Marked by God...

Dear Friend,

I remember when I was in high school, we had the responsibility to read the scarlet letter for English class. It is written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and it tells the story of Hester Prynne who has conceived a baby as the result of an affair. She refuses to name the father and is marked with a scarlet letter of A for adultery. This story demonstrates how guilt can overwhelm our future. The mark of the scarlet "A" makes it almost impossible for her to be redeemed and set free. It stripped her of her dignity, it stripped of her restoration and it tried to strip her of her future. But in the end, she still overcomes.

That is how many of us have felt over the years. We have been tainted by our past mistakes and failures. The funny thing about this, is that the burden and condemnation that we feel, doesn't come from God it comes from living in a worldly standard for success and failure. Your identity is in Christ, let me say it again, "Your identity should be in CHRIST." God already placed a vision for you for this world (see Jeremiah 1:5). You were created for God, by God for the Glory of God. But if you don't understand who you are, and who's you are it is easy for you to be "tricked", believing that your measure of success and failure is limited to what this world says that it is, condemnation and not Christ.

Colossian's 3:2-3 (the message bible) So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.3-4 Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you."

Your true identity must be found in Christ Jesus, so even when you make a mistake you understand that, you have been purchased, redeemed and are under no condemnation. The only way to do this, is to understand what God says about you. Any time you are feeling less than, or overwhelmed by failure ask yourself, "Who does God say I am?" Then go find your truth in His word, in His light. Remember that His way is easy, His way is light (see Matthew 11:30)

Redeemed,

LMJ

Check out today's Coffee and Conversation: Your Identity in Christ https://youtu.be/xmTyxcISy90