NewDayvotional

From the pastor for the people

Archives for May 2015

Created to be Like Christ

By

The Bible teaches that you were created to become like Christ. God announced this intention at Creation when in Genesis 1:26 God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” What does the image and likeness of God look like? Jesus! Hebrews 1:3, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…” The more we become like Jesus the more we reflect the image and likeness of God.

The story is told of a child on her way home from church with her mom when she turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the preachers’s sermon this morning confused me.” “Oh? Why is that?” she asked. The little girl responded, “Well, the preacher said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?” “Yes, He is,” her mom replied. “And he also said that God lives in us. Is that also true, Mommy?” Again, her mother answered yes. “Well, said the little girl, “if God is bigger than us and He lives in us, shouldn’t He show through?”

God wants to change our character so that Christ shows through. God wants to work on us the same way a jeweler works on a diamond. A diamond goes through quite the process of change from mine to market. It’s rough and ugly when it first emerges from the mine. But it’s smooth and beautiful when it finally arrives at market. In the same way, when we first get saved we are rough in character, but God goes to work on us and slowly but surely transforms our character to diamond quality. So the saying is true – you really are a diamond in the rough! God wants the beautiful diamond of your character to show through.

Now let me be clear – God wants to change your character and conduct, not your unique personality. He created your uniqueness so the last thing God wants to do is destroy that which he created. So when we talk about God changing us, we’re always referring to God’s desire to make us more like Jesus in our conduct and character.

Becoming Like Jesus is a Process

By

Becoming like Jesus in our character and conduct is not instantaneous, it’s a process. Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The word “transformed” in this verse is the English translation of the Greek word “metamorphosis.”

I don’t know about you but when I hear the work metamorphosis I think of the process by which a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. For this to happen the heart, antennae, reproductive organs, stomach, legs, eyes and brain all have to change. And this doesn’t happen over night! It’s a process. In the same way, as God changes our character and conduct to be more like Christ’s, it doesn’t happen over night. It too is a process.

So don’t throw in the towel if you’re not as much like Jesus as you would like to be. You are a work in progress. Philippians 1:6 says “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” The word “began” speaks of our salvation, while the word “continue”speaks of our sanctification. Salvation is instantaneous, but sanctification is a life-long process. In heaven you’ll be perfect, but this isn’t heaven. Don’t get so discouraged by your shortcomings that you quit trying to live your life for Jesus. Making mistakes is part of the change process.

Reach Out to Help Others

By

The Bible teaches at least five steps in God’s healing process. If you want God to bring healing to hurtful memories, from recollections of the past that cause you pain, step five is this:

Reach out to help others. 

When the healing process comes full circle, God wants you to then use your pain and the healing of your pain to help others. This is the fifth step in God’s healing process – you’ve got to redeem your pain by helping others. In this way God can use your pain for good. 2 Corinthians 1:4 says of God “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” God wants your healing to come full circle in that you start helping others in the same way God has helped you.

Because of what I went through in Maryland I’m in a unique position to help people that have come from a dysfunctional church background. I can listen empathetically and give clear instruction on exactly what to do to find healing. Because I’ve been there and done that. My healing is complete because for years and years now I’ve been using my past hurt to help people in the present. This is what God wants you to do as well, and there are a number of different ways in which you can help others with hidden wounds of their own:

  • Has God brought you healing from the pain of a divorce? Start a growth group and help others.
  • Has God brought you healing from the pain of abuse? Start a group and helps others.
  • You could help by lending a listening ear
  • You could help by sharing your story of healing as God provides you with the opportunity
  • You could help by speaking an encouraging word to someone who’s been hurt. I know a number of people who have been torn down by a parent (you’re no good, you’ll never amount to anything, you can’t do anything right). I love sharing the truth with them (you’re talented, you’re so gifted, God’s going to use you in great ways, you’re important to the work of the Lord, etc). They just light up when they hear these things they never heard from their parents.
  • You could help by assuring someone of your prayers

However you do it, just make sure you redeem that pain and use it for God. Don’t waste that pain. Use it for God!

Refocus on the Future

By

The Bible teaches at least five steps in God’s healing process. If you want God to bring healing to hurtful memories, from recollections of the past that cause you pain, step four is this:

Refocus on the future. 

 

If you want to find healing you have to get your attention off your past and onto God’s plan for your future. A lot of non-Christian therapy and counseling today leads you back into your past, but God wants you to focus on the future. Friends – it’s possible to get so focused on the past and so caught up in the past that you get stuck in the past. But God wants to get your mind fixed on your future. The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13, “…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” That’s what you need to do with your hurt – leave it in the past and start refocusing on your future.

When I went through a very difficult season of life and ministry in Maryland, I didn’t handle everything perfectly. If I could go back I would change the way I handled certain things. I would say some things that I stuffed down inside and kept quiet about out of fear. But here’s what I’ve learned: You can’t go back and change the past. You can only learn from your mistakes and apply what you’ve learned to future situations. I’ve learned to leave the past in the past and refocus on the future – on handling things right the next time I’m in a similar situation – and friends, God as my witness, I’ve been doing this the last eight years.

