Who I am in Christ...

For the past couple days, this is what I have been pondering. For some reason or another at times I can lose sight of who I am in Christ and who He has made me to be, as a believer and follower of Him. It took a friend this past week to help me realize the confidence and strength that I need to have in God. He did not create me to take on the guilt of others' sins or to feel guilty for past sins, which I have offered up to Him in confession. When the Bible talks about being made new this is what it means... 

Who I am in Christ

I am accepted...
I am God's child. John 1:12
I am Christ's friend. John 15:15
I have been justified. Romans 5:1
I am united with the Lord, and I am one spirit in Him. 1 Cor. 6:17
I have been bought with a price. I belong to God. 1 Cor. 6:19-20
I am a member of Christ's body. 1 Cor. 12:27
I am a saint. Eph. 1:1
I have been adopted as God's child. Eph. 1:5
I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. Eph. 2:18
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. Col. 1:14
I am complete in Christ. Col. 2:10

I am secure...
I am free forever from condemnation. Romans 8:1-2
I am assured that all things work together for good. Romans 8:28
I am free from any condemning charges against me. Romans 8:31-34
I cannot be separated from the love of God. Romans 8:35-39
I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. 2 Cor. 1:21-22
I am hidden with Christ in God. Col. 3:3
I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected. Phil. 1:6
I am a citizen of heaven. Phil. 3:20
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. 2 Tim. 1:7
I can find grace and mercy in time of need. Heb. 4:16
I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me. 1 John 5:18

I am significant...
I am the salt and light of the earth. Matt. 5:13-14
I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life. John 15:1,5
I have been choosen and appointed to bear fruit. John 15:16
I am a personal witness of Christ's. Acts 1:8
I am God's temple. 1 Cor. 3:16
I am a minister of reconciliation for God. 2 Cor. 5:17-21
I am God's co-worker. 2 Cor. 6:1
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. Eph. 2:6
I am God's workmanship. Eph. 2:10
I may approach God with freedom and confidence. Eph. 3:12
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13


(Who I am in Christ was compiled by Freedom in Christ ministries.)

Update

This past week has been good. I am learning a lot about God, myself, life, ministry, and serving others. I am sorry I could not write yesterday. I spent my afternoon watching two little boys so that my missionary friends, Liz and Noah, could go out and celebrate Noah´s birthday. It was such a joy to be able to watch their two little boys and we had a ton of fun, which is why I was exhausted by the time I got home at 6:30pm.

I love being able to spend time with the families and children here at ILE, because it makes me feel like I am back at home with my family. My idea of family is constantly changing since I have been here. My idea of family has never been based solely on blood relation. Sometimes those closest to me are actually not blood related. I have a huge family here in Costa Rica and I love it. God has made me more vulnerable here and in return I am getting to know those around me on a deeper level, much faster than I normally would. You can´t hide your feelings for long when you are put into stressful situations with others or even when you are left with no one to talk to except the person sitting next to you, which by the way is the same person you have to see everyday. It is such a blessing to have these relationships and to have this family. I know many people would classify this as a family of God, but to me this is just family. This feels like what it is suppose to be like and what it will be like in Heaven. People from different nations, languages, and with different personalities all joined together as family, united in Christ.

Prayer Request:
  Speaking of being vulnerable I want to share with you all that I have been having some hardships since my arrival in Costa Rica so I could use your prayers. My attitude and strength has been affected greatly these past few weeks. I am not sure if it is my anxiety or what is causing this change but I would really like it to go away. It is almost like having a fog in front of you constantly and I am trying to break through that fog. I share this personal prayer request because I believe in the power of prayer and in God. God has been so good to me and I want to continue glorifying Him through my life.

Search me, O God

Search me, o God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is an offensive way in me, lead me in the way of everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

I would encourage you to read all of Psalm 139. I know this is a popular Pslam but just read it slowly and be amazed by God and His love. 

Happy 4th of July...

Today, I celebrated the United States' Independence Day with friends at ILE. We had a cookout and watched the fireworks together. To end the evening, we watched  the movie Independence Day. Being around friends and laughing with children running around the room made me feel like I was home. I enjoy those moments that remind me of my wonderful family and friends that are in the states.

I really enjoy the 4th of July because it is a day that allows us, as citizens of the USA, to celebrate our independence and be thankful for all of the many blessings we have and are able to enjoy. I am thankful for being blessed with such a wonderful family and exceptional friends. It is so great to be so close to my family and at the same time have deep relationships with my friends. Many people can live their whole lives without having a deep meaningful relationship with family or friends, and I blessed to have both.

Thank you Lord for the freedom that I have in you and thank you for allowing me to be born in the USA. Thank you for all of the deep relationships that I have in my life and for all of the love that you have shown me and continue to show me through those relationships.

Happy 4th of July!

Desiring/Abiding in God...

This is something that really spoke to me today. Rarely do I find a sermon that God uses to speak to me in so many ways. It is almost like God designed this sermon just for me. He knows my heart and my desires and exactly what I need when I need it. He answers all of my prayers and desires accordingly, and He knows above all else I desire to be close to Him. I desire to know Him. I desire a relationship that is so deep and intimate that I know God is the only who can provide it. Maybe that is why I am so fascinated by Moses, because He had a deep relationship with the Lord and because He was just a man, like me.

God's Love and Ours

Dear friends,

Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (God does not love as the world loves, but His love is perfect and good. In our lives there maybe people who use the word love, but their actions do not show love. The true characteristics of love, the way that God designed it to be, are described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son (Jesus Christ) into the world that we might live through him. This is love (this is true love): not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (Not as the world loves but as God loves). No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him (since by love we are in him and him in us). There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a lair. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (This includes everyone from every nation, tribe, and tongue, for we were all created by God and for God).

1 John 4:7-21 (NIV)
(Commentary or thoughts in parentheses by me, Chelsea Davis)

With One Heart\Con Un Corazon

With One Heart\Con Un Corazon by: Proskuneo Ministries

This week we, the students at ILE, have been able to worhsip God in many languages. We have worshipped in Spanish, English, and Korean, along with a few other languages. It has been a wonderful time of worship and reflection on our Lord and Savior. Every nation, every tribe, and in every langauge will one day worship the Lord united as one. This has and continues to be one of my heart´s desires. Over the past few weeks, God has been opening my heart and mind in order to really worship Him in Spanish. I am at the point now where I can sing and pray to God with the same feeling as in English, this is harder than it sounds so it takes time. It doesn´t matter what language you speak or really how you worship as long as you are being obedient to the Lord. In my heart I praise the Lord, but in many languages I worship the Lord.