Kathy and I have two extra blankets on our bed. We need to have them as extra blankets because we both like to sleep with different bedding weights. Kathy likes nice light bedding, so she has a light blanket on her side. I like heavy bedding, which makes me I feel hemmed in and protected at night, so I keep a huge old heavy blanket on my side of the bed.

Having two blankets just seemed to make the most sense for both of us. I didn't sleep well under her fluffy little blanket, and she felt suffocated under my 30 pounder.

Now heavy blankets on the bed are one thing, but there is an oppressive heavy blanket that many Christians are under daily and it holds them back from being all that God has called them to be. It's one heavy blanket I hate to be under.

It's the blanket of condemnation.

The best description I've ever heard of condemnation is that it is like a cold, wet, heavy blanket on your spirit. No matter what, you just can't seem to get out from under it.

There's a big difference between conviction and condemnation. Conviction turns us towards God. Condemnation just makes us feel bad and we turn away from God. Under conviction we seek His face. Under condemnation we run away, and hear things like "You're not God enough"; "God will never use someone like you"; "Who do you think you're fooling? You know what you're really like" or "How many times do you think God will forgive you? He's never really going to forgive you this time."

When we feel under condemnation, it's never of God. Condemnation is always of Satan. He is the accuser and the condemner but He is defeated.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. Revelation 12:10 NIV

When we know Jesus there is no more condemnation.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks to people growing in their faith, to them sharing their faith and to being all that God has ordained them to be is they don't understand who they are in Jesus. If we could understand that, we would be free from the heavy blanket of condemnation.

If the voice in your head turns you towards the cross, listen to it. If it turns you away, discard it.

What the church needs more than seeker sensitive services or new and different programs is for the body to understand who we are. I'm all for seeker sensitive services and I'm all for new programs, but the real key to capturing the world for Jesus is truly transformed lives.

True transformation comes as we begin to understand our identity in Jesus.

Church, it's time to get a handle on who we are.

Starting today in Gleanings From The Word, there will be a new section entitled "You are." You are will present a verse that describes who each of us is in Christ. Personalize it, memorize it and put it into your heart. To date we've come up with over 300 characteristics of who we are in God's eyes as believers.

I truly believe that as you come to understand who you are in Jesus, your life and the lives of those around you will be transformed. These promises are not for other people, they are for EVERYONE who has accepted Jesus Christ.

Until next time, may you learn who you are in the eyes of Jesus and live it.

Be blessed.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)!

Kevin

http://gleaningsfromtheword.com/

Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are heaven bound, guaranteed.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV

This promises can be true of you no matter what you have done in life. Jesus loves you and wants nothing more than to restore you to God, forgive your sins and give you eternal life with Him. He wants a personal relationship with YOU. Will you let Him into your life? \

If you haven't made the decision to accept Christ as Lord