The Care and Feeding of the Heart: In Christ, The Great “I AM” is Our “I am!”
In Christ, by the person and power of the Holy Spirit, God The Great “I AM” is Our “I am!”.
But am I living out my great “I am!”? Are you living in, through, by… your great “I am!”? Or are we living by the power of the person… “I was”?
Or… even in Christ, is your life in the present so controlled by the past that your today is embittered and the future much more gloomy than you would like to admit? If so, please be encouraged, you’re far from alone.
We Can Be a Forgetful Lot
Did you know that in many respects a gist—one of the BIG themes, a drift, a force, a thrust—of the Bible might be summed in the word, “remember”? Ever since around Genesis 3 or so (The Fall) God is well aware of the fact that, among other things, sin promotes spiritual amnesia. And guess what the worst, most catastrophic form of “spiritual amnesia” is?
It’s about forgetting who we are. Forgetting our identity. Forgetting the essence of our being… our lineage. Thereby, forgetting the basis of our origins, present-day existence, and our eschatology—our last or final matters such as death, judgment, or our future, eternal state.
But God is so merciful that He’s lovingly, constantly saying, “Remember, Oh Israel…” (Isaiah 44:21); “Remember your creator…” (Ecclesiastes 12:1-2); “Forget not the Lord…” (Psalm 103:2); “Do you not know…?” (1 Corinthians 3:16); “Remember the poor…” (Galatians 2:10); “Now let me remind you…” (1 Corinthians 15:1); “Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world…” (Romans 12:2).
Conversely, please consider but one reminder of our state if we are NOT in Christ by having understood our sin, the need for a Savior and Lord to follow, and haven’t been saved to serve… The Great “I AM” as our own “I am!”:
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 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.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:5-10).
The Great “I AM” (Exodus 3:14) has made a way (1 John 1:9) for all humanity (John 3:16) to be transformed (John 3:1-21) into “I am!” (Ephesians 1) Choose to walk in The Way, The Truth, The Life (John 14:6) today (Psalm 95:7-8).
Beloved Son or Daughter of God in Christ, please take some down-time each morning to remember your state of being “I AM!”. The Bible passages below are not Hallmark card platitudes: They are promises direct from the Triune God of the known and unknown universe… IN YOU (John 17)!
Please closely consider who you can be a blessing to by reminding them of their “I AM!” in Christ as well.
I AM COMPLETELY ACCEPTED…
John 1:12 - I am God’s child.
John 15:15 - As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 - I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 - I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 - I am a member of Christ’s body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 - I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Colossians 1:13-14 - I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 - I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16 - I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
I AM TOTALLY SECURE…
Romans 8:1-2 - I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 - I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 - I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 - I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 - I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20 - I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 - I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 - I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.
I AM ASTOUNDINGLY SIGNIFICANT…
John 15:5 - I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 - I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 - I am God’s temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 - I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 - I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 - I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Now that’s a Feast of the Heart! Chew your food well. Digest slowly. Take it all in!
Until we sup’ again soon,
JohnDoz
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