meaning

Who Are You?

DrJayCook Christian Life , , , ,

Who are you?

Really – who are you?

That question usually leads us to think about a label.  We think of a name, the family from which one comes, achievements or characteristics, one’s job, one’s failures, one’s flaws, or any other label we can attach.  But none of those things truly define who you are.

If you are a Christian, do you realize that you are the person God created to accomplish God’s great plan?

Many times we pay homage to God but do not truly trust Him until we face some form of devastation.  He definitely can help us overcome adversity, but we miss out on all that God could do when we fail to remain or abide in Him at all times.

Jesus said in John 15:4-5: “‘Remain in Me, and I in you.  Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in Me.’”  He can help us accomplish what we could never dream of doing on our own.

And He also enables us to see how great He is, how not-so-great we are, and how incredible His love and grace are.  It is like John stated in 1 John 3:1: “See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children – and we are!”

Christian, you are God’s child.  And God wants you to recognize who you really are, who you could be, and who you should be.

It is amazing to look through the Bible and see how often God used broken and imperfect people for greatness.  Those people had bad labels but trusted God, and He enabled them to do what they never dreamed possible.

So, yes, your identity is rooted in Jesus.  However, if you do not recognize that, you are asking for trouble.  It is like Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 15:48-49: “Like the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; like the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven.  And just as we have born the image of the man of dust, we also bear the image of the man of heaven.”

Do not let the labels distract you or keep you back.  Find your purpose and joy in Jesus.  Discover who you really should be.

Check out the following resource for more ideas about who you really are by clicking the picture…

It It All About Jesus

DrJayCook Christmas , , , , , ,

One of the most beautiful buildings in the world is the Taj Mahal in India. The emperor Shah Jahan commissioned its creation to honor his deceased wife.  Since it is nearly four hundred years old, many legends have been created in connection with it.

One legend describes how passionate the emperor was to build a spectacular temple for his wife’s coffin.  He ordered that her coffin be placed in the center of the site as the temple was built around it.  Work continued for over twenty years, and one day during that time Jahan stumbled over a wooden box that was covered with dust.  He was upset at the inconvenience, so he ordered a workman to get rid of the box.  Later he discovered that he had ordered the removal of the box containing the coffin of his love – the very reason for the entire project.

I do not know if that is true, but I can imagine it happening.  After all, I see a similar thing happening every year.

Year after year, we prepare for and celebrate Christmas.  Many people get so wrapped up in the holiday details, traditions, festivities, and gifts that they neglect Jesus.  Some see Jesus as an inconvenience to the holiday and would prefer to remove Him from the holiday completely.  We do exactly what the Taj Mahal legend was about.

But it does not have to be that way.  Christmas comes back to Luke 2:11: “Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Christmas is about the only One who can save our souls coming to us.  Christmas is about the Messiah – the Lord coming to us.  Christmas is all about Jesus, and anything else should point to Him.

Personally, I love the music, foods, gatherings, and festivities of Christmas.  However, my prayer is that I never forget why we celebrate it.  And I pray that you never forget why we celebrate it.  In fact, I pray that if you have not accepted the Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord, that you will soon.  It is all about Jesus.

The following book goes into detail about the amazing birth of Jesus. Click the picture to see more…

Just Another Day?

DrJayCook Christian Life, Direction , , ,

Does the following sound familiar?

You get up on Monday and do what you have to do to make it through the day.  You do the same thing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Saturday and Sunday might offer you a small break, but you know Monday is coming.

When I look at most people, their lives resemble the pattern above.  Life is dull, boring, and often dreadful.

Oscar Wilde was correct when he stated, “To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most people exist, that is all.”

Do you really believe that existing is all that life has to offer?  Is life nothing more than a routine?

Though it often seems like most people are aimlessly wandering through life, that does not have to be true for you.  If you are a Christian, you can know and live out a purpose that is much bigger than just existing.  You see, Proverbs 16:4 states: “The LORD has prepared everything for his purpose.”

That includes you and me.  But whether we discover that purpose and live it out is the choice of each of us.

From my studies and experience, I would like to offer some suggestions.

First, pray.  Begin asking God to show you what your life could be.  Ask Him to help you be spiritually prepared to follow His leadership.  And keep praying.

Second, consider your strengths.  There are things that God has enabled you to do (both natural and learned things).  God does not give us abilities for no reason.

Third, consider what gets you excited.  We are all different, and God gives us passions that are suited for each person.

Fourth, get the input of some godly friends.  They know you and they know the Lord.  They might be able to tell you things that you cannot see.

Fifth, begin with small steps.  When you have an idea of what God wants of and for you, begin doing it.  Start small.  Build your knowledge and skills in that area.  Take larger steps bit by bit.

Sixth, help others.  You are surrounded by many others who do not know what to do.  Help them discover the life that they should be living.

And remember that Jesus said, “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10)

You may want to check out one of the most-read books on this. Click the picture to find out more…

Routines That Are Not Routine

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I had to start walking, take proper nutrients, and eat correctly to lose the weight.  I had to read and listen to podcasts to learn.  I had to start doing things to learn (and maybe master) those things.  I had to make certain activities a routine part of my life to see change.

For many, life is nothing but a routine.  We do the same things, the same ways, the same time, and wonder why life can be depressing.  But what if life could be more?  What if life could be amazing?

In John 10:10, Jesus said, “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”  THAT is the kind of life that I’m talking about.  It’s the kind of life that (I believe) everyone wants.  Abundant life.  Meaningful life.  Purposeful life.

However, it isn’t going to happen until our routines line up.

Jesus also told us what it means to live the kind of life that we all want (deep down).  He said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

To follow after him, you have to choose to accept him as your Lord and Savior.  He is not going to force you to do it, he does not give salvation willy-nilly, and he said that you have to choose to do it.  He has to enter your life – your routines.

Jesus also must become your chief aim.  He must come first.  He does not deserve or accept leftovers, but that is what we often given him.  We work Monday through Friday, get stuff done on Saturdays, and are wiped out on Sundays – so, we often put ourselves first and “skip” worshiping and serving him.  However, the truth is that you choose what comes first in your life.  You choose.

To be first, we have to deny ourselves.  He cannot be first if we keep jumping in front of him.  Paul (in Galatians 2:20) explained it like this: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  After all, if we know that Jesus wants what is best, we should realize that our schemes do not lead to the best.

Ultimately, the routines get changed when we seriously accept our responsibilities to Jesus.  He said that his mission was to provide the way to be saved, so he faced the cross and died because of our guilt to offer that salvation.  Our cross – our responsibility is to be willing to give our all to the one who gave his all.  And that includes being willing to do whatever he desires – daily.

Getting what you desire takes effort.  It requires a change in routines.  So, if you want to get what is most important in life, Jesus becomes the aim.  Will you choose what’s best?

Need some help in forming the right routines? Click the picture below to see a great resource…