Faith Archives - God & Gospel https://godandgospel.com/category/faith/ Faith For Life Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:03:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 A Journey of Self-Awareness and Renewal in Christ https://godandgospel.com/a-journey-of-self-awareness-and-renewal-in-christ/ https://godandgospel.com/a-journey-of-self-awareness-and-renewal-in-christ/#respond Sat, 21 Oct 2023 22:08:06 +0000 https://godandgospel.com/?p=161 As believers, it is not God’s plan for us to lead lives entrenched in anxiety, fear, and stress. That does not mean we will not experience those feelings sometimes, but they are a byproduct of worldly values. We were not reborn into the world system but were born again, through Christ, outside of it. Unfortunately, many believers unknowingly or mistakenly continue to follow the principles of this worldly system, resulting in a life characterized by fear, anxiety, and stress. To live as God designed, we must stop practicing worldly principles and develop more personal awareness of who we are in Christ and who we are called to be.

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]]> As believers, it is not God’s plan for us to lead lives entrenched in anxiety, fear, and stress. That does not mean we will not experience those feelings sometimes, but they are a byproduct of worldly values. We were not reborn into the world system but were born again, through Christ, outside of it.

Unfortunately, many believers unknowingly or mistakenly continue to follow the principles of this worldly system, resulting in a life characterized by fear, anxiety, and stress. To live as God designed, we must stop practicing worldly principles and develop more personal awareness of who we are in Christ and who we are called to be.

The Importance of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is an essential part of our renewal and transformation. It helps us in understanding our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It’s critical for personal growth and cultivating healthy relationships, including our most important relationship—our relationship with Jesus Christ. Have you reflected on your level of awareness recently?

God has plans for our lives, but there are thought processes, conduct, and behaviors that hinder Him from fulfilling them. His power isn’t limited, but our sins, behaviors, and misaligned thoughts prevent Him from blessing us the way He desires to. It pains Him to see anyone live purposeless lives because we were created for so much more. Many let pain and rejection define them, leading some to believe the lie from the devil that they are not valuable. God values every person, but if we don’t value ourselves, God’s valuation doesn’t manifest in our lives.

The Ongoing Journey of Transformation

When we accept Christ, we are transformed, and our spirits are made new. However, our old selves, our “old man,” still need to change, which requires active participation. God grants us the capacity for change, but the renewal of our minds is a responsibility that lies with us. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul tells us that anyone in Christ is a new creation, and old things have passed away.

Our minds need to align with this newness. If we are not proactive about renewing our minds, we will default to the old programming in our old nature. We will not experience the fullness of our renewal. We must take the steps to renew our minds and align them with God’s word. God does not wish to interfere with our minds, as He desires followers who love Him by their choosing, not robots who are compelled to do so.

A change within is necessary, but God needs our permission (Rev. 3:20) and participation to shape us and to see His will take effect in our lives. God will not alter our minds. As followers of Christ, our old thought patterns and attitudes must be changed by us. Our thoughts govern our lives; they shape our beliefs, feelings, and interactions, highlighting just how vital it is to be careful about the thoughts we let inhabit our minds.

You have to do something and put on the new nature, the regenerated self, created in God’s image—like God in true righteousness and holiness. The Bible says we not only have to renew our minds but also do this intentionally and continuously. To truly transform, we must renew our minds and align our thoughts with our reborn spirits by surrendering to the Holy Spirit.

“…that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4:22-24 NKJV

Surrendering to the Holy Spirit

Being “renewed in the spirit” goes beyond a superficial change; it indicates a deep spiritual and mental transformation led by the Holy Spirit. But we cannot achieve this transformation with flesh alone; it requires the alignment of our mind and spirit. By surrendering our minds to the Holy Spirit, we initiate a transformative process that aligns our thoughts, emotions, and responses with God’s will. The Holy Spirit will help develop self-awareness.

Self-Awareness and Repentance

Self-awareness is akin to self-analysis, integral to our relationships with others and with God. It’s a beacon that can guide us even when we stray. The parable in Luke 15:17-18 illustrates the transformative power of self-awareness. It depicts a wayward son who, upon realizing his mistakes, decides to return to his father. Sin can be humbling, but with repentance, genuine change can occur. Repentance involves more than mere acknowledgment; it requires a change of heart and consistent effort.You have to become aware of how far you have come from what you know is right and make a course correction.

Living Righteously in a Complex World

Our thoughts shape our identity and affect our emotions and beliefs. Recognizing the power of thought provokes a more mindful and discerning approach to the ideas we permit to infiltrate our minds.

We must be vigilant and discerning about our thoughts, as they shape who we are and influence our feelings and beliefs. We must proactively renew our minds, aligning them with righteousness and holiness, as followers who love God by choice, not compulsion.

