Identity

Spirit of Excellence (Part III)

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How would you respond if you were invited to the White House and the President desired to share his food and delicacies with you?

I think most of us will consider it a great honor and privilege to be invited to the White House. The fact that the President would desire to feed us with the best, it would be a very flattering complement! We may even think that this is a blessing from the Lord. We have finally been acknowledged and recognized for who we really are. We might imagine that we have arrived at the pinnacle of success!

And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.  Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the nameBelteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; Daniel 1:5-8a

Daniel had a different response to king’s delicacies than most people. He was already serving a king. His king was the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. He had been at the presence of his King long before he came before the presence of the Babylonian king. His arrival at the palace was just one of many assignments that God had for him, but His identity and significance weren’t tied to it.

When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
 And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man given to appetite.
 Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food. Proverbs 23:1-3

Daniel refused to eat from the king’s table because his first and foremost allegiance was to His King! An ambassador of Christ is sent to a foreign territory, and he/she is never supposed to get caught up with the culture and customs of the foreign country to the point of not representing the kingdom that sent him/her.

An excellent spirit comes from having settled the issue of our allegiance that regardless of the circumstances and losses one may experience, one’s focus and mission does not change. When we have Daniel’s attitude about our assignments, our outlook and our response to situations are very different. We are not at the mercy of man to recognize us, give us privileges,  or take them away. We know the most important person in heaven and on earth has recognized us, so now we focus on being his instrument in the new place!

Daniel was faced with earthly losses many times. However, he was determined to please His God and His almighty King, and the supposed earthly losses turned out to be to his spiritual advantage!

Today, what are you faced with that may require some losses in order to develop an excellent spirit?

The Significance of Boundaries

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What is the importance of boundaries?

God is a God of boundaries. In six days of creation, He continued to create and delineate. Boundaries make things clear; they delineate an area and separate what is within bounds and what is out of bounds.

Boundaries show us what is acceptable, safe, & prudent versus what is unacceptable, dangerous, or foolish. They differentiate between our responsibility versus someone else’s responsibility.

The issues of boundaries would be simple if we lived on our own, but because we live in a community with others, there is a continual tug of war as to where our responsibility ends and someone else’s begins. The more clear we are about our boundaries, the more peaceful and healthier our relationships.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

    So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:26-28

Our Identity includes boundary

God defined and set boundaries to everything He created including our identity. God’s purpose causes His creation to have definition and boundaries. We cannot have a clear and secure identity until we understand the boundary and the definition God has designed for us.

In the beginning, God created Adam & Eve in His image and in His likeness. That means we were not created in the image of animals, trees, or mountains, but we were created in the likeness of God. While Evolutionists may consider us having evolved from animals, God has defined us by setting our definition as being God-like rather than animal-like! This has a huge ramification on our purpose and value as people!

Our body has a boundary

God has given us a body with a boundary, and we are called to take care of it and treat it well. Our Soul which makes up our mind, emotions, and will also belongs to us. No one should think, feel, or decide for us. God has given our soul  to steward it according to His ways.

The Lord created humanity in male and female each with his/her own specific physiology and purpose in relating to each other. The acceptance of our gender and body can eliminate much insecurity, sexual identity problems, and food related disorders.

The scripture tells us that our body is the temple of God. Hence, we need to keep it pure from pollution, ungodliness, and sin, so the Spirit of God could comfortably reside in it. No one can exercise for us, eat healthy, or develop a skill. We are the ones responsible to do the work while God may send people to encourage us along the way.

Our marriage has a boundary

God has a set an order and boundary in marriage, and He has designated roles for husbands and wives. At the same time, He calls them “one” because if they look to Him as they do their part in marriage, where one ends and the other one begins will not be easily visible.  

Our purpose has a boundary

God created a job description for Adam & Eve, which clearly defined the boundaries of their responsibility. He designated their sphere of stewardship. Adam & Eve were created to be fruitful, to subdue the earth, and to rule over all living creatures. This was a God given responsibility which came with its associated provision and ability to do it.

Boundaries provide accountability to what we are responsible for, and they also relieve us from the burdens and responsibilities that don’t belong to us.

