Dear Younger Me

                                                                                         Source: YouTube

The above music video entitled Dear Younger Me is performed by the Christian artist group, MercyMe.  In the video, the artist sings about writing a letter to his younger self.  This contemporary Christian song is one of my favorites in the last several months.  I have been thinking about the letter that I would write to my younger self.  I am wondering whether there are others out there who may ponder the same about themselves.

What would I say to my younger self?  What would you say to your younger self?

This particular artist begins his letter in the song lyrics like this... "Dear Younger Me...Where do I start...If I could tell you everything that I have learned so far...Then, you could be...One step ahead...Of all the painful memories still running through my head...I wonder how much different things would be...Dear Younger Me..."

Those lyrics are probably the way many of us would start a similar letter to our younger selves.  We may not know exactly the way to begin the letter, but there would be a lot to include in it.  Perhaps, we could have spared our younger selves a lot of unnecessary heartache, pain, regret, hardships, challenges, trials, and more.  That is, if we could go back in time and share that much gained knowledge, wisdom, discernment, clarity, and more with our younger selves.

Would we do anything differently with all of that gained knowledge, wisdom, insight, experience?  I definitely would do some things in a different way---a better way.  For one, I would tell my younger self to daily read the Bible---God's word.

I have learned since then that an unrenewed mind hinders us in life.  There were many years where I was not renewing my mind on God's word---His truth (See Romans 12:2).  As a result, I really didn't know my specific purpose in God's plan nor that it was a good plan for me.  Only as I disciplined myself to read and study His word did I not only came to personally know my Father in a more intimate way but also the plans He had for me---plans to give me a hope and a future (See Jeremiah 29:11).

How about you?  What have you learned?  What would you do differently?


Copyright 2017 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Running the Race

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

There is a tendency in this world to get our eyes off of Jesus and onto our natural circumstances.  The devil would like to distract you, hinder you, interrupt you, and shake you up in this world.  He would like to keep you from being and doing all you were created and called to be and do for God's purpose and plan. 

Jesus did not allow the enemy to hinder, distract, interrupt, or shake Him up.  He did not allow the devil to keep Him from being and doing all He was created and called to be and do for His Father's purpose and plan.  We cannot allow the enemy to keep us from being and doing all we were created and called to be and do for our Father's purpose and plan (See Jeremiah 29:11-13).

There is also a tendency in this world to compare our spiritual journey and life to the journeys and lives of others in the world, specifically within the body of Christ.  It is another tactic of the enemy though.  None of us have the exact same purpose and calling in God's plan.  None of our paths will look exactly alike.  Sure there may be some similarities, but we are all different.  We all have different purposes and callings in our creator's master plan. 

Let's briefly look at the journeys and lives of the Apostle Paul and Jesus' disciple, Peter.

Paul was called by God to be an apostle (See Romans 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; 2 Corinthians 1:1-2).  He did not just decide for himself that he was an apostle.  God specifically created Paul to have that calling and purpose in His plan.  Therefore, Paul became all that God created him to be and do, but it was not Paul's own doing.  It was God's doing.  Paul said himself that he did not deserve to be an apostle because of his past (See 1 Corinthians 15:9).  "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.  No, I worked harder than all of them---yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10, NIV)."  God worked in and through Paul to accomplish His purpose (See Philippians 2:12-13).  Paul went on to do much for God's Kingdom, because he knew who he was created and called to be in God's plan.  He suffered and endured much for the Gospel (Read Acts 16:16-40).  He boasted in all of his weaknesses and sufferings (Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-30).  He boldly spoke and preached throughout the regions and land where God had called him.  He also wrote much of the New Testament. 

Peter was a disciple of Jesus Christ.  He was only one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ back then.  Despite the calling on his life, Peter denied Jesus three times (Read John 18:15-27).  Jesus did not hold that against him though.  He did not condemn Peter.  God had a great purpose and calling for Peter.  He knew Peter would eventually step up and be the bold and courageous man He had created him to be for His purpose.  God gave Peter more opportunities to prove himself.  Despite his past and previous weaknesses, Peter was used mightily and powerfully for God's purpose.  While with the other 11 disciples, Peter preached the Gospel to a crowd of thousands of people on the day of Pentecost.  Due to Peter's obedience that specific day, nearly three thousand people accepted Jesus and were baptized into the faith of Jesus Christ (Read Acts 2:14-41). 

