by Kelli Sanders | Apr 16, 2014 | Bible Studies, Faith and Family, Help for Moms, Spiritual Growth
Shame and condemnation are confidence killers, yet we allow them to rob us of the joy and peace that belong to us in Christ.
Like a thief in the night, this tag team steals away our confidence on a daily basis with insidious little seeds of wrong thinking that, if nurtured, can produce the fruits of weakened faith, half-hearted joy, and fleeting moments of peace rather than the FULL MEASURE of what Christ died for us to have.
As believers, it is very important – I might even say critical – that we learn the difference between the voice of conviction and the voice of condemnation. When the Holy Spirit convicts a born again child of God of sin, it is from a position of love, and it leads to a place of repentance and restoration. When the devil (called the accuser of the brethren) attempts to condemn a born again child of God on the basis of sin, it is from a position of hate, and it leads to a place of hiding that is covered with shame.
When a believer listens to the voice of the Holy Spirit, the door to his or her heart is wide open, and God can lovingly come in to wash that heart and conscience clean, but when the accuser is given place to speak, the heart is closed, and the door shut tight with a sign hanging outside that says, “Do Not Enter – Unworthy.”
YOUR VALUE
Confidence is very much connected to value, and when you allow yourself to think thoughts about being unworthy, unimportant, and insignificant, your confidence will begin to deflate like a balloon losing air. Has that ever happened to you? It happens to me quite often. That inner critic begins to speak to me about how what I’m doing doesn’t really matter, how I’m not measuring up to some self-imposed standard, how I’m not enough in some area or another (not enough faith, not enough smarts, not enough compassion, not enough of a woman, not enough of a mother, not enough _____ just fill in the blank).
So how do you combat those thoughts? What determines value? Value is determined by the price that someone is willing to pay for something…or someone. Jesus paid the highest price imaginable FOR YOU! He doesn’t just believe you are worth it, but His actions demonstrated that belief! You are worthy. You are significant. You are important. You are very, very valuable to God.
YOUR IDENTITY
Confidence is very much connected to identity. Knowing who you are is as vital to the human spirit as air is to the lungs. Without a firm grip on your identity, you suffocate in a sea of question marks, an exposed stump occupying the space where your confidence was supposed to be flourishing. So how do you discover who you are?
If you have placed your faith in Christ, and are born of His spirit, the word of God can help you answer that question. According to Romans 5, our identity has everything to do with our location. We are IN CHRIST. According to 1 John 4:17, all that HE is I AM. In other words, I am not righteous, or holy, or accepted, or loved, on the basis of my behavior. I am righteous, holy, accepted, loved, strong, blessed, wise, an heir to God’s riches, and the very son or daughter of GOD – because I am IN CHRIST.
Doesn’t hearing that just begin to minister life to you already!? Isn’t your confidence growing with every affirmation of who you are in Christ? The best part is, even when you make mistakes, it does not affect who you are!!!! Your identity is not found in your behavior, or in some label that was placed on you, or in your perfect performance. Who you are is defined not by what you do or don’t do, but by what Christ has already done!
YOUR PURPOSE
Confidence is very much connected to a sense of purpose. Where you find a person who doesn’t have any sense of purpose for living their life, you will also find a person with very little confidence. The good news for every person is that God creates with purpose in mind:
“For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].”
~Ephesians 2:10~
God created you. You are His masterpiece, His work of art. He planned you. He prepared your path ahead of time. He prearranged and made ready a good life full of good works – just for you! You are no mistake. You are not a result of chance. You were not created without purpose! The next time that voice in your head says that you don’t matter, that you are not important, that nobody would notice whether you live or die, GO TO THE WORD! Begin to say what God says – there is a plan for you, honey! The more you look into Who Jesus is, the more you will begin to see who you are, and why you are here.
You Were not Made for Shame and Condemnation
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” ~ Romans 8:1a
Learn to listen to the right voice, and to respond the right way. Repent when the Holy Spirit convicts you, and let the love of God lift you up, dust you off, and cheer you on. Resist when the accuser condemns you, and remain confident in who you are, what you’re worth, and why you are here. I can feel your faith, your joy and your peace rising already!
If this blessed you, pass on the love and share it with a friend!
by Kelli Sanders | Jan 10, 2014 | Bible Studies, Faith and Family, Help for Moms, Spirit Food, Spiritual Growth
Have you ever prayed for wisdom? There are many areas of life that require wisdom. You need wisdom in raising your children, making business decisions, knowing what direction to take in life, or who to marry. You need wisdom for many every day decisions, as well as life’s major, destiny altering decisions. The Book of Proverbs is full of wisdom, and one of it’s major pieces of advice is GET WISDOM! Obviously God thinks it is important for us to have the kind of wisdom that He desires to give us.
