What Are You Telling Yourself?
Who You Are | Whose You Are | Your Identify in Jesus Christ | Christianity
New Thoughts for the New Year
How have you been talking to yourself?
What thoughts have been in your mind on a daily basis?
What do you say to yourself about being God’s child, a Christ follower? What do you say to yourself about Jesus?
These are questions I often ask myself, and I want to take advantage of this month to gather my thoughts.
January tends to be a slow month for us. The November-to-December holidays are over, and winter’s chill transforms us into hibernating bears. We slow down, so January is a good time to reflect on our spiritual lives: How we walked in the Lord in 2023 (imperfectly), and how we can grow in the new year.
As I reflect, two questions keep popping up in my thoughts:
Who are you?
Whose are you?
Through my prayer time, I feel it’s important for me to grow more deeply in God’s understanding of me, how He sees me. And, to grow more deeply in my understanding of how great God is as Yahweh, the LORD of heaven’s armies, the Adonai of Israel, the ruler of the universe.
Our spiritual enemies’ evil deeds of darkness are increasing and are shaking humanity to its core. God’s not surprised by any of this and Jesus has provided Himself as our sure foundation. Am I walking solidly in this truth?
Are you?
We can.
Jesus provides the way in His word and through His Holy Spirit in us. [ See my series on the Holy Spirit ].
Who You Are
Who are you, in Christ? What do you tell yourself about your identity as God’s beloved daughter or son? January 15, 2023, I explored this in a brief series. Take a look:
Affirmations 2023: A New Series
That introductory article lists these 10 topics, which I include here so you can select the links:
We can fight back against our enemies’ evil darkness by living in the light of God’s truth about us.
I plan to explore the “Who You Are” topic more in 2024, and I look forward to sharing what I learn with you.
Whose You Are
Who is Jesus, in all His fulness, in His resurrection victory? What do you tell yourself about He who calls You His own?
January 2023, one of my former pastors passed into God’s glory in his late 80s, after serving his King faithfully for decades. Pastor Jack Hayford was my pastor for only two years in my younger days, but he made a huge impression on me. He dedicated himself and his teaching to ensuring we Christ followers lived as post-resurrection Christians in Christ’s victory. He constantly reminded us, through God’s word, of “whose” we are; who we belong to as cherished children.
It’s easy after the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season to think of “Jesus, Jesus, meek and mild”, the tiny infant napping in the manger. Or, as the loving and kind rabbi who healed the sick and raised the dead.
Let’s also remember this description of Jesus:
Revelation 1:12-18 (BSB)
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest. 14 The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
“Don’t be afraid!”, says the mighty and victorious King of kings and Lord of lords.
I’m looking forward to focusing more often this year on who I am and on Whose I am. I hope to deepen my understanding of the One who loves me, died for me, and Who now holds me in the palm of His hand.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey.
Soli Deo Gloria!
And, if you’re a not-yet follower of Jesus Christ, please come along on this journey with us. You are welcome here.
Conversation & Community
I hope you’ll participate in this conversation. What are your thoughts about “Who you are” and “Whose you are”?
Or, send me an email:
❤️ To bless the “Algorithm Angels”, please select the “heart” icon to like this post (if you do), even if you’re not a subscriber. That will help NOC, so thank you in advance.
Support My Publication
It’s easy and free! Subscribe to receive my posts in your email Inbox. And, feel free to share this post with others. Thank you!
Follow me on Twitter
https://twitter.com/NightOwlXian
Pin me on Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/nightowlchristian/night-owl-christian-blog-posts/
© Copyright 2024—Present, Jenise Cook. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Linking and Sharing Brief Excerpts: We encourage you to quote briefly from our articles within reason, and to link to our content, with proper credit given to Night Owl Christian and contributors. Please provide a complete link to nightowlchristian.substack.com or directly to the article’s URL.
Reprint Permission: Please contact nightowlchristian@proton.me to request reprint permission. All reprints must include the language “Previously published in Night Owl Christian reprinted with permission” or “Reprinted with permission from Night Owl Christian along with a live link to nightowlchristian.substack.com. Content may not be reproduced, in any form, without permission from Night Owl Christian (Jenise Cook).
"Through my prayer time, I feel it's important for me to grow more deeply in God's understanding of me, how He sees me. And, to grow more deeply in my understanding of how great God is as Yahweh, the LORD of Heaven's armies, the Adonai of Israel, the ruler of the universe." Jenise
"When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last." Revelation 1:17 (Holman Christian Standard Bible, HCSB)
"Don't be afraid!"
"For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment." 2 Timothy 1:7 HCSB.
"Don't be afraid!"
"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father!" Romans 8:15 HCSB.
"Don't be afraid!"
"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 HCSB.
"Don't be afraid!"
"For I, Yahweh your God, hold your right hand and say to you: Do not fear, I will help you." Isaiah 41:13 HCSB.
"Reflection:" serious thought or consideration, observation, attention, watching, perception, attentiveness.
Reflecting on this letter today, the one thing that stood out and caught my attention more than anything was these words: "Don't be afraid." As the storms of future turmoil come upon us, and the awareness of danger threatens our emotional stability, we are reminded not to fear and remember "who our GOD is." and "who we are."
"Our GOD made all things."
"You alone are Yahweh. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the Earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the heavenly host worships You." Nehemiah 9:6 HCSB.
"Our GOD, the one who calms the storm."
"He stilled the storm to a murmur, and the waves of the sea were hushed." Psalm 107:29 HCSB.
"Our GOD, the one who divided a sea, turning it into dry land."
"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided." Exodus 14:21 HCSB.
We are His people.
"Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His — His people, the sheep of His pasture." Psalm 100:3 HCSB.
We are His forever.
"For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation." 149:4 HCSB.
The Storms
The storms are raging worldwide, and the forces of evil are actively at work, plotting to harm.
As the Family of "the LORD of heaven's armies, the Adonai of Israel, the ruler of the universe," we, as His people, must keep our eyes and attention focused on Him to lead us through these perilous times.
"Immediately, Jesus spoke to them. "Have courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Matthew 14:27 HCSB.
GRATITUDE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtMqYAgr6Og
"Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us." 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 HCSB.
What is the ministry of reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5:18? Got Questions. https://www.gotquestions.org/ministry-of-reconciliation.html
GOD bless you all!