Neither one of these men began their journeys or lives well, but they both finished well.  Neither Paul nor Peter had the exact same calling or purpose in God's plan.  Their spiritual journeys and lives did not look the same.  They did not have or take the exact same path.  They did not look at another man's path, calling, or purpose and wish they were in the other person's shoes so to speak.  They concentrated and focused on what God had created and called them to be and do for His purpose and plan.  They kept their eyes on the ultimate goal---running their individual races and winning the prize that God had for each one of them (See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27).  They were both different men with different paths as well as different callings and purposes.  However, God powerfully used both of them to accomplish His purpose in His plan. 

Copyright 2015 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Made in His Image

“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27, NIV)
 

We are made in the image of God. Have you thought about it? You are made in the image of God. I am made in the image of God. The God of the universe. The God that created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26, NIV)

Not only did God make us in His image, but He also gave us power and dominion over everything in the land. In addition, God gave us a general purpose. He also gave us individual specific purposes.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:22, NIV)

God realized that we not only needed Him but we needed each other. We were created for companionship and relationship.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18, NIV)

It's in the relationship and companionship of marriage between a man and a woman that we learn about the true meaning of love, more about ourselves, as well as more about God and our covenant relationship with Him.

God created a good helpmate for the very first man. She was taken from his side. She was created to compliment him and help him in God's purpose and plan.

The same is true for most of God's children today. Most of us have a suitable helpmate who compliments us and was created for us in order to help fulfill God's purpose and plan for us.

"But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man." (Genesis 2:20b-22, NIV)

Bottom line: We are all made in His image. We have power and dominion in Jesus Christ. We have a general purpose. We have individual purposes in God's plan and sometimes also with a suitable helpmate.

 

Copyright 2014 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Faith: A Brief Study

What is faith? Faith is a belief in someone or something. When people believe or have faith, they show it by their actions. They also speak it out. Someone may say, “I believe in you. I have faith in you.”

The faith that I am writing about now is faith in God…faith in Jesus Christ. How do we acquire faith in Jesus and ultimately in God? “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Romans 10:17, NIV) Therefore, I will share more of the word of God with you. May your ears, eyes, and hearts be open to hear, see, and understand what God would have you hear, see, and understand now.

Are you familiar with the true Gospel or the “Good News”? The Apostle Paul talks about the “Good News” in 1 Corinthians 15. Before I go on though, 1 Corinthians is a written letter from Paul and Sosthenes to the members of God’s church in Corinth. Look at Paul’s explanation of the “Good News”. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) That is the “Good News” in a nutshell so to speak. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV) Look also at John 3:17-18. In Isaiah 53, the prophet Isaiah spoke about Jesus…the Son of God. (Isaiah 53) It was God’s plan for His Son, Jesus to be born to the virgin, Mary, and His earthly father, Joseph in the little town of Bethlehem thousands of years ago. (Matthew 1:18-25) It was God’s plan for Jesus to be baptized by John the Baptist. (Matthew 3:13-17) It was part of God’s plan for Jesus to be tempted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. (Matthew 4:1-11) Look specifically at Matthew 4:1 and 4:11 now. It was part of God’s plan for Jesus to go into ministry after He endured and resisted all of the temptation in the wilderness. God had been preparing His Son, Jesus, for ministry for some time. He knew that Jesus would pass all of His tests. God knew that His Son would learn all of His lessons. The Father knew His Son, and God had faith in Jesus. It was part of God’s plan for Jesus to be arrested. (Matthew 26:47-56) It was part of God’s plan for His Son to be charged with a crime. (Matthew 26:57-68) It was part of God’s plan for Jesus to be sentenced to death. (Matthew 27:1-10) Look specifically at verses 1 through 4 at this time. It was God’s plan for Jesus to suffer under the rule of Pontius Pilate. (Matthew 27:11-26) Look now at verse 26. Then, take another look at Isaiah 53 for a minute and look at verse 10. It was part of God’s plan for His Son to be mocked by soldiers. (Matthew 27:27-31) It was God’s plan for Jesus to be nailed to a cross. (Matthew 27:32-44) It was God’s plan for His Son to die for us…for you and for me. (Matthew 27:45-56) It was God’s plan for Jesus to be buried and placed in a tomb. (Matthew 27:57-61) It was God’s plan for His Son to rise from the dead. (Matthew 28:1-10) Look back at Isaiah 53 a minute…specifically verse 11. God was with Jesus throughout everything. He was with Him every step of the way. He had a purpose and plan for Jesus.

Just like Jesus, we can be assured that God our Father is always with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8) We can also be assured that He has a purpose and plan for us. (Jeremiah 29:11) He works everything out for our good, His purpose, and His glory just like He did for Jesus. (Romans 8:28) We can trust God our Father. Have faith in God! (Mark 11:22-24) When you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved eternally. (Romans 10:9-11)  Now, that is great news!



Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.