Who I Am in Christ: Daily Devotional

By Len Woods

Who am I? How does God see me? From forgiven and redeemed to chosen and victorious, the Who I Am in Christ Daily Devotional will refresh you in God’s presence as you deepen your understanding of how God sees you and what it means to be a new creation in Christ. Experience the joy that comes from daily realizing that your identity is based on what God has done through his Son, Jesus Christ! You can live with confidence, assurance, and hope because you have a new identity in Christ. Includes 100 daily readings, Scripture, and prayer.

Do you know how God sees you? Do you realize how much God values you? You are loved, accepted, and cared for because of who you are to God—not what you do for him. You don't have to earn or prove yourself. He loves you already. Discover how to rest in this truth with Rose's Who I Am in Christ Devotional.

Each of the 100 daily devotions includes:

• An encouraging 1-page devotion, perfect for busy schedules
• Key Bible verse & cross references
• Personal reflection question
• A short prayer to help you apply the daily devotional

Every page of this book is offered with the prayer that readers will follow Jesus more deeply, loving God, and serving others a little more every day.

Whether you're reading it with a disciple or as your own personal daily refreshment, the Who I Am in Christ Daily Devotional will never leave you the same!

What makes this 100 Days of Who I Am in Christ Daily Devotional special?

Start your day right with an uplifting devotion that strengthens your faith, prayer, worship, understanding of God, and more. Each of the 100 devotions includes a Bible verse, reflection question, prayer, and additional cross references.

Perfect for individual and group use, discipleship groups, small groups or Sunday school classes, Christian or home schools, new believers' class, support groups, prayer circles, church libraries, prison ministry, and more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
• Release date: Mar 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781649386762

Len Woods

Married with two grown sons, Len Woods is a Louisiana native with degrees from LSU (BA, 1980) and Dallas Seminary (ThM, 1987). Before working as an editor at Walk Thru The Bible Ministries, Len was a meat grinder, youth director, book store clerk, chauffeur, floor buffer, and waiter. From 1990 to 2014, he served in pastoral ministry and freelanced on the side. In 2014, he left vocational “church world" to became a full-time writer. Altogether Len has authored, coauthored, or ghostwritten more than twenty books, and he’s contributed to numerous other books and resources for Christian growth. When not at his keyboard, Len enjoys coffee with friends, a well-told story, any sort of road trip, and daydreaming about Colorado waterfalls.

Book preview

Day 3

Running from

Who We Are

"The man and his wife heard the sound of the

Lord

God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the

Lord

God among the trees of the garden."

—Genesis 3:8

Imagine being in the federal government’s witness protection program:

Moving to some strange place where you don’t know a soul

Living under an assumed name

Pretending to be someone you’re not

Forever looking over your shoulder

Talk about a lonely, nerve-wracking existence!

In a sense that’s a snapshot of humanity. Adam and Eve had a perfect life in Eden. But sin rose up in their hearts and ruined everything. After they were forced to leave in a hurry, they parented a whole race who were expert at hiding and pretending.

We’ve been running so long, life in Paradise now seems like a faint dream. And life in an uncertain world makes us feel restless and on edge. What can we do?

The good news is that we are being pursued by the one who knows exactly who we are, loves us unconditionally, and offers ultimate protection.

For Reflection

What are some of the things about yourself that you try to run from? What have you been trying to hide from others? From God?

Prayer

Lord, if I run today, may it be to you. Amen.

For Further Study

Psalm 139:1–12

The psalmist describes the futility of trying to hide from God.

Day 4

What’s in a Name?

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

—Proverbs 22:1

What’s the first thing we do when meeting someone new? Easy. We exchange names.

Names are the most basic form of identification. They designate who we are and differentiate us from everyone and everything we are not (e.g., Winston Churchill, Toyota Camry, Miami Beach).

Names may reveal something of a person’s heritage. For example, Sean O’Grady is probably of Irish descent and John D. Rockefeller V is probably from a long line of prestigious men.

