value...

Value.

Do you value who you are?

Hard question? It shouldn’t be. I’m not asking if you are valued by others, but do you value you?

As a child of the King you have value. If you have been joined to Christ then you are a child of God. John the apostle tells us that all who believe on the name of Jesus will be the children of God (1:12). “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).” It’s this gift of eternal life that he shares with those to whom believe in Jesus. And this belief or rather, faith, gives us a new title as was shared in Galatians, “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith (3:26).”

Faith gives us sonship and that does include daughters too! As proof of this value, the Lord taught us to pray… “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name (Matthew 6: 9)…” Yes, He was now ‘our’ Papa too. And if we are God’s then we have the value God says. The value transcends what others think of us and what we think of ourselves. In fact, once we become family members then our lives are no longer our own. We must heed the truth that we have become a temple of the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 6:9).

With this measure of understanding then let us be cautious with our tongues and beliefs of who we are (James 3: 6). Let us be sure not to ‘go to town’ on our own personages because we have God’s Spirit at work in us. Seek forgiveness and understanding when needed then move forward in His Grace, since we now have a portion of God in us that we should no longer deny. For He cannot deny himself. If He is in us and we are in Him, then we have a unification that cannot be separated. Jesus spoke of this in John chapters 14-17 when He told the apostles of the Holy Spirit. What was spoken two thousand years ago is still true today.

So let us begin with some much needed assistance in building up our value and faith. The time has come for us to do some homework. It is imperative that we have a rooted faith in the gospel of Jesus. We need to set ourselves up for a better tomorrow by helping us succeed today. Jeremiah, one of the prophets from the old testament wrote, and I’m paraphrasing, “I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for a better future and one filled with hope (29:11).” With this piece of scripture, we uncover a truth that God does indeed have a plan of good setup for us.

Pausing for a moment, let us first forgive ourselves for not valuing who we are. Maybe we’ve shamed and condemned ourselves over: looks, weight, intelligence, stupidity, or a myriad of other things. To me: “I’m sorry for speaking negativity and speaking shame over me; I’ll do better moving forward. Jesus forgive my ignorance and condemnation. Amen.” Now give yourself a hug! This is for all the times I and you have brought a judgment upon ourselves. Sometimes I don’t afford myself the same grace I extend to others. Yes, I screw up and often seek forgiveness but sometimes I’m slow to forgive myself.

Now, a plan for good; a plan for a hope filled future; a plan for you; a plan for me; a plan of value.

Let us plan together by writing, typing, and recording the scriptures that speak to us. Say what? Yes, let us take time and write down two or three scriptures for each subject and keep it, recite it, store it in memory, and record it verbally. I’d also say if you are a couple, read these to each other. Everyone’s list will have some similarity and differences, that’s good! Be sure once you’ve started this to read them each day, maybe multiple times each day and practice this moving forward. Faith will become rooted firmly yielding the necessary fruit for working.

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Topic one: Faith

Hebrews 11: 1 ESV “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of thing not seen.”

Romans 10: 17 ESV “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Psalm 100: 5 AMP “For the LORD is good; His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting, His faithfulness (endures) to all generations.”

Topic two: Hope

Psalms 130: 5 ESV “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.”

Philippians 1: 9 ESV “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 6: 19 ESV “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters in to the inner place behind the curtain…”

Topic three: Love

Song of Solomon 1: 15 ESV “Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves.”

Luke 6:27 AMP “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…”

John 17: 26 ESV “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Topic Four: Value

Jeremiah 18: 6 AMP “Look carefully, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand…”

Luke 12: 7 ESV ““Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Luke 15: 32 ESV “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”

Topic Five: Grace

Romans 3:23 ESV …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

Ephesians 4:7 ESV “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

Isaiah 30: 18 ESV “Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.”

Topic Six: Forgiveness

Psalm 51: 2 AMP “Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt and cleanse me from my sin.”

Matthew 6: 14 ESV “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…”

Luke 7: 48 ESV “Then He said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’”

Topic Seven: Healing

Exodus 15: 26 ESV “…for I am the LORD, your healer.”

Matthew 8: 16-17 AMP “…and restored to health all who were sick, so that He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.’”

James 5: 15 ESV “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

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There are many more topics needed, but may these serve as a starting point for out faith. Add more as you go along including: promises, finances, blessing, peace, and encouragement are a few more. This is an exercise that will not only build our faith, but in turn, will yield fruit. Many of us our lacking in our fruit and a time is at hand where fruit is needed.

Godspeed, The Journeyman

Ps. This was an unction that I received in download form from Holy Spirit. It’s time for the children of faith in Jesus to be doers of faith as well. We are heeding the scriptures calling of faith with works spoken of in James. It’s not by works alone that we are saved, but by faith, with works for fruit. Yes, the fruit of faith is good works.

Matthew 6: 9-13 ESV “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Luke 12: 7 ESV ““Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

John 1: 12 ESV “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God…”

John 3: 16 ESV “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but eternal life.”

I Corinthians 6: 19 ESV “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own…”

Galatians 3: 26 ESV “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”

James 3: 6 ESV “And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.”