Daily Devotional

LOVING ONESELF IS HONORING GOD

July 24

eloved, look at your face in a mirror! What do you see? Are you handsome or beautiful? Are you plain looking? You must understand that you are very precious to your Heavenly Father! If you are negative about not only your face, but about yourself in general, then you may well be grieving the Holy Spirit of God! Your Father in Heaven sees your face as very beautiful. This is especially so when you have been washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus! In fact, he has prepared for you a spiritual body in glory (heaven) which will be easily recognizable by your loved ones when they see you there! Remember, God Himself made you to look exactly the way you do. If you are beautiful or handsome, you have your own true battles to fight with pride and arrogance. If your looks are plain your Father in Heaven sees you as truly beautiful in His eyes. Also, the excellence of the Holy Spirit dwelling upon you when you are joyful, praising and happy truly causes you to be attractive to people with a holy attraction which is certainly more powerful and blessing for you than a pretty face. If you are negative about your looks or about yourself (your lack of knowledge, your clumsiness, other areas of self-destruction or self-negation), then, through your negativism you create a barrier around yourself so that you will not receive the blessings, love and outpourings from God that you truly need to empower yourself in Christ to overcome the world, the devil and the attacks of other persons against you! What are you going to do about this? Here is a prayer and confession that will help you: Father, I confess this sin in my life. I confess that I have been very negative about myself. I have not confessed that I am ". . . a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. We are His own special people (person, me) to proclaim the praises of Him who called (me) you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (I Peter 2:9) "Wow! Father, am I truly all those things that you call me in the Bible? That's great! I really am sorry for cheapening myself in your presence by speaking and thinking negatively of myself. I repent of this sin, and seek your release from this bondage."

Prayer

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Father, you are so blessed! I praise you for loving me when I have refused to love myself. Deliver me into the light of godly self-love and self-appreciation. I desire to walk in the light of the Lord Jesus in every way! Where I fail, help me Lord. I will bless you always and wait patiently and lovingly for the day when we shall see the perfection of all things in glory with you. In Jesus' name I give you praise, amen!