“Who Am I, Lord?” – Our Struggle with Identity

Have you ever asked yourself the question: “Who Am I? How can God see His child when all I see is a flawed, damaged self?”

Well, I think the real, personal questions you should be asking yourself are: “Whose, am I? Who do I look like? If you answered these questions and you still feel unsure of who you are in Christ; then let me tell you. Throughout the Bible, God has referred to us, His people as Conquerors, Adopted, Children of God, Sons & Daughters, and much more. But, God tells us that we are new creations if anyone is in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 gives us the verse and shows us how we aren’t damaged and broken.

2 Corinthians 5:17

“17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

The Parable Series – The Parable of the Two Builders (Part 1)

 

Today, I will be starting a series that will focus on Jesus’s parables throughout the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In each of the parables, I will be examining the context of each parable and giving a biblical perspective too often times various issues in our lives. Throughout this series, I pray that you gain a better understanding of who Jesus is and His immense love for us and how God wants us to live our lives.  Each parable blog post will be featured on Tuesdays. 

At the end of each parable’s blog post, there will be a PDF file linking to the Bible Study Notes for that parable.

What is a parable?

A parable is a story told by Jesus that has a metaphorical meaning which can be applied to our lives. One such parable is the Parable of the Two Builders; a well-known bible narrative told to young children but has a much deeper meaning. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus tells the story of two builders; one who is called “WISE” and the other who is called “FOOLISH”, but the teaching is in the parable.

Will You Trust God?

What does it mean to trust God?

Well, in Proverbs 3:5, in talks about how we are to trust God with our whole hearts and not try and understand His plan with our own understanding and God will direct our paths. Today, we will be asking the question, “Will You Trust God?” and God’s Word reveals the answer. Trusting God is an essential part of not just a Christian’s walk with God but is someone’s chance to change their life for the better. In the New Living Translation, Jeremiah 17:7-8 says that we are to trust God and that we are like trees planted by the river who suffer through the heat and come out better than we were before.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

“7. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord, and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. 8. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep in the river. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”

Trust in God’s Plan

What did Jesus mean when He said, “… Not as I will, but as You will”?

Well, in Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:35-36, and Luke 22:42, they all center on Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane asking God the Father to take the “cup” (the approaching separation from God) from Him, but acknowledged that it wasn’t by His will, but by God’s Will that the approaching separation and taking on the sin of the world be done. But, what does Jesus’s declaration of trust in God say about our own? In the Message Bible, Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and acknowledge God because He will direct our path.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (Message Bible)

“5. Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 6. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.”

Glorifying God in Body & Spirit – The Spirit (Part 2)

In Part 1, I talked about how we as people and Christians should glorify God with our bodies and not allow the world/society to dictate how we are supposed to dress or let the world/society diminish your value. Today though, we will be talking about the 2nd aspect of giving glorifying God; glorifying God in the Spirit.

Now, what does it mean to glorify God in the spirit? Well, the word Spirit comes from the Greek word “pneuma” meaning “to breathe” or “to blow.” So, here is the question: How do we give glorify God with in spirit? In the Bible, there are several key references that I feel give us an understanding of how we are supposed to glorify God in the spirit. In Galatians 5:16-18, Paul, is telling the people of Galatia that they are to walk in the Spirit and not succumb to the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-18

“16. I say then: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Glorifying God in Body & Spirit – The Body (Part 1)

Today, I will be talking about glorifying God with our bodies and how we shouldn’t allow the world’s view of glorification undermine and twist how we should honor God with our bodies.

So, what does it mean to glorify God in body and spirit? Well, glorify comes from the Hebrew word “kabod” meaning “weight or worthiness of something”, but it also translates to Honor. Okay; so, if glorify means to honor God then why don’t we honor God with our bodies? Why do we continue to allow our flesh control over our bodies? Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 6:13, where it talks about how our bodies are not meant for personal sexual pleasure but for God.

1 Corinthians 6:13
“…. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

“Abstain from Sexual Immorality”

What does it mean to Abstain from Sexual Immorality?

Well, to abstain from something means to refrain from something voluntarily. So, when God wants us to abstain from engaging in sexual acts outside of marriage; why do we; as people and Christians still lust after something or someone we can’t have. Today, we have become so accustomed to the desires of our flesh that we have completely forgotten what God’s Word has said about abstaining from sexual immorality. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, it talks about how we should abstain from sexual immorality and that our bodies are meant to be sanctified through God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
“3. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4. that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5. not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God….”

Adultery – The Sin of the Eyes and the Flesh

What is Adultery?

Well, in today’s society; people don’t use the word “adultery”, but use “cheating”. But God doesn’t see it that way, He sees “cheating” on your husband/wife as a violation of His covenant with humanity and a violation of the purpose of marriage. So, how does God describe adultery and how is it a sin against our bodies and God? In Matthew 5:28, Jesus describes what adultery is.

Matthew 5:28
“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”