There are two different kinds of wisdom that the Bible talks ab0ut in James 3:13-18. There is earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. This passage is a great litmus test to see what type of wisdom you are operating in with some of the choices you are making or have yet to make. You can ask yourself a few questions from this passage. Let’s look at how The Message Bible renders it here:
13-16 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.
17-18 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
The word of God is so simple and clear cut isn’t it? We usually only find ourselves confused when we are trying to twist God’s word to justify self-serving or self-preserving choices, but if you read this passage at face value, it will shed light on your situation.
MOTIVES
The longer you walk with God and learn His character, you will find that His kingdom is all about the heart. It’s not about pretense. It’s not about looks. It’s not about appearing spiritual or checking a box when you do the right thing. Having the right heart in your decision making is of the utmost importance. So let’s say you need wisdom in making a decision. Maybe you are facing a decision right now and you don’t know what to do. Put your heart to the test. If you look inside, one choice may be the fruit of a self-serving or self-preserving motive, while the other is the fruit of a selfless, merciful and loving motive that desires to bless and honor.
I know. It’s difficult to be honest with yourself sometimes. It’s difficult to do and say the right thing sometimes. It’s much easier to twist the truth a bit to make yourself appear wise than it is to actually just BE wise, but remember what Solomon advises in Proverbs: GET WISDOM. Don’t get earthly wisdom, get godly wisdom, real wisdom, the kind that is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings.
God knows where you are at. He knows what you are facing. He knows walking in His wisdom doesn’t always make sense, and it may require faith and trust. He’s also pretty smart. Smarter than we are! He is giving you wisdom through His people and through His word. When you look in your heart you’ll know the right thing to do. The only thing left after that is to act on that wisdom and leave the rest to God.
For more faith in having wisdom and understanding of God’s word check out our Confessions of Faith Series: Wisdom & Revelation
by Kelli Sanders | Jan 2, 2014 | Bible Studies, Faith and Family, Spirit Food, Spiritual Growth
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” ~ Romans 10:17
How do we know the will of God? We know the will of God by hearing the word of God. We cannot have faith for something without first hearing what God has to say on the matter. So what does God have to say about His people prospering? Let me tell you, He has so much to say about it that to attempt to write it all in a short blog would be like trying to fit the ocean in a teacup! That being said, let’s put up a few disclaimers as we move forward…
1. CAUTION: Traditions of men make the word of God of none effect. (Mt15:6) So let’s not reject what God said in order to keep our own tradition. (Mk7:9)
2. The Word of God is the Final Authority: Regardless of what you have been taught in the past, always ask yourself, “Where is the scripture for that?” Let every word be established by 2-3 witnesses. (Mt18:16) In other words, interpret all scripture in light of other scripture – there should be several Bible verses for whatever it is you believe!
3. Be Balanced: God does want His people prosperous, but He does not want them covetous and greedy for gain.
4. There are Conditions: Most if not all of God’s promises concerning prosperity are conditional. You’ll see in the following that His blessing is for the one who is willing and obedient; the one who hears His voice; the faithful, upright man that puts His kingdom first and seeks His right way of doing things. In other words, you can’t rebel, and go your own way, and do your own thing and then ask God to bless it!
5. Don’t be a Fool: Faith for prosperity comes from hearing His word AND doing it. You can’t lay on the couch and make confessions all day, waiting for your “ship to come in” if God told you to go get a job. You won’t prosper that way. Let’s be spiritual people, not flaky!
Having put forth the above disclaimers, I want to write here a confession of faith for you to declare over yourself this coming year. That means you say it, think about it, look up the scriptures, meditate on them, and REPEAT until the incorruptible seed of God’s word gets planted in your heart, digs deep roots, and grows into a strong conviction where knowing God’s will is concerned. You can’t get by on another man’s revelation. This word has to become real TO YOU, and once it does you will do the happy dance because God is a net-breaking, boat-sinking, cup running over, blessings that overtake you, too much God!
My friends, let’s grow in God! Let’s learn what He says and be strong in our convictions! Let’s speak what He says over our homes, businesses, finances, and future!
by Kelli Sanders | Jun 8, 2013 | Bible Studies, Encouragement, Faith and Family, Help for Moms, Spiritual Growth
Being positive and thinking on good things is a choice. What are YOU choosing in the “daily grind” of your life? It could be making all the difference in the world. Read on to find out why.
