A Life of Authenticity

by John Grant

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6

The world is full of people pretending to be someone they are not. Such people are not living a life of authenticity, a term used to describe the degree to which one is true to their own personality, spirit or character, despite external pressures.

Living a life of authenticity is not easy especially for Christians who are confronted with a pagan world and encountering external pressures and influences, which are often very different from our Christian beliefs.

You are capable of living authentically. You have the ability within yourself to stay committed to your core belief system, but it often is not easy. Your core values must be higher than your desire for social acceptance. You have the power to live courageously. You had the wisdom to live peacefully. You have the discernment to choose properly.

Living authentically will bring you personal peace. The ability to remain connected to your highest good will not escape you. Your convictions will be determined by integrity. Popularity will be a bonus but not an expectation.

A large part of the fact that Christian ideas fail to be considered as the popular norm is not for lack of professing Christians, but from the lack of professing Christians committed to life a life of Christian authenticity no matter what may be the push back of modern culture.

Our behavior is defined by those around us. As a Christian, I should constantly be in the presence of Christ, as He alone is my source of my authenticity. There is a difference between accepting a doctrine and being committed to the person of Jesus.

God created each of us in His own image, each with a specific ministry and He gave us all we will need to do it. But, oh how often the world tries to tear us away to its standards.
As we begin a new year, let us all commit ourselves to be the person within us that God created us to be and not the person the world would re-mold us into.

Are you willing to be the same on the outside as in the inside? If you will commit to walk through this year with Jesus, you will be the authentic person He created you to be.

Are you looking for a new beginning?  Look to the One who makes all things new.  Let’s dedicate this year as a year of worship and service to the One who makes all things new, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
(a thought on life from John Grant )

You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2013/01/30/jg_life-of-authenticity/
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Life is HARD

Kraig emailed this devo to me this morning and it spoke such truth with me that I just had to share! Life Is Hard So You Can Grow

by Rick Warren

“Take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you.” Ephesians 4:22-24 (MSG)

Many religions and New Age philosophies promote the old lie that we are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: You will never become God or even a god.

That prideful lie is Satan’s oldest temptation. Satan promised Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, “you shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5 KJV).

This desire to be a god shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us. But as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want you to become a god; he wants you to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character. We are meant to “take on an entirely new way of life — a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you” (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG).

God’s ultimate goal for your life on Earth is not comfort but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christ-likeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality.

God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the Beatitudes of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit, Paul’s great chapter on love, and Peter’s list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life (Matthew 5:1-12; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Peter 1:5-8).

Every time you forget that character is one of God’s purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances. You’ll wonder, “Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?” One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It’s what enables us to grow. Remember: Earth is not Heaven!

Many Christians misinterpret Jesus’ promise of the “abundant life” (John 10:10) to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer.

In a word, they expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect Heaven on Earth.

This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, either you will become severely disillusioned or you will live in denial of reality.

Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide Heaven on Earth when he’s planned the real thing for you in eternity? God gives us our time on Earth to build and strengthen our character for Heaven.

Talk About It

• In what ways have you been trying to control your circumstances or the people around you?
• In what ways are you living the “full life” that Jesus came to Earth to provide for you (John 10:10)?