"I am the worst..."

 

Do you ever beat yourself up? No, I don't mean do ever throw a punch at yourself, that would not be cool, but what I mean is, are you ever negative toward yourself? Maybe you feel like you can never do anything right or maybe you're constantly doubting your abilities. Maybe you simply just don't like who you are.

I've been there.
I think everyone has been there at some point in their lives.
Where negativity looms and doubt fills in- that's the place where Satan likes to creep in. He fills the spaces of our vulnerabilities with lies that only make ourselves question our existence and purpose.
It's not a good valley to be in.

So today in Sunday School, we were reading 1 Timothy and this passage (1 Timothy 12:16) stood out to me...

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."

 

Here the apostle Paul is writing to Timothy to instruct him in church leadership. Notice that Paul calls himself "the worst sinner".

Talk about beating yourself up! I'm sure he didn't know every single person along with every single sin committed, but he really believed he was the worst.

Guess what?

Although he committed many evil sins, including killing Christians, God still used him.

 

Instead of listening to Satan and all the lies he had up his sleeve,

Paul chose to listen to God and His call on his life.

For someone to believe he was the worst of sinners and was later transformed into one of God's most faithful servant, proves that God can use anyone for His glory.

In order to live out God's call in our lives, we must find our identity in Christ.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

 

In the sermon, he broke it down into parts and here are my notes:

 

"God made him who had no sin,,,

-Jesus was sinless, yet tempted in every way just like you and me.

-God isn't surprised when we sin. That's why He sent Jesus.

-Jesus was the "friend of sinners". Sin didn't keep Jesus from loving the sinner.

 

to be sin for us...

-All other religions are about what people must "do" to get to heaven, but Christianity says it's already "done". Eternal life is a gift through grace by faith.

-When Jesus died on the cross, He said "It is finished". He was the ransom for our sin.

 

so that in Him...

-John 14:6, "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

-Jesus creates the way for us to spend eternity in Heaven.

 

We might become the righteousness of God."

- We gain forgiveness of sins, even though we do not deserve it, but it is because God loves us.

-God views us through Jesus.

 

With that being said, we need to find our identity in Christ.

It is because of what Jesus has done for us that we shouldn't beat ourselves up.

Beating ourselves up over our sins and letting Satan's lies penetrate our lives can be offensive to what Jesus died for us.

 

He didn't die for us to bury our head in our pillow everytime we mess up, but He died so that we would be able to pick ourselves up after we mess up and seek God's help to live the way He wants us to live without the dark cloud of guilt hovering over us.

 

Find your identity in Jesus Christ. Let Him be the center.

Check out this awesome video!

 

 

 

This week's reading plan:

Monday - Numbers 28-30

Tuesday - Numbers 31-32

Wednesday - Numbers 33-34

Thursday - Numbers 35-36

Friday - Deuteronomy 1-2

Saturday - Deuteronomy 3-4