things He has shown me...

God has been revealing some things to me lately. Most of them are things that I already knew, but perhaps wasn't living like I knew them. I pray that maybe one of them ministers to your hearts today in some way. If we learn something from our Lord, I feel like we should share it with others as a testimony to what He is doing in our lives.

Things God has shown me recently:

1. That who I am in Him is far more important than 'who I am'.

If I am not living a life that glorifies Christ, than my life is for naught. I was created for His glory. I don't need to be concerned about 'making a name for myself', but for making a name for Him and His glory.

2. That fear is a powerful stronghold that the enemy uses to hold me captive. I need to face those fears and let Him loose the chains that bind.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power

and of love and of a sound mind"

2 Timothy 1:7

3. That I can easily let material things become an obsession. God isn't concerned about outward appearances, like a picture perfect house or expensive wardrobe. He is concerned about the state of our hearts.  My desire is to be transformed and conformed to the image of Christ.

"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined

to be conformed to the image of God"

Romans 8:9

4. There is no such things as secondhand faith. We have to discover the truth of God's Word for ourselves and not be dependent upon what other people have gleaned through His Word. Although it is important to broaden our knowledge with books and study helps, we need to make sure that we listen for God's voice to speak to us and to search His Word for our own, personal, firsthand encounter with Him.

5. Prayer is vital to our relationship with our Lord. If we skimp on our prayer lives, the neglect will clearly show in our daily walk. Prayer is the foundation for communing and growing in Him. It is the way that we enter into His presence and hear His voice. Failure to communicate with Him makes us weak and ineffective. If satan can interrupt our prayer lives, we play right into his hand and leave ourselves vulnerable to attack.

"Pray without ceasing"

1 Thessalonians 5:17

6. In order to heal, we need to forgive. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is forgive someone when we have been wronged. We want vindication and we want the other person to KNOW they were wrong. We want them to know that it wasn't all right that they hurt us.

But God whispers to our hearts, "Forgiving doesn't make IT all right, but forgiving makes YOU all right."

Thank you, Lord, that you continue to reveal new things to me daily. Thank you for being patient with me when you have to show me things again and again. I am so grateful for your loving mercy and grace in my life. Help me to take the things I am learning and use them to strengthen my walk and strive to go deeper still with you.

Ever Captivated by Him,

Beth