Tag: Christians

A Christian’s Self-Worth and Love for Self

A Christian’s Self-Worth and Love for Self

As followers of Jesus Christ, how important is it for Christians to love themselves and to have a realization of self-worth?  Every person needs to realize their own value and importance.  It’s central for us, as believers, to view ourselves in the light of the Word of God and in view of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures teach us in various ways that we are Individually valuable to God, and that we are precious in His sight. 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well”. (Ps 139:13-14)

Know this:  every human being is fearfully and wonderfully made.  God’s works are wonderful, and we (as God’s creation) are a wonderful work of the Lord’s.  Glory to God!

“Then God said, “Let Us [Father, Son, Holy Spirit] make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” So, God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  (Gen 1:26-27 AMP)

The fact is that God created us in His own image.  Wow!  Another interesting truth is that God has given us authority over the earth and over every living thing on it!  That’s a huge indication of God’s love for each individual—the only beings made in the image of God.  We are valued by the living God, and we are very important to Him.

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—  (1 Pet 2:4 NIV) 

Since we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, the Bible tells us that we are CHOSEN by God and PRECIOUS to Him. 

“Chosen” means selected, preferred, and desired.  “Precious” means valued, greatly loved, treasured, and cherished.  Doesn’t that paint a portrait of someone who is esteemed and priceless to God?  Since this is so, we should love ourselves and walk in the dignity and majesty bestowed upon us by God’s evaluation of us.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  (Eph 2:10)

Each and every believer is a Masterpiece by the work of the Master—Jesus Christ!  See yourself as the glorious masterpiece that you are.

You were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies.  (1 Cor 6:20)

Because we are so valued by the Lord, an astronomical price was paid to purchase our redemption.  By dying on the cross, being buried, and rising again—all according to the Scripture (1 Cor. 15:3-4)—the Lord Jesus Christ paid for our redemption.  Hallelujah!

You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.  (SOS 4:7)

The Lord declares that His children are beautiful.  Praise God!

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.  (Joh 10:28-30)

The best news of all is that no one has the power to snatch us out of the hand of the Lord, nor can anyone snatch us out of the hand of our Father God!  Glory to God most High!

For all of the above reasons, and many, many more, every believer should have a good sense of self-worth and self-value.  Therefore, we walk in humility and in obedience to the Lord and in service to our fellow human beings. 

If you would like to study additional Scriptures to investigate and realize your value to God, I recommend these passages:  Isaiah 41:10; Joshua 1:5, 9; Psalm 28:7; 63:1-8; Jeremiah 17:7; Lamentations 3:22-23; Luke 12:7; 2 Corinthians 190:12; Hebrews 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 Peter 3:3-4.  God bless you.

Don’t Make Yourself God’s Enemy

Don’t Make Yourself God’s Enemy

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have chosen to follow Christ above all things, especially above the world.  Jesus taught that we cannot be loved by this world because we are not truly a part of it.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.  (Mt 6:24 CEB) 

The Bible reminds us that we can’t serve two different masters.  So we must make a clear and firm choice about our allegiance.

 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you.  (Joh 15:19 MEV)

The world hates Christians because Jesus chose us out of the world, and we chose Jesus.  We have put Jesus first above all other relationships, alliances, and commitments.

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  (Jam 4:4 NKJV) 

Friendship with the world equals hostility toward God and the Word of God. Many in the world malign and ridicule believers, and all those who value the Bible.

Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him. 16 For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world.  (1 Joh 2:15-16 ISV)

Everything—EVERYTHING—that is in the world [ambition, avariciousness, passions, arrogance] is connected with this world’s way of doing things; and does not connect to a love of God the Father.

As we continue to choose to follow Jesus and to obey God’s Word, we would do well to seek God’s face and ask Him for continuing grace to live a holy life.  We know that God hears and answers our prayers, so we may pray with confidence and assurance.  God bless you.

What We KNOW as Believers

What We KNOW as Believers

We, as Christians, don’t have to wonder or hope or try to get faith.  We need to stop and consider what we know.  Our key verse for this study is in 2 Timothy:

. . . for I KNOW whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day.  (2 Tim 1:12b KJV)

For we KNOW JESUS, our Savior and Lord, with whom we have a living, vital relationship—Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God!  (Mt 16:16; 26:63; Joh 6:69) To KNOW someone means to have a relationship with, to comprehend, and to have experienced who they truly are as a person.

As a matter of fact, because we have received Jesus Christ as our Savior, Redeemer and Lord, we are now known as SONS OF THE LIVING GOD!  (Rom 9:26)  Hallelujah!

These are some of the vital things that we KNOW as believers:

  • That the Lord has set us apart for Himself; the Lord will hear us when we call upon Him!  (Ps 4:3) 
  • That because we are set apart for God (His anointed), He will answer us with the saving strength of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ps 20:6)
  • That the Lord is great, and He is above all gods.  (Ps 135:5)
  • That God’s works are marvelous.  (Ps 139:14)
  • That Jesus is the Holy One of God. (Mk 1:24c; Lk 4:34c)
  • We know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.  (Lk 8:10)
  • We know Jesus, our Good Shepherd.  (Joh 10:14)
  • We know the Lord, because He dwells with us, and He lives in us.  (Joh 14:17)
  • We know that Jesus dwells in the Father; we dwell in Jesus; and Jesus dwells in us.  (Joh 14:20)
  • That wherever we go, we carry the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.  (Rom 15:29)
  • That we have received the Spirit who is from God through whom we know the things that have been freely given to us by God.  (1 Cor 2:12; 1 Joh 4:12-14)
  • We are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit dwells within each believer.  (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19)
  • That we are in Christ because we keep His Word, and the love of God is perfected in us.  (1 Joh 2:5)
  • That Jesus was manifested to take away our sins and in Him there is no sin.  (1 Joh 3:5)
  • That we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren.  (1 Joh 3:14)
  • We know the Spirit of God because we confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, and He is from God.  (1 Joh 4:2)
  • That we are born of God and know God because we love one another, and love is of God.  (1 Joh 4:7)
  • We know that we have eternal life because we believe in the name of the Son of God and will continue to do so.  (1 Joh 5:13)

