Verse of the bible for 2022

Lesedauer 3 Minuten

Everyone longs for acceptance and love in life. To be accepted just as you are and to belong somewhere. And each of us certainly knows the feeling of being excluded, of not really being accepted in a group or community, or even of being rejected. Those who have had the experience in childhood of not being accepted due to their mistakes and weaknesses, of having to achieve something in order to get recognition or simply being excluded due to being different, these situations often shape their whole life.

The thought pattern of being an outsider is not easy to break. There is a way out, however. Everyone can have the experience to be loved unconditionally, to be accepted with all weaknesses and faults. Jesus invites all people to come to him just as they are. He promises:

“Whoever comes to me I will not be rejected or cast out.” John 6:37

Jesus does not judge our doing, thinking, or status. Everyone can come. God accepts us. Whoever accepts this invitation and comes to him, experiences acceptance and real belonging. Jesus himself took the first step towards us humans. He came to earth as a human being to be close to us and to reconcile us with God the Father. Whoever comes to Jesus and believes that he is the way to the Father, that he paid for our guilt and sin through his death, is accepted into eternal communion with God. God will not reject anyone who comes to him, no matter what the past is. Experiencing this unconditional love of God, helps to break through and let go of negative thought patterns. In addition, we can bring all of our injuries and experiences in which we felt excluded or rejected, to God. For this, too, Jesus died to relieve us of all burdens. He has already carried them on the cross. Jesus liberates and fills our hearts with his love and acceptance.

God’s love also helps us to forgive and to take a step towards our fellow human beings, just as Jesus came to us. So we can see the other with God’s eyes.

“Therefore accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, that God may be honored!” Romans 15:17 NIV

“Dear brothers and sisters, we want to love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love has not known God, because God is love. 9 God’s love for us is evident in the fact that he sent his only Son into the world to give us life in him. 10 Love is not because we loved God, but because he loved us and sent his Son as an atonement for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we too must love one another. 12 No one has ever seen him himself. But when we love one another, God lives in us, and his love has reached its goal in us. 13 We can tell that we live in him and he in us by the fact that he has given us a share in his spirit. 14 We have also seen with our own eyes and can testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 And if anyone confesses to Jesus as the Son of God, then God lives in him and he in God. 16 In any case, we have seen that God loves us; and we believe in his love. God is love, and whoever lives in love lives in God and God lives in him. 17 In this, too, love has come to its goal with us: We can look forward to the day of judgment with confidence, because just as Jesus is connected to the Father, we also live in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, for God’s perfect love removes all fear. Anyone who is still afraid expects to be punished. With him, love has not yet reached its goal. 19 But we love because he first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God!” But hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. Because if you don’t love your siblings, whom you can see, how can you love God, whom you have never seen? 21 Remember the commandment God gave us: He who loves God should also love his brothers and sisters. 1 John 4: 7-21 NIV

You are worthy

Lesedauer 5 Minuten

In Wikipedia, self-worth is defined as follows: “Self-worth (also: self-esteem, self-confidence,) is understood by psychology to be the assessment that one has of oneself.” Psychologists assume that our identity is shaped by a mixture of genetic predispositions and social environment. But how do I rate myself, based on which criteria? How do I feel about myself? The image I have of myself has developed in the course of life, based on my experiences, based on what other people spoke into my life and has also been defined by comparing me with other people. But comparing things did more harm than good to my self-image, because there is always someone who is more successful, more beautiful, braver, more intelligent, funnier, more creative, etc. than me. This increases dissatisfaction, tension and the feeling of not being good enough. There was pressure to perform, because the value I gave myself was dependent on the recognition of people. I always wanted to please everyone and found it harder and harder to say “no”, even if something was overwhelming. When I got to know Jesus and invited him into my life , my self-worth changed as I let him give me my worth.

God’s love for me is indescribable, incomprehensible and overwhelming. I was created uniquely, a one-of-a-kind, a marvel of God.

Isaiah 53: 4: You are precious in my eyes and I love you!

