be able to do the things you do in your stride today the same way in another 30 years no matter how strong you are. Are you measuring out anything to bless others? If you help fan someone else's fire to flame, be sure there will be someone else waiting to help you blossom. 

We prayed some dangerous prayers at the Mothers summit, one of the prayers was that "our children will not marry their enemies", also, "that they will not marry our enemies". So if you are a daughter in-law and you have been an enemy, how do you reverse that prayer? The world runs on seeds and you cannot pattern the way you live your life after how someone else lives theirs. It is not easy to be on the receiving end especially if what is being dished out is not palatable. Whatever God does shall be, do you attempt to crush dreams, ideas because they do not originate from you? Do you compete endlessly because you too must be heard, seen even in your marriage?

Whether you are a man or woman, you do not need to make life miserable unto others. Ps. 133:1 "Behold how beautiful it is for brethren to dwell together in unity". How often do we neglect the way of peace if it does not massage our egos? When in the family, church or among friends, it is very easy to throw caution to the wind if we are not the centre of attention. The world is a great place when all works well around us but if for a minute we fail to get the desired result, our utterances change...hmm.

Luke 6:38b, For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” In your relationship, among colleagues at work, among brethren at church, from your spouse or family members, what you dish out will be measured back to you. If you find it difficult to say amen, then you might want to watch your actions. If you are not worried but eager to say amen, keep the good work. 

Everything we do in life is a seed, when it germinates, it brings back more than we sows Keep sowing and with the same measure, expect harvest!

By Omo Ishow

SOME LOVELY & SOPHISTICATED: CLASSY ASO EBI STYLES

When it comes to wearing gorgeous traditional attires, some people know the nitty gritty of how well to go about it, how to combine the colors, gorgeous accessories that will complement the amazing attire and how to especially tie the ‘Gele’. Enjoy and have fun….

See more photo below--->>>

HOW TO HANDLING DIFFICULT OR LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS

I was pondering on the story of Esau and how he handled what seems like a difficult situation for him. He threw caution to the wind and just thought about the now forgetting tomorrow. Let us look at the story of Esau together from

Genesis 25: 27-34:

27 As the boys grew up. Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry.

30 Esau said to Jacob, ‘I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!’ (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means ‘red’.) 31 ‘All right,’ Jacob replied, ‘but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.’ 32 ‘Look, I’m dying of starvation!’ said Esau. ‘What good is my birthright to me now?’ 33 But Jacob said, ‘First you must swear that your birthright is mine.’ So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.

Before we begin to find faults in Esau’s actions, how do we handle life-threatening situations? Do we hold on to our rights as daughters of the Most High knowing that come what may, He will never leave us nor forsake us or do we look for alternative options thereby showing contempt for our rights as daughters of the Kingdom?

Humanly speaking, in the face of such situations, we tend to look out for alternative options because we feel God is too slow or He is probably sleeping or has gone on leave. The truth is even though it seems as if He is not acting, He is definitely working behind the scene. I asked myself, what would have happened to Esau if he didn’t eat that stew at that point? I don’t think he would have died anyway but gratifying the now made him act the way he did.

What do you do when your house rent is almost due and you have been praying and probably fasting and nothing is forth coming but there is this boss of yours who has offered you 5 times the amount of your house rent if you just spend one night with him? Do you settle for less or wait for God to act?

As difficult as these scenario seems, there is always a blessing attached to waiting and holding on to God. I love the way the Psalmist put it in Psalm 37:25:

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor
his seed begging bread.

No matter how slow God seems, the good news is, He is always on time, on point and ever reliable. I want to encourage us this morning, that holding on to God in the face of life-threatening situations may not make sense but it is always the best of every other option available so that we can take full delivery of the blessings of waiting. We know that when Esau earnestly coveted his father’s blessings as the firstborn, he lost it because he had treated his birthright with contempt. May we not miss our blessings because of a careless decision in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

No matter how inviting that option seems, it may hold nothing but regrets at the end of the day, why not hold on for God’s best instead of future regrets. I know beyond a doubt that God will come through for us in that very situation. The year is running to an end, bills are piling, expenses are increasing and there seems to be no way out, my darling friends, never settle for less, wait for God’s very best and you will never regret you did.

My pray is that may the Lord, give us  double grace to hold on in the face of challenges, not to loose focus or be discouraged but to wait and be patient, amen. God bless you real good!

By Onome kunle-Oyedokn

 

THINK BIG!

A man was caught and thrown into a pit of about "40 feet" deep, just because he was a stranger. He struggled trying to get out of the pit, but the more he tried, the weaker his muscles became.

He said to himself, "I don't know how to get myself out of this. Maybe I should just die instead of enduring these miserable struggles and pains."

Just then, he heard a voice screaming, "Help! Help!! Help!!!" The shouts were coming from another pit, which was "10 feet" deeper than the one he was in.

He thought to himself, "Wow, so there is somebody else like me trapped here too."

Listening carefully, he heard some cracking and sand dropping from the wall of the pit of the other victim.

Immediately he summed up his courage and with his last bit of strength, started crawling little by little until he made it out of his pit.

Morals of the Story:

That pain you think you are passing through, there are people worst off than you.

Always say something sweet to yourself. Always smile at your pains. Let them be; they are just there for a while and also to challenge you.

Today may be your darkest hour, but your joy will come in the morning.

Try to encourage yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror, beat your chest and say, "I can make it and I can stand the test of time."

Always try to face your worst fear because nothing GOOD comes easy.

You must be UNCOMFORTABLE to get to your COMFORT ZONE.

Think BIG!
Hi friends, Do you share the same view with this? Let's hear your thoughts/comments on the above topic. Remember, your experience will motivate someone reading this article to move to the top. Stay blessed!!

Hmmm, ITS THANKSGIVING TIME!!!!

Bible says everything we should give THANKS!!! Wishing you all a blessed THANKSGIVING, And to the reader's from countries that do not celebrate Thanksgiving today, or at all...

There is still so much to give thanks to God for.  So from Adenike Salako Blog’s World we Happy Thanksgiving to us all and do have FUN :)