If you are stressed, frustrated, or worried, you may need to examine your boundary lines. Make sure that you are clear as to where your responsibility ends and someone else’s begins.

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

 

 

And Their Eyes Opened…. (Part IV)

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Please begin with Part I to see the full picture of this devotional.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:7-8 (KJV)

Sin caused man to run from God rather than to God

Adam & Eve hid behind the trees in the hopes that God would not find them. Did they forget who God is? Didn’t He reach inside Adam and made a woman out of his rib? Is there anything hidden from His sight!? As a result of sin, Adam & Eve’s perspective of God changed, and He was not as powerful in their eyes as He used to be.

Adam & Eve decided to hide themselves amongst the trees which was prophetic of what was to come. God was going to use another tree in the form of the cross to hide man’s sin! The cross made out of a tree was a tool that God used for the punishment and judgment of sin paid in full by Jesus! Thank you Lord!

Sin caused loss of fellowship

Sadly, sin not only made Adam & Eve run from God, but it also made them lose the desire to be in God’s presence and enjoy walking with Him. We may have many aspirations to accomplish things in life, but it in His presence that we gain clarity about our purpose.

When we sin or others sin against it, it seems that our first reaction is to run from God. This is a battle we have to fight and overcome. We need to learn to run to God rather than from God despite of the pain and shame.

Regardless of whether we have sinned or God’s people have sinned against us, it is only in running to Him that we gain clarity about ourselves and our situation. If we run from Him, we will become confused about the truth, and it will lead us to cover our sin or pain with our own ideas. Running to God is always the best strategy!

Concluding this series

In conclusion , the main lesson of the above scriptures is that sin opened man’s eyes to more than he could handle on his own. He realized how much he lacked and tried to compensate for it by self-improvement.

There have been thousands of self-help books written over the years. Self-improvement can take us so far, but it will not give us the most important things which are eternal life, purpose, peace, and joy.  Self-improvement never satisfies the inner lack until we receive God’s work through Jesus.

How is your internal world? Would you openly and honestly share your needs with the Lord and wait for His answer to your needs?

And Their Eyes Opened…(Part III)

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Please begin with Part I to see the full picture of this series of devotional.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:7-8 (KJV)

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Genesis 3:21 (KJV)

Definitions of words from above scripture according to Strong’s Concordance:

Made themselves: to do, fashion, accomplish, to work, and to produce, to perform

Aprons: girdle, belt

False Identity led to cover up

In order to cover the shame of lack, Adam & Eve made a covering that was like an apron or a belt. The scripture  in Ephesians 6:14 tells us:

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Truth was their guard, and provided true identity until sin entered the world. Now, they didn’t have the protection of truth guarding their intimate parts, so they had to cover up their new-found false identity! 

If we align ourselves with the lies of the enemy, we move away from the protection that truth offers us. Then we are left to fend for ourselves with half-baked ideas, philosophies, and strategies that come short of God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

When the society raises eyebrows against an aberrant behavior, some people choose to call it their identity. They conclude that if they are born with it or their family raised them that way, then they don’t have to take responsibility for their actions. This is just like the apron made by Adam & Eve which was useless to cover their shame and lack.

God, on the other hand, clothe them with skin of an animal signifying of what was to come as a covering for their sin. Sin did a damage that went to the bones and the sinews of man. We are not capable of fixing this terrible condition on our own. That’s why we need Jesus to free us from this terrible and fatal condition and clothe us with His righteousness!

Is there a shame that you have been carrying? Jesus is the one who carried the shame of sin and lack to free us from its bondage. Have you received Jesus’ forgiveness in your life? If you have never made this decision before, today is a good day to do it. At the top of this website, there is an option titled, “Salvation Prayer”. It will give you the prayer and the scriptures you need to make the most important decision of your life!

If you have already received Jesus but are still struggling with shame and lack, sit at His feet today. Let Him show you where you have tried to cover up your shame instead of allowing Him to heal those areas in your life. Sometimes we need a deeper surrender and restoration in our lives.

 

 

And Their Eyes Opened…(Part II)

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Please begin with Part I to see the full picture of this series of devotional.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:7-8 (KJV)

Definitions of words from above scripture according to Strong’s Concordance:

Open: open, fountain, or well.