Personal awareness in our faith journey is essential. Genuine transformation requires self-awareness, a heartfelt desire to change, consistent effort, and a relationship anchored in Christ. There are no perfect people. We are all growing, so we must understand the world we live in and how to operate in this world with the Word and principles of God so that we can succeed, no matter what’s happening around us.

How are you aligning your thoughts and actions with God’s divine design and righteousness? Reflect on the role of personal awareness and internal change in your journey and consider the steps you can take to renew your mind and embrace the transformation offered through faith in Christ.

 

The information expressed above is excerpted from the sermon Out With The Old; In With The New Pt 2 “Renewing the mind: Awareness” by Dr. Lee A. Simpson. You can listen to the complete sermon on our YouTube channel.

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]]> https://godandgospel.com/a-journey-of-self-awareness-and-renewal-in-christ/feed/ 0 From Failure to Purpose: Born to Solve a Problem https://godandgospel.com/from-failure-to-purpose-born-to-solve-a-problem/ https://godandgospel.com/from-failure-to-purpose-born-to-solve-a-problem/#respond Sat, 22 Jul 2023 18:24:17 +0000 https://godandgospel.com/?p=151 Every creation of God serves a purpose in solving a problem, including us. God did not bring us into the world without thought or intention; He knew what He needed and who could do it. No one is here by accident or mistake. There is a plan and purpose for everyone, but it is up to us to let go of our failure and pain and seek God’s purpose. Life can see us squash and diminish our purpose in all its ups and downs, problems, and challenges. We can get so focused on our life’s issues, personal pain, and failures that we neglect relationships and people. God is about people, about souls, and the best way to take care of yourself is not to focus on yourself but on God and what He calls you to do.

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]]> Every creation of God serves a purpose in solving a problem, including us. God did not bring us into the world without thought or intention; He knew what He needed and who could do it. No one is here by accident or mistake. There is a plan and purpose for everyone, but it is up to us to let go of our failure and pain and seek God’s purpose.

Life can see us squash and diminish our purpose in all its ups and downs, problems, and challenges. We can get so focused on our life’s issues, personal pain, and failures that we neglect relationships and people. God is about people, about souls, and the best way to take care of yourself is not to focus on yourself but on God and what He calls you to do.

Amid failure, it can be challenging to see how God will use it for good, but He can use that pain to drive us toward our purpose. There are things in your life that God recognizes are not good, but He can’t change them without helping you realize they aren’t good. Pain reveals areas we need to change. If you want God to move in your situation, surrender the problem to Him.

God cannot help you if you’re still wrestling with it. Let go of whatever you’re struggling with and let God change you. The word of God does not come to condemn; it comes to convict you to change. Jesus wants to introduce Himself to you and help you deal with your pain and hurts and use your victory over those things to help others.

He wants to repurpose our pain, suffering, and failure to serve the good of others and ourselves. To use your past failures to help others recover and keep them from failing. Can God use your failure to keep others from falling and help others recover?

“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” – Luke 22:32 (NKJV)

Luke 22:32 is a beautiful example of this principle, but in the verse before, Jesus told His disciples that Satan asked to sift them like wheat. To sift something is a process. It requires examination, shifting, and shaking to reveal what is hidden and essential. It is a test to show where there are areas of weakness or shortcomings to address.

Jesus addresses Peter directly in these verses, hinting that Peter’s failure will likely be the greatest. These few scriptures can be scary. After all, who seeks to be tested and fail? But they are also full of hope, victory, and restoration.

Jesus did not say Peter wouldn’t fail but prayed that his faith would not. He knew Peter would fail in his claims of the moment to stand by Him even unto death. He used Peters’s failure for the good of others. To help and encourage others with their lesser failures.

Satan meant to hurt and destroy Peter’s purpose through that failure, but God repurposed it to make it serve Him, converting it into an essential part of Peter’s life purpose, “strengthen your brethren.” Don’t let your past become your future by bringing it into your present. Don’t wallow in your pain and shame. Let your transformation from failure to purpose demonstrate God’s love and power. God takes your story and turns it into a testimony of His goodness.

He wants the people and places who knew you as you were in your failure to see and be influenced by you so that your testimony will shout out the goodness of God and His move in you and your life.

Choose to stop nursing your pain, failure, and other issues. You do not need to live with anything from your past. Choose to grow from it, learn from it, and overcome it. The choice is yours. You will either be a problem solver or become a problem others must solve.

Jesus cares for us and is praying for us. We are on His mind and in His thoughts. He knows we will struggle and fail. He knows we will fail, but we will not stay knocked down. We will not wallow in our pain and failure. No! We will rise again and return to Him! God will make it work for our good. Our failure will be a stepping stone to our Godly purpose, but we must surrender to Jesus and lay it at His feet. Trust in Him.

 

The information expressed above is excerpted from the sermon “ Framed For Success: Born to Solve a Problem” by Dr. Lee A. Simpson. You can listen to the complete sermon on our YouTube channel.

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