Becoming Me

Thursday, ‎August 10, ‎2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Memory verse: Philippians 4:8 ►Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Today's reading: PSALM 79-80 ROMANS 11:1-18

Becoming Me

C.S. Lewis wrote:

On self

The more we get what we now call “ourselves” out of the way and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become. . . I am not, in my natural state, nearly so much of a person as I like to believe: most of what I call “me” can be very easily explained. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give myself up to His Personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own.

From Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis

First, do you hear the ongoing sense in which this is written? Lewis says: "It is when I turn to Christ, when I give myself up to His Personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own."

"When I turn to Christ,...I first begin..."

Jesus said, "He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30;

and Jesus also said, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23

Paul wrote: "Everyday, I die", 1 Corinthians 15:31, interlinear.

Becoming what God wants us each to be-that is what this is about. We hear and have heard so much of 'finding self' and finding purpose. So much energy expended in self-discovery-why?

Self is lost and cannot find itself because self can never be until self is righteous in Christ. There is no meaning or purpose without Christ. It is only the chaos of natural man in this wicked, natural world.

Proverbs 14:12>There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Matthew 10:39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

People might say. "Look at how all this started in the "Sixties" but wait; twentieth century had the teens, World war I;

the twenties were 'roaring' with prohibition and boot-legging;

the depression had the thirties;

World War II was in the forties;

The fifties had Korea and the cold war;

The sixties had Viet Nam and 'love and peace';

The seventies saw a drug explosion and much social unrest;

and so on and so on....natural man is lost.

'Finding me' is only done in the heart of God where we are created. God has each day of our lives numbered and planned.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

In Christ we will find ourselves and only in Him.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Jesus wanted us to keep hearing this and repeat it everyday,

"By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. John 5:30 ►

"By myself I can do nothing for I seek to please Him who saved me".

A prayer that is a must for us: "Oh God, create in me the greatest desire to please You".

Self is found in Jesus.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Selfishness is my sin. Forgive me. Have mercy on me. Lift me to great desire for pleasing You.

Merciful and loving Father,

In the name of Jesus,

Amen