Who Are You?

Who Are You?

I CORINTHIANS 1

Happy New Year! Welcome back to Pressed Olives where we read one chapter of the Bible daily, and make it applicable to our life today. God's word is a beautiful love story to us, but it's all about Him! It gives us a beautiful explanation of God's character and invites us daily to draw near Him. We hope you join us on this journey and that you grow closer in a relationship with God this year. We'd love for you to commit to S.O.A.P.ing with us this year. Let us know if you're committing in the comments below.

Background:

1 Corinthians is written by Paul. Paul established the church in Corinth on a missionary trip there, where he spent 18 months with them. After he left to minister to another area he received disturbing reports about the behaviors being practiced amongst the believers in Corinth. He sent a letter to rectify the situation (that letter has since been lost). After the first letter was sent he received news about divisive factions rising up and before he could respond via letter, Paul immediately sent Timothy. He then wrote this letter we know as 1 Corinthians in approx A.D. 56.

---

"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

---

Paul is so confident and certain what his call and mandate from God is. I know we all long for that same confidence in who God made us to be. To lack doubt and confusion in our own identities. That's why Paul is confirming the Corinthians identity to them. It is clear there has been confusion, immorality, and division amongst the church. But that hasn't changed their identity in Christ.

This is great news! I encourage you to read the scripture above again. This time read it as if Paul is speaking to you directly. That he is confirming your identity to you.

I find it interesting that this topic would be one I would write about today of all days. Maybe, you've heard the story before, forgive me if I'm repeating it. It was the end of 2016 and for the first time ever I decided to pick a word for the coming year. It was Spirit prompted, because God is just good like that. I had walked with God for a long time and I still struggled in knowing who I was in Christ. I chose the word: Identity.

2017 was one of the most profound years of explosive growth in relationship, knowledge, and best of all identity that I have ever experienced. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that God is enthusiastic and invested in you discovering who He made you to be. It is not a secret He is keeping from you but a discovery He wants for you to uncover. The beauty is you can only go to Jesus to discover yourself.

Why? Because the Creator determines what He created. If you haven't chosen a word this year, and you find yourself uncertain of who you are in Christ, I encourage you to choose Identity. Do so in faith, believing He will reveal to you who He has made you to be.

What came from that year of exploring God's promise, His heart, His call and purpose on me, is this Community called Pressed Olives.

Prayer: Father, you have said I am fearfully and wonderfully made. That I am Your workmanship in Christ Jesus, made for good works which you decided beforehand. I am created with purpose and intentionality, uncover and reveal who You created me to be, that I might walk out Your mandate faithfully, stewarding all You have given well. In Jesus' name, Amen!

I received this beautiful jar from a friend. She filled it with Biblical promises and truth. Each day you pick one out of the jar and read it aloud to yourself. As a reminder of who you are in Christ. I believe she found the idea on Pinterest if you're interested in making one of your own.