“I thank you for being wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows it well. ”Psalm 139:14

I can “be”. God loves me the way I am. He knows my heart. He also knows my limitations, my mistakes, my weaknesses. His love is unconditional and constant. He thinks much more of me than I do myself. He trusts me more than I trust myself. He finds me valuable, regardless of what I do. God has given me gifts and abilities that only I have. That’s why I don’t need to compare or measure myself with others. Image result for what god thinks about me It is my goal to recognize how God meant me and to live in his destiny for my life. I can only recognize myself as God meant me when I open my heart and meet him, when I ask him in prayer and he puts an answer in my heart. I no longer want to live to please other people, but to please God. My identity questions: “Who am I? Why am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going? ”received an answer in Jesus Christ. I am a beloved daughter of God, I was created to be in fellowship with God, to live in relationship (that is my destiny), God is my Creator and after my death I will return home to God the Father. My identity is in Christ.

You are our father. We are the clay, you are the potter, and we are the work of your hand, Isaiah 64: 7

God shows us his love in his word, there I can meet him, get to know his father’s heart. The word of God, the Bible is a love letter from God to us humans.

God doesn’t love you because you are so precious But you are valuable, because God loves you so. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

That I’m worth in your eyes exceeds my feeling and understanding, but your promises are more reliable than my fickle feelings. And if it may be a long way until I learn to see myself, I still know: You have countless possibilities to share in your good thoughts about me. (Prayer by Antje Sabine Naegeli )

My self-worth today is determined by the truths that God Himself speaks about my life. Little by little, in a constant process, God shows me the life lies that I believed, exposes the negative evaluation, the thoughts that the enemy tries to persuade me and replaces them with the liberating truth of God.

I know everything about you. (The Bible, Psalm 139: 1) I know when to sit down and when to get up. (Psalm 139.2) All your ways are known to me. (Psalm 139: 3) Even the hair on your head is numbered. (Matthew 10: 29-31) Because I made you in my own image. (Genesis 1:27) I knew you even before you were received. (Jeremiah 1: 4-5) I chose you when I planned creation. (Ephesians 1: 4, 11) You were not a mistake. (Psalm 139:15) I determined when you should be born and where you would live. Acts 17:26) You are wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) I formed you in your mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13) I have been misrepresented to you by those who do not know me. (John 8:41) I am not far away and angry, but the perfect expression of love. (1 John 4:16) It is my desire to shower you with love. (1 John 3,1) Simply because you are my child and I am your father. (1 John 3,1) I offer you more than your earthly father could ever do. (Matthew 7:11) Because I am the perfect father. (Matthew 5:48) Every good gift you receive comes from my hand. (John 1:16) Because I take care of you and meet you in every need. (Matthew 6: 31-32) My plan for your future is always hope. (Jeremiah 31,3) Because I love you with everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31,3) My thoughts about you are innumerable, like the sand on the seashore. (Psalm 139: 17-18) I sing about you for joy. (Zefania 3.17) I will not stop doing you good. (Jeremiah 32:40) Because you are my most precious possession. (Exodus 19: 5) Enjoy me and I will fulfill the wishes of your heart. (Psalm 37: 4) For it is I who have put these wishes into you. (Philippians 2:13) I can do more for you than you can imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) You can do everything through me, who makes you strong. (Philippians 4:13) For I am your greatest encouragement. (2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17) I give you ability. (2 Corinthians 3: 5) I give you strength and prudence. (2 Timothy 1,7) I am also the father who comforts you in all troubles. (2 Corinthians 1: 3) You can rely on me in every need. When your heart is broken, I am close to you. (Psalm 34:19) Like a shepherd carries his shaft, I have carried you by my heart. (Isaiah 40:11) One day I will wipe every tear from your eyes. (Revelation 21: 4) I stand by you. My abundance is immeasurable. (139.17) I will satisfy your deepest longing. I give you love that drives away fear. (1 John 4:18) I answer you and free you from all your trouble. (Psalm 34: 5) I am your father and I love you as much as I love my son Jesus. (John 17:23) For in Jesus my love for you is revealed. (John 17:26) He is the perfect image of my being (Hebrews 1,3) And he came to prove to you that I am for you and not against you. (Romans 8:31) I am the water to the thirsty. And to tell you that I don’t blame you for your sins. (2 Corinthians 5:19) Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled to one another. (2 Corinthians 5:18) Through Jesus your debts are forgiven. (Ephesians 1: 7) You are good enough through Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Jesus’ death was the deepest expression of my love for you. (1 John 4: 9-10) I gave everything I love to win your love. (Romans 8:32) I never want to think about your sins and evil deeds again. (Hebrews 10:17) If you accept my son’s gift, you accept me. (1 John 2:23) I am your comforter. Those who stick to my son will not be convicted. (John 3:18) I called you by your name. And nothing can ever separate you from my love again. (Romans 8,38-39) You will find protection with me. (Psalm 32) I am the light in the darkness. Your prayers are on my mind. (Acts 10: 5) Out of love I have determined that you are my child. (Ephesians 1: 5-6) Accept me and I will host the greatest celebration. (Luke 15: 4-7) I have always been a father and I will always be a father. (Ephesians 3: 14-15) I give you living hope. I ask you: do you want to be my child? (John 1:12) Follow me, I will save you. I’m waiting for you! (Luke 15: 11-32

