"I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and m known by My own. As the father knows Me, even so I know the father; and I lay down My life for the sheep."
John 10: 14-15 NKJV
I began a journey some time ago, a quest to find Jesus. Oh, I knew who Jesus was and what he did for me, but I never really knew Him personally until recently. Some call it a "personal relationship" with Him, to me it was came down to realizing just how close I am to Him who saved me.
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galations 2:20 NKJV
Indeed, this same Jesus who gave His very life for me is now a huge part of my life! Instead of turning his back on me when I faltered, he held me up. Instead of condeming me when I failed, His forgiveness and grace washed over me. He wasn't there waiting in the wings for me to mess up. See, I think that's where we get sidetracked at times when we eventually fall into wrong behaviors. We may feel that our loving God is just sitting back waiting to punish us for the wrong that we do. The wonderful truth I've come to realize is that God doesn't need to wait for us to fail, because he's already accounted for this with Jesus' shed blood on that cross so long ago. So, believing this to be true, I no longer need to ask Gods forgiveness for my iniquities.
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets. has in these last days spoken to us through His Son, who He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Hebrews 1: 1-3 NKJV
Again, in Hebrews 1, we are reminded of the saving work of Jesus on the cross. Yet, many of us continue to continually ask for forgiveness when we fail. Listen to the scriptures, that's no longer needed! Just thank God for his loving grace and forgiveness. Jesus handled the hard part a long time ago.
My journey to see Jesus in me has also opened my eyes to the person who God has created, not the person the world sees. Where the world sees the physical, our Lord sees the heart. In fact, didn't he create all things? Even these earthly vessels of ours for his son to inhabit? Indeed, if Christ is in me, he needs a dwellling place. This vessel of mine has been returned to the original owner!
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 NKJV
Believe me, if anyone has had self confidence issues it's me! I've had weight issues, various addictions and other various hangups. Before my journey to seek Jesus, THIS was the person who defined me in my eyes! Talk about having a bad self image! I'm sure I'm not alone, there are others out there with the very same issues. Believe me, when God created us in his own image, he didn't create us the way the world sees us. When you began your own journey of finding Jesus, you'll find out that God doesn't look at you the way you've long thought he did.
~Scott~
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