If we’re going to find healing from our hidden wounds we have to get out of the past and move into the future. And there’s a verse in the book of Job that tells us how to refocus on the future. Let me read it to you. Job 11:13-16 says, “Put your heart right…Reach out to God…Then face the world again, firm and courageous. Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods that are past and remembered no more.” (GNT)

  • First it says “Put your heart right.” Stop dwelling in your heart on the past. Start dwelling in your heart on the future.
  • Second it says “Reach out to God.” Ask God for help to let go of your past and to give you a fresh vision for the future. Ask God to help you stop focusing on your hurts and to start focusing on your Healer – on Jehovah Rapha – the Lord who heals you. After all, that’s the name of God we’re studying today!
  • Third it says “Face the world again.” Don’t pull yourself back into a shell. Resume living! Stop saying “I’m a victim!” Start saying “I’m not a victim anymore!” Start looking to the future God has for you!

If you’ll do these things, notice what the verse says: “Then all your troubles will fade from your memory. Like floods that are past and remembered no more.” Wouldn’t you like that? Wouldn’t you like your hurts to fade from your memory? Then take these steps. Here’s a principle for you: Forgetting is caused by refocusing. When you refocus on the future God has for you and his plan and purpose for you life, you become so consumed with that you don’t have time to think about the past. Friend – your past doesn’t have to be your future! You don’t have to live stuck in the past. Reach out to Jehovah Rapha and he will bring healing. Dwelling on the past will only prolong your pain, so God says to refocus on the future. This is step four in God’s healing process.

Replace People’s Lies With God’s Truths

By

The Bible teaches at least five steps in God’s healing process. If you want God to bring healing to hurtful memories, from recollections of the past that cause you pain, step three is this:

Replace people’s lies with God’s truths. 

Your brain records everything you experience – things you’ve smelled, things you’ve seen, heard, touched, tasted – it’s all there recorded in your brain. In regards to the things people have said to you, your brain doesn’t distinguish between what’s true and false, good and bad, right and wrong. It just records whatever it hears. This is a problem because sometimes people say mean and hurtful things that are totally untrue – and all too often we believe peoples lies and act accordingly. Maybe someone told you:

  • You’re stupid
  • You’re ugly
  • You’re never going to amount to anything
  • I’m embarrassed to call you my child
  • You’re uncoordinated
  • You’re dumb
  • Why can’t you be smart like your sister/brother?
  • You’re worthless!

All these things are recorded in our brains and we often make the mistake of believing the lie and acting accordingly.

I drink deeply of peoples words. I can be lifted to the highest heights by a compliment or plunged to the deepest depths by peoples words. That’s just the way I’m wired. Words deeply affect me. So it was very difficult in elementary school when I was severely made fun of for having really big ears. I’ve grown into them now but they were this size even when I was little, and as a result I was made fun of a lot. But fortunately for me, I was raised in a Christian home and even at a young age knew that even if certain classmates didn’t think highly of me, my parents sure did and so did God. I’m an emotionally healthy person today because I chose to believe the truth of God instead of the lies of other people.

Friend – you’ve got to replace peoples lies with God’s truths if you want to find healing from past hurts. Romans 12:2 says “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” The Bible is clear: God transforms us by teaching us to think differently. You need to fill your mind with God’s Word – the Bible. The more you fill your mind with the Bible, the more it will start erasing the old lies, which will be replaced with God’s truth. You’ve got to replace the lies with the truth. This happens as you read, study and memorize God’s Word. As you read the truth of God’s Word, you have to choose to believe what God says about you.

  • God says you are his “masterpiece.”
  • God says you are the pinnacle of his creation. When he created everything else God only said “and it was good.” But when He created mankind he said “and it was very good.”
  • God says you are valuable. God paid a super high price for your redemption – the price of the blood and life of his one and only Son Jesus. But it was worth it to God. So God not only says that you’re the pinnacle of his creation, his masterpiece, but God also says you are of great worth and value to him!

Friends – these are the things you need to fill your mind with! This is the truth and this truth needs to replace the lies you’ve been told. If you’ll do this, God will bring healing to the hurts that have come from what people have said to you.

Psychologists have proven over and over again that the way you see yourself – your self-esteem, your self worth, your self-concept – is largely determined by what you think the most important person in your life thinks about you. The way you see yourself tends to be based on what you think the most important person in your life thinks about you. So I want to suggest to you that you make God the most important person in your life. Because He’s going to tell you the truth even when others might lie to you. So you have to decide. Are you going to listen to liars (You’re worthless! You’re nothing!) Or are you going to listen to what God has said about you in the Bible (that you are valuable, acceptable, loveable, forgiveable, capable, useable, etc)? Who are you going to believe? When you believe lies it only prolongs your pain, so God’s says to replace people’s lies with His truth. This is step three in God’s healing process.