The Love of Money

The Love of Money

People who have an unreasonable love of money and a lust to accumulate it have fallen into a trap with inbuilt dangers.  These dangers plunge people into ruin and destruction.  The enemy of our souls uses this extreme love of money to control and rule the world, and even to destroy many Christians.

Let us turn to the Bible:

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This too is meaningless.  (Eccl 5:10 NIV, underscoring added)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  (1 Tim 6:10 NKJV)

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.  (Mt 6:24 NIV)

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  (Lk 12:15 NIV)

Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  (Mt 6:19 ISV)

From the Scripture verses above we learn:

  • When a person loves money, they can never have enough.
  • The love of money can drive people to commit sin and to perform evil deeds.
  • The love of money can drive people away from faith in God.
  • We cannot serve two masters:  we must choose to serve God or to serve money.  We cannot serve both.
  • Be on guard against covetousness (greed, materialism, avarice).
  • Learn to value eternal things over and above real estate; savings accounts; stocks & bonds; and possessions.  When we value the eternal, we please God.

Money is not evil.  It can be used for good or evil.  King David was wealthy, but it didn’t control his heart. 

Do not give your heart to money or allow your monetary concerns to control your decisions or your actions.  Tithe and give offerings faithfully as the Lord guides you.  Be generous and help others wherever and however you can as the Holy Spirit directs you.  Use your abundance to bless and help others and to earn the blessings of God in response.  Don’t be stingy with your prosperity.

Be content with what you have and with your situation in life.  If you would like things to change, pray and ask for God’s direction.  He will hear and answer your prayers.

Don’t rely upon or trust in money.  Trust in and put your faith in the Lord and in His Word.  Obey the Lord and His Word and maintain a loving relationship with our Savior. Cultivate an eternal perspective.  We all must remember that wealth cannot go with us into eternity.  But Jesus will be with every believer throughout eternity as long as their relationship with the Lord is alive and vital at the time of their death.  Hallelujah!

Blessed through Abraham

Blessed through Abraham

The followers and servants of Jesus Christ are blessed through Abraham.  This includes all of us who are Christians.

Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.  (Heb 11:12 NKJV)  This verse is referring to Abraham, known as the “father of faith” and honored for his obedience to God.

I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed . . . (Gen 26:4 NIV)  The Lord is speaking to Abraham in this verse.

Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”  (Hos 1:10 NIV)  All who believe in Jesus Christ are considered to be spiritual children (offspring) of Abraham.

You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven and brought them into the land
which You had told their fathers to go in and possess.  (Neh 9:23 NKJV)  God has fulfilled His many promises to multiply the descendants of Abraham exponentially.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  (Gal 3:13-14 NKJV)  Every promise of blessing that was given to Abraham belongs to every follower of Jesus Christ.  Christians are redeemed from every curse through Jesus.

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.  (Gal 3:7 NIV)  Those of us who have active faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord are called by the Lord “children of Abraham.”  Yes, we are blessed!

Don’t Be Ashamed

Don’t Be Ashamed

The Lord tells us in His word that we should not be ashamed of Him or of His words.  The apostle Paul teaches us the right attitude with his declaration in the book of Romans:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  (Ro 1:16)

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.  (Mk 8:38)

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  (Lk 9:26)

We should never feel embarrassed or uncomfortable that we are Christians.  Additionally, we should never be ashamed to share testimonies of our answered prayers, or of our salvation experience and the blessings of God. 

For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”  (Rom 10:11 ESV)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is truly the POWER OF GOD to everyone who believes.  Let us rejoice in this truth and praise the name of the Lord!

Lord of the Living & the Dead

Lord of the Living & the Dead

As Christians, we belong to Jesus Christ.  Once we accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we became a member of His family.  He remains our Lord from that moment on into and throughout all eternity.  How blessed we are!

For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.  (Rom 14:9 NIV)

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.  (1 Pet 4:5)

The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—   (Ac 10:36)    

Jesus Christ is the Lord of both the living and the dead—and there is no conflict in His role.  He is Lord of ALL. 

Jesus created everything that exists and because of that, no one can claim any authority over creation or over mankind other than Him.  (See Exodus 19:5)

When the Scriptures speak of Jesus being the Lord of both the living and the dead, it is addressing the fact that Jesus is the Lord of all people: 

  • Those who are spiritually dead and those who are spiritually alive;
  • Those who are physically dead and those who are physically alive.

Jesus’ perfect sacrifice reconciled us to our Father God, and brought peace between us and the Father.  Jesus has established the ministry of reconciliation.  Glory to God!

How much more do we (all born-again believers) belong to Jesus since He has ransomed us from sin and from satan? 

There is a prophecy in Isaiah that reminds us that we have everlasting joy bestowed upon us:

So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads.  They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.  (Isa 51:11)  Glory to God!