But ultimately, a name comes to stand for a person’s overall character and life. Contrast the ways people react to the names Helen Keller and Adolph Hitler.

In the Bible, names not only provide identity, they carry authority. For example, doing something in the name of Jesus means doing that thing exactly as Christ would do it. Frequently, names in Scripture are changed to suggest a new destiny or a transformation in character.

The Word of God calls the people of God a host of really good names—we are far richer than we can imagine!

For Reflection

What does your name say about you? If you could choose a name for yourself, what would that name be? Why?

Prayer

Almighty God, giver of life, grant me the faith today to believe I am exactly who you say I am. Amen.

For Further Study

Isaiah 43:1–7

God speaks about knowing his people by name and knowing them intimately.

Day 5

A Case of Mistaken Identity

"This is what the

Lord

says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the

Lord

, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the

Lord

."

—Jeremiah 9:23–24

Like us, the ancient people of God got confused about where to find meaning, significance, and satisfaction in life. It took a bold prophet, Jeremiah, to remind them that life is rooted in something much deeper than smarts, power, or wealth. All those things can be lost. True identity and security are found in being a person who knows the Lord.

Stop thinking you are merely a composite of your:

Job title

GPA

Professional resume

Awards

Looks

Net worth

And so on.

Instead, see yourself through the lens of your relationship with God.

For Reflection

Make a list of the blessings God has given you that are yours eternally.

Prayer

God, I am not my successes. Let me enjoy—but not glory in—such things. I’m also not my failures. Please keep me from despair. Grant that I might root my identity in you. Amen.

For Further Study

2 Corinthians 10:13–18

The apostle Paul describes the proper limits of boasting.

Day 6

Can I See Some ID?

"Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The

Lord

gave and the

Lord

has taken away; may the name of the

Lord

be praised.’"

—Job 1:20–21

Though Job’s story is primarily about the universal dilemma of suffering, his statement here says something important about the issue of identity.

We come into this world with our birthday suits. That’s it—no possessions, no abilities, nothing. Though we spend our lives acquiring stuff and doing things, eventually we depart, leaving it all behind. In a real sense, we’re naked again. It’s just us. Clearly, then, identity has nothing to do with amassing a financial portfolio or building a resume.

Interesting, isn’t it? Even when he was overwhelmed with grief, Job recognized that the Lord is where we must look for ultimate meaning and identity.

For Reflection

If we root our identity in our marriage, our kids, our job, or our ability, what happens if or when we lose those things?

Prayer

Lord, keep me from the curse of trying to find my identity in anything but you. Amen.

For Further Study

1 Chronicles 29:10–20

David prays on behalf of the people of Israel, acknowledging that everything they’ve just contributed for the construction of the temple was first given to them by God.

Day 7

Why Identity Matters

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

—Ephesians 4:1

Written from a prison in Rome, Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus is such a goldmine of truth, it’s easy to miss the significant lesson about identity that its layout teaches.

Seriously, notice the way the letter is organized. The first half focuses on eternal truth; the second half on everyday life:

Ephesians 1–3 ask the What? question: What is true of those who are in Christ?

Ephesians 4–6 wrestle with the How? question: How should people live once they are in Christ?

Grab your Bible and see for yourself. Paul doesn’t urge Christians to do anything until he delineates all that Christ has done for us. This explains why we don’t find a single command until the first verse of the fourth chapter!

The very structure of this letter is a powerful reminder that our deep beliefs about who we are will always dictate how we live.

Your understanding of your calling inevitably determines your conduct. Your activity flows out of your sense of identity.

For Reflection

Our verse begins with the phrase as a prisoner for the Lord. How does that description affect the choices you make about what you do?

Prayer

Lord, give me the grace, wisdom, and power to understand and live out the calling I’ve received. Amen.

For Further Study

Colossians 1:9–14

Paul discusses what it means to live a life worthy of the Lord.

Day 8

Misidentification

"Trust in the

Lord

with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

—Proverbs 3:5

People and things get