First Chronicles chapter 4. You are who God says you are!
We see a continual list of genealogies. They stopped with Jabez and say quite a bit.
Jabez is a Hebrew name meaning He Makes Sorrowful. His mother gave him that name when he was born because he gave her great pain during birth. Names you were given back in those days often defined who you were. Jabez did not want to be known as the one who makes sorrowful so he cries out to God and asks three things:
- God bless me.
- God, enlarge my territory (my assets).
- God, keep me from harm and pain.
God granted his request.
Jabez fight against his name because he did not want it to define who he was.
It's not much different today than it was then. Today people call other people names. And if one is not careful, one can begin to believe the names given to them. For example:
A boy is called gay growing up because he has a more feminine voice or traits. Then sure enough he becomes gay.
A girl is called fat and ugly and eventually begins to believe it. So begins to feel she's not valuable and important and that she doesn't deserve love from others, or feels no one does love her.
I wasn't given a verbal name as a kid but I was bullied. I began to look down on myself. I didn't conform to the parties and felt ostracized and that I wasn't loved. I let how others treated me and let the devil's lies in my head define who I was.
GOOD NEWS! Jesus is the one who defines who we are. We can't allow ourselves to submit to the lies of this world but must claim the names given to us by God. We need to believe it, then we need to live it. Stop listening to the lies that tear us down.
Psalm 139:14-18 reminds us that we are created by God. His thoughts are precious about us. If we were to count all the precious things God says about us, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
1st Peter 2:9 says I am chosen by God. He chose me! I am valuable!
Colossians 1:16 says God has a purpose for my life. So not only am I valuable but I have a purpose.
Romans 6:11 says I'm alive in Christ! Therefore I can walk with my head up rather than downward.
Romans 8:17 says I am joint heirs with Christ! He has exalted me and not put me down.
Ephesians 1:7 says I am forgiven of all my sins and he has made me clean 100%.
The more we believe in these words, the more successful we'll have in living out these truths. We live out what we believe about ourselves.
That's why it's so important to speak words of life, love and value to our kids our spouse and our co-workers, or really anyone we come in contact with. Speaking negativity, gossip or ridicule only tears people down and they live what they believe about themselves.
I'm a child of God therefore I am chosen. I am created. I'm a valuable. I have a purpose. God has awesome and precious thoughts about me. Therefore I will not believe the lies that come against me by the devil or those around me. I will rise above any words that imply I am less than who God says I am.
Sorry so long but I'm passionate about this. I'm tired of seeing those around me, including myself, living in the lies.
Pastor Blair’s inspiring words today reminded me of 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
This reminds me of a song I’ve heard often on the radio. My favorite part is the middle where it says, “no I won’t waste another day believing words You didn’t say”. I recently went through a Bible study with my sister-in-law on resetting your mind and toxic thoughts. It talked about how important it is to recognize those toxic thoughts, capture them and replace them with truths from God’s word.
2 Corinthians 10:5
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,