Knew:  to become acquainted with

Naked: utterly naked and helpless

Made themselves: to do, fashion, accomplish, to work, and to produce, to perform

Aprons: girdle, belt

Their eyes opened to lack

Adam & Eve’s nakedness became apparent to them when sin entered the world, and now they had to find a solution to their shame of inferiority. Their eyes opened to lack which they were not designed to handle on their own. As a result, they went to work to accomplish and produce something that would make them feel better about themselves and silence the voice of shame and inferiority in their minds.

Sin produced performance

God created Adam & Eve to produce and be fruitful. However, making aprons had nothing to do with God’s purpose and design for them, and it had everything to do with their feeling of inadequacy. Isn’t that what we do?

When we feel inferior,  we try to cover it up with doing extra work and performing more, so we can feel good about ourselves.  Some hide behind their degrees, others are hiding behind their wealth, titles, fancy clothing, or unhealthy relationships just so they can quiet the inner voice that screams so loudly on the inside.

Sin marred God’s image

In addition to finding out about their inadequacy, Adam & Eve’s view of God changed. Now they were afraid of Him not out of honor but out of fear of punishment and harm. Sin marred their view of God, and it brought a great level of insecurity in their hearts. As a result they had to hide themselves.

Sin caused distrust and animosity between God and man. Man was so insecure that he didn’t believe that a powerful God could remain loving and good towards him, so it was best to run from God.  Sin marred the image of God before man, so man had to flee for fear of this wrong perspective!

What are the areas that your performance has more to do with feeling less rather than being led by God?

Feelings of inadequacy can mar the image of God and others for us. Would you examine your perspective of God and others according to truth rather how you feel about yourself?

 

And Their Eyes Opened…(Part I)

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Don’t you love it when you get a fresh revelation from a scripture that you have read many times before?  When the Lord reveals truth about a scripture in a fresh new way, it’s awesome and powerful! 

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Genesis 3:7 (KJV)

The above scripture is one that I have read quite a few times, but today God gave me a new revelation of it.

It started out with talking to a friend about her adult daughter . My friend shared that her daughter is struggling with feelings of lack and inadequacy about herself. As I began to pray for her, the Lord dropped the above scripture on my heart for her. I knew there was more to this scripture that I needed to study and meditate on.

Definitions of words from above scripture according to Strong’s Concordance:

Open: open, fountain, or well.

Knew:  to become acquainted with

Naked: utterly naked and helpless

Made themselves: to do, fashion, accomplish, to work, and to produce, to perform

Aprons: girdle, belt

When Adam and Eve fell in sin, their eyes opened to something they had never experienced before. They tapped into a new fountain or well that was poisonous to their soul and spirit! They became knowledgeable about their true state without God. They realized that they are truly helpless, and this brought fear in their hearts.

This scripture reminds me of newborn babies.  When a baby is born, he/she is utterly helpless and cannot exist without the sustaining nurturing of the caregivers. The good news is that the baby has no awareness of this for a long time. All they know is that when they cry, someone is there to help. Can you imagine a baby having the cognitive ability to realize that they are not able to walk, talk, go to the bathroom, or do anything for themselves!? 

The parents are well aware of their baby’s helpless situation, and they are willing to lovingly and joyfully tend to every need. It’s actually a precious time when you can embrace your baby and nurture him/her. However, if the baby knew the reality of his/her situation, they could go into panic mode. Because they are not aware, they can enjoy being a baby and eat and sleep peacefully.

In a similar way, we were designed to not be aware of our helpless and lacking condition. We were designed to rely on our relationship with the Lord and let Him meet all our needs. However, when sin entered the world, we became well acquainted with our lack, which caused great insecurity and inferiority in our hearts.

Adam & Eve became aware that they were naked for the first time. Their lack produced shame and insecurity in their hearts. God had created them naked and had seen them naked all along. He didn’t have a problem with their nakedness. That was not an issue for Him, and it didn’t need to be an issue for them. However, the self-knowledge brought such a shame that caused them to do something about it.

 I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. There is more to the story. Stay tuned!