Who am I? 

We live in a world full of lies. We live in a world that tells us that we will never be good enough. We will never be skinny enough, as attractive as the person next to us, we will never be smart enough or funny enough and to be ourselves just isn't 'enough'. The things that the world tells us about ourselves directly challenges who God says that we are...and, in return, God directly challenges what the world says about us.
Genesis 1:27 "So God created human beings in His image. In the image of God He created them. He created them male and female." Verse 31 "God looked at everything He had made, and it was very good." The Creator of the Universe, of the earth, skies, seas, animals and birds, the creator of EVERYTHING created you and I. Not only did He create us, but He created us in His IMAGE. He created us in His likeness, and He saw that it was good. Unfortunately sin came into the world, man fell and became separated from God. However, God is so good that He sent His only son to die on the cross for us, to reconcile us with Him. Why, therefore, do we still believe the lies that come from the same mouth of the serpent that tricked Adam and Eve? 
I believe that if we all knew the full extent of how much God values us then our lives would look totally different, and I'm preaching to myself here. So often I have believed lies that have stopped me from using my gifts and talents in their full ability to serve and glorify God. God has placed a big passion inside me for music, yet I've been too insecure about my abilities to ever lead worship or serve Him through my passion. But He has been teaching me that He has a very different, and very significant plan and purpose for each one of our lives, so if He has gifted you with something then USE it, and use it to glorify Him. Don't let fear or insecurities hold you back from being exactly who you are created to be. We were created by the CREATOR to be creative, so let loose!! 
God has called us into a co-labouring relationship with Him. More often than not, we ask God to answer a prayer FOR us, rather than THROUGH us. Jesus didn't accomplish everything so that we would accomplish nothing. In fact when He was going back up to heaven He told His disciples that we would do even GREATER things than He did (John 14:12). But how can we accomplish anything if we don't know who we are in Christ, who God has called us, who He thinks that we are! Identity outside of Christ is inherently unstable. If we don't know our identity in Christ then we allow other people's comments and remarks to command our destiny. God's word pulls us into our futures. It tells us who we are now, which shows us what we can do. When I hear the way some of my friends talk about themselves it breaks my heart, so I can't even imagine how much it breaks our Father's heart. There is a real need for people to know exactly who they are. When you know who you are, you can change the world. Think of all the amazing things Jesus did. He turned water into wine, healed the sick, rose the dead, walked on water, made the blind see, He brought many people to God, He died and rose again and yet He said we will do even greater things than He! We need to see that happening. We need to be out healing the sick, raising the dead and making miracles happen in the name of Jesus. Christ left us the Holy Spirit as our guide and helper. One that will live in us and do Kingdom work through us. We need to be doing more!
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away and the new has come." I have let myself be dragged down by my past for too long. I have messed up a billion times. I've been so far from God that I didn't even know myself. I've made the most stupid mistakes and I have really damaged my heart but that's my past. And although God will work with me through my past and healing can be a LONG process sometimes, He also calls me a NEW CREATION. The past is gone, sing a new song! While working through my past with Christ, and learning new lessons, I will live as a new creation. I will not dwell in my past. I will walk forth knowing that Jesus has covered me by His blood and I am made new. I am forgiven. I am a child of God BY RIGHT (John 1:12) and there is no condemnation for me (Romans 8:1) so I will live as a child of the day. 
Malachi 3:3 "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD"

Our Father is refining us like silver. He will sit and refine us. When a refiner is purifying silver they must keep their eye on the silver at ALL times so that it does not spoil. The refiner knows when the silver is fully refined when he can see his image in it... God is refining us to perfection, He always has His eye on us and He is looking for His image inside us. And I know, for me, He is seeing Himself in me more and more each day, as I make a conscious effort to live for Him, to spend time with Him, to love Him and to serve Him. I encourage you to do the same. He loves you SO much. Let Him refine you and purify you. Then you can walk in the full knowledge of who you are in Him: a beloved, righteous, spotless, whole, blameless, holy, pardoned, forgiven, redeemed child of the King of Kings. Let your life reflect who you are!