As each New Year comes, many of us look back to where we came from. We look to things that we need to accomplish, like repairs to things we own such as a home or car, or repairs we need to accomplish in our relationships. I want to share about the repair to the relationship you have with yourself. The relationship you have with yourself is deeply intertwined with your thoughts, emotions, words, and your actions of each moment of each day. Your relationship with others, including God, is a reflection of where you are in your relationship with yourself.
As we look back to 2009, we may ask ourselves if we grew and matured in spiritual ways that God so desires? Did we decrease the operation of the ego (we all have ego) in our lives? Did joy, peace, and love saturate our being? Were we honest enough with ourselves to allow God to heal us from past hurts that carry pain and resentment and un-forgiveness?
Were we honest enough with ourselves to be restored, renewed, and refreshed by the living waters that flow from the throne room of the living God? God loves you so much and is constantly going to bat for you because you are so precious to Him. Most people limit their selves to who they can become as a result of hundreds of negative thoughts generated by themselves, culture, and society.
Jesus instructed us to deny ourselves, pick up the cross and follow Him. Millions of people have beaten their selves up physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually because of how they interpret this verse. What about denying the self that really is not you so the real you can emerge and blossom and impact the world. Almost all of us are formed to what society commands us to be and not what Daddy God desires us to be. In John 11:25, Jesus says he who believes in Me shall live, even if he dies. The Greek word for death can mean death literally or figuratively. It comes from a root word that means departure, cessation, and reversal. His first words instructed us to repent, which comes from another Greek word, metanoia. Metanoia means to turn around and go another direction. What direction we ask? Towards Him, so you can become all that He created you to become. Please remember Jesus was sharing this with folks who already had faith in God. He was trying to get to them to go spiritually where they had never been before.
Let us look at some verses that confirm how precious you are to God. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), Jesus tells those listening that they are the light of the world! Powerful words to hear for people who have been conquered by the Romans. Yes, you too are the light of the world! Having the opportunity to be with folks from all over the world each workday, I have met many who come from third world countries and live under an evil regime. Yet, they see themselves as light to the world; very profound! Jesus says that we have peace because He gives us peace. He says our joy is complete and full. Jesus shares that we are free because we know the truth. He instructs us that God’s love is inside of us.
Jesus taught us, if we believe Him, we would see the glory of God! All of these incredible gifts from God can be found in the Gospel of John. He also informed us that if we believe Him, we would do greater things than He did (Jn.14:12). All of this is ours because of His great love for each of us. If we are not living in these gifts from God and we are not un-wrapping them each day, it is the year to break through and live, as God so desires us to live.
Here is another incredible truth that is found in the New Testament. Jesus teaches in John 14:20; “that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you”. The Epistles of Peter and John refer to God dwelling within us. Paul writes of it on numerous occasions; Romans 8:11 the Spirit of God wells inside of you. In 1st Corinthians 3:16 he writes the Spirit of God dwells in you. In Galatians 2:20, Paul writes, “Christ lives in me” and in Galatians 4:6 “God has sent His Spirit into our hearts.” Just that thought, that truth alone, can transform one’s life that God dwells within us. Being aware of this truth and activating that truth can take us where Jesus wanted us to go. We can become the beautiful creation He designed us to be, so peace can be at our inner core and our joy can be full and complete. Operating in this truth can make us free and we will become the light of the world Jesus tells us we are. Living daily with the knowledge that God dwells within will bring change to our attitudes and thoughts and rearrange our paradigms we base life on. We will see the glory of God manifested in so many different ways in our journeys through life. Living this truth will enable us to fulfill Jesus’ words that we could do greater things than Him.
Our relationship with ourselves is critical, and Jesus knew that. He came to show us the inner spiritual core we need to base our lives from each day. When we learn to be aware of that truth and activate that truth in our lives, we will be light to the world. When we gradually learn to live with the awareness of God dwelling within us, we start to understand at deeper levels our purposes in life. We are enabled to reach our potential and we can unwrap the incredible talents, abilities, and gifts He placed inside of us so we can be light to the world.
We can be so settled in to “our ways” instead of His ways. Many folks today in the church are just like the Jewish folks in the time He walked in Israel. They had their faith in God, they had their religious beliefs and rules and regulations and their feast days, but Jesus came to take us somewhere incredible even in this life. Some accepted His teachings and many rejected them because those teachings would mean they would have to get out of their comfort zone of religion and culture so they could see the truth and live the truth. All these wonderful things are not just for us when we check out of here. They are for now so we can be light to others and light to the world so that we may give God glory and honor. Beautiful people, we are to live abundant lives from our inner connection that God has given us.
Make this year, 2010, the year for breakthroughs in your relationship with yourself by recognizing just who you are in His eyes. Be aware of Who is within you and then activate this incredible life He so desires you to live each day!!!
You can change the world by removing the restrictions and constrictions within you as well as those coming from all directions from our culture. You are a precious gift that needs to be unwrapped. This is why He sent His Son to give you new life and a new way with powerful truths that can rock a world! The year 2010 is the year for your light to burn brighter!!!
Each one of us is called to ride the trail of being a light to the world. Get on down the trail !
Happy Trails to you and thank you for reading this teaching. May blessings from on High be with you!
Rev. Doug