Some surprising statistics show that as much as 77% of what people think is negative, counterproductive and works against them. In addition, people who grow up in the average household hear the word “no,” or they are told what they cannot do more than 148,000 times by the time they reach the age of 18! The culture we live in has the potential to produce in you a critical spirit that will cripple your life and relationships, limit your ability to succeed, and keep you from the joy that God intended for you to live in.
That negative thinking will stop faith, it will stop love, and it will leave you with a sense of hopelessness and despair! So how do you unlock the power of being positive!?
First, examine your own heart and identify what has brought you to the negative side of life. Is it:
- A critical family?
- Too many disappointments and broken promises? (e.g. “I tried that and it didn’t work.”)
- Dreams that haven’t come to pass? (related to marriage/divorce, death(s), job loss, etc.)
- Pride or insecurity?
- Past hurts that have hardened your heart? (unfaithfulness, betrayal, etc.)
No matter what has brought you to that place in your heart and mind, YOU can break free from the past!
God wants to bring you out of the “world’s” atmosphere (critical, harsh, mean) into the atmosphere of His kingdom (one of faith, hope, love, compassion and caring) so He can begin to release His power and His purposes IN you and THROUGH you! The world needs the creativity, life and light that are inside of YOU – yes you! But you must DO something to turn around and begin to swim against the world’s current. Are you ready?
Follow this road map to freedom and begin right now!
#1 Recognize Wrong Thinking
As an elementary school teacher I found that there were some classrooms in which children were always told the things they were doing wrong, and there were others in which there was ALSO an acknowledgment of what was done right and well. The atmosphere of the classroom largely depended on the mindset of the teacher. In a similar way, the atmosphere of a home can largely depend on the mindset of mommy.
Look honestly at your heart right now. Do you consistently look for, find, and expose the weaknesses, shortcomings, faults and failures of others? Do you set yourself up as judge, jury and executioner? Do you tend toward skepticism, envy and unbelief? Are you often frustrated, sarcastic and impatient with people? If you answered yes to any or all of the above, it is time to acknowledge that wrong thinking and make some adjustments.
#2 Choose to Change
It will profit you nothing to see a wrong spirit in the way you perceive life and people, and then to go on thinking the same way, and talking the same way because you will keep acting the same way and getting the same results! You can choose to change the way you think!
#3 Refrain from Criticism!
Katherine Marshall, wife of Peter Marshall (chaplain of the US Senate in the 40’s):
“One morning last week, God gave me an assignment one day. I was to go on a fast from criticism. I was not to criticize anybody or anything. For the first half of the day I simply felt a void almost as if I had been wiped out as a person. This was especially true at lunch. I listened to the others and kept silent. In our talkative family no one seemed to notice. Bemused I noticed that the world could apparently get along just fine without my penetrating observations but still, I didn’t see what this fast from criticism was accomplishing until mid afternoon. In the afternoon God gave me a new vision for my life, and it had His unmistakable stamp on it: JOY. Ideas began to come in a way that I hadn’t experienced them in years. Now it was apparent that what the Lord wanted me to see was my critical nature had not solved a single one of the many things that I had found fault with. What I had done was to stifle God’s creativity in me.”
When you stop complaining and criticizing, the joy of the Lord can bring creative power into your life! The problems you were complaining about, you will now have answers to! Try this for one hour, one day, one week, and see what it will do to plant the seeds of positivity in your thought life.
#4 Replace “Bad” with “Good”
This is what the world says:
Whatever is false, whatever is unworthy of respect and dishonorable, whatever is shameful and offensive, whatever is unjust and polluted, whatever is unlovely and unkind, whatever is rude and disgusting, if there is any bad news and failure, if there is anything worthy of fear and worry, think on and weigh and take account of these things.
This is what God says:
For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
Once you recognize the negativity, choose to change, and practice refraining from the negative commentary, you may feel like Katherine Marshall – wiped out as a person! So what do you do? Replace the former way of doing things with a new way of doing things! Replace the “bad” with the “good.” YOU CAN DO IT!
Why is it worth it???
As a mommy you have tremendous power and influence in the lives of your children AND in creating the atmosphere of your home. Families thrive in an atmosphere of faith, hope, love, positivity and good words being spoken over them. Just think of what you can do to help your children believe that they can do all things through Christ! Just think of how your choice to make some adjustments today can affect lifelong change in future generations! CHANGE IS POSSIBLE AND CHANGE IS POWERFUL! I believe in you!