Remove the masks

Lesedauer 3 Minuten

How are you in the current situation with a mask obligation? It happens to me often, when I go to the village or to the shop for shopping that I don’t recognize the people under the mask at first. I always have to look twice. Meeting people with masks is different, it feels more distant, I don’t recognize facial expressions, no facial language. The masks serve as protection, but they are like a barrier between people.

Today, however, I would like to speak about those masks that we also wear outside of obligated mask times. We all know situations in which we wore an invisible mask. Situations where we do not show what we really are, pretend and are not authentic. But why do we want to hide behind masks?

we want to protect ourselves
we are afraid to show our true face
we think about what other people think or say about us
we seek recognition from people
we just want to show our best side
we are afraid of being hurt even if we show our mistakes and weaknesses
we fear the judgment of other people
As a result, we like to take on roles that we are not. We pretend and hide under a mask that shows the picture of us that we just want to show.

But we are not really doing well, we all want to be accepted and seen, just how we really are. We feel comfortable in an environment and with people, where we are accepted and loved, with all our mistakes, inadequacies and weaknesses, in our imperfection.

Where and with whom can we remove our masks?

I have experienced such unconditional love primarily with God. I don’t have to pretend in front of him, he knows me better than I know myself. He knows my heart and everything that goes on there.

“Lord, you have tested my heart and know everything about me” Psalm 139: 1

He knows every one of my thoughts.

“When I sit or when I get up, you know it. You know all my thoughts ”Psalm 139.2

He knows all of my intentions and actions.

“When I go or when I rest, you see it and you are familiar with everything I do” Psalm 139.3

He knows my words.

“And you, Lord, know what I want to say before I say it” Psalm 139: 4

I cannot hide from God because He is everywhere.

“Where should I flee from your mind, and where could I escape your presence? If I fly up to heaven, you are there; I went down into the realm of the dead [1], so you are there too. If I took the wings of the dawn or lived on the outermost sea, your hand would also lead me there and your strong arm would hold me. If I asked the darkness to hide myself and the light around me to become night – I could still not hide from you; for night shines as brightly as day and darkness as light “Psalm 139: 7-12

God loves me just as I am. His love is unconditional. He has good thoughts about me.

“How precious are your thoughts about me [3], God! There are an infinite number. If I wanted to count them, they are more numerous than the sand! ”Psalm 139: 17-18

The more I become aware of his love and recognize who I am in God’s eyes, the more I can accept myself as I am and be authentic to the outside world.
The more I know how God thinks about me, the less important I get what other people think about me. Fear of God defeats fear of man.
The more I realize that God is powerful in my weakness, the easier it is for me to show my weaknesses and to be less vulnerable.
The more I know that I am a child of God and belong to him, the less I always have to belong everywhere.
The more masks I take off, the freer I become and the more i can be who I really am, just as God created and meant me.

“You created everything in me and shaped me in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderful and excellent! Your works are wonderful, I know that. You watched how I was made in secret, how I was formed in the darkness of the womb [2]. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was written in your book. Every moment was certain before the first day began ”Psalm 139: 13-16

I want to keep growing in seeing myself with God’s eyes. I am a beloved daughter of God, made unique and valuable and I want to live more in this identity. Because living without masks brings freedom, transforms distance into proximity, is real and honest. And in addition to God, there will certainly be people who appreciate this openness and honesty and who understand and love me, not because I wear a mask, but precisely because I took it off.

And in the same way I want to meet others and create space for real encounters, where masks can fall and the other can be as he is, feels valued and accepted. So that the real self can appear under the mask.

A person sees what is in front of their eyes; but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16.7