Becoming The Best Version of Yourself

 When we think of the words Image and Self Image what do we think of? Do we think at first an Image is just a painting, a picture worth a thousand words? Do we think of Images as pictures of we see ourselves as God sees us? Or do we look at our own Self Image and see that the words that people might paint in our mind that the enemy tells them to say, are true about us? Do we really need the Filter of the Image that the enemy says we are or can we look up to God and see that No Filter at all can be one of the best images God sees us in cause we were made to be who we are in the Image of Him and we are Beloved everyday? All questions to ask ourselves as we dive into the scriptures that talk about Image, Self Image, Image of God, and let's just be keeping this in mind as these questions will help us reflect on who we are called to be. John 10 verse 10, 1 John 3 verse 1-3, James 3 verse 9, Ephesians 2 verse 10, Psalm 139 verse 14, 1 Samuel 16 verse 7, 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17, Genesis 1 verse 26-27, Titus 1 verse 4, Romans 5 verse 8, Luke 12 verse 7, Philippians 2 verse 3, Romans 12 verse 2, 2 Timothy 1 verse 7, Colossians 3 verse 12, Romans 3 verse 23, Ephesians 6 verse 12, Joshua 1 verse 9, John 15 verse 5, Ephesians 4 verse 24, John 1 verse 1, John 4 verse 24, John 1 verse 12, 2 Corinthians 4 verse 16, John 3 verse 16-17, John 15 verse 12.

In every scripture we go back to the reflection questions and we see how we don't need to be anyone else but our true and genuine self in who God has made to be. We see how God has shown us that if we just try and become the best versions of ourselves and trust in the heart of Him then we can start to see how the enemies lies around us are nothing but just little specs of dust that vanish cause we start realizing the Truth. The Truth in which God is, The Truth in who we see ourselves in who God made us to be daily.

Sometimes when I pray, You wonder if I'm talking to the ceiling, Sometimes when I sing, I question if this whole thing's just a feeling, Who are you? Who am I? Questions just keep racing through my mind

If you want me, Here I am, no filters, With questions more than answers, You want me, here I am, No hiding, No more playing perfect, 'Cause honesty is worth it, You want me, here I am, You want me, here I am, Sometimes I do all the right things, Hoping it would you make proud of me, hmm-mm, Is it ok to feel you, More in nature than inside church buildings? Hmm-mm, Who are you? Who am I?, Question after question in my mind, If you want me, Here I am, no filters, With questions more than answers, You want me, here I am, No hiding, No more playing perfect, 'Cause honesty is worth it, You want me, here I am, You want me, here I am, oh, You want me, here I am, I want to believe, I do, Help my unbelief, Help my unbelief, Oh, I want to believe the truth, Help my unbelief, Help my unbelief, If you want me, Here I am, no filters, With questions more than answers, You want me, here I am.

You've owned your fear and all your self-loathing, You've owned the voices inside of your head, You've owned the shame and reproach of your failure, It's time to own your belovedness, You've owned your past and how it's defined you, You've owned everything everybody else says, It's time to hear what your Father has spoken, It's time to own your belovedness, He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you, I find you beautiful in every way, My love for you is fierce and unending, I'll come to find you, whatever it takes, My beloved".

I don't wanna take a step unless You lead it, I don't wanna speak a word unless You breathe it, God I'm looking up, keep me looking up, Looking up to the light I know will guide me, And I pray every day You find me, Find me looking up, always looking up, I've been working my whole life, To stand up on this stage, In front of a crowd under the bright lights, Yeah, but one thing has changed, I used to dream of the day it was my name, That everybody knew, Now I know that You led me here to leave 'em, Looking up to You, You, You.

When you close your eyes, do you go back there, To a bended knee and a "Lord, I need you" whispered prayer?, Remember the moment you let Jesus in, Would you give anything to go back there again? , You feel like a million mistakes and a million miles, Away from the first time faith of a child, But oh, I want you to know, He's making you new, He's making you new, He's healing your heart right where you are, If only you knew, He's lifting your shame, He's changing your name And when you look back, The only thing that you'll see is His grace, Has been making you brand new, He is making you brand new.

We are made, Made in the image of, Made in the image of God, Beautiful shades of love, We are made, Made in the image of, Made in the image of God, That's where the light comes from, We all need the same medicine, We all need another second chance, There's no first in line at the foot of the Cross.

With all of this we see that we don't need a Filter to know we are made in The Image Of God, to know we can look up to Him as we own our Belovedness and know that He made us to be who we are because He loves us for who we are called to be as His Children and no matter how many times the Enemy will try to steal, kill and destroy our joy, we know that all we need to do is keep becoming the best versions of ourselves because if we do that, the right people in our life now and those who get to know us will keep loving us for who we are, not who the Enemy thinks we are and will love us for us, and for who God loves us as His Children because when we become the best version of ourselves in who Christ made us to be, Christ will show us that is really all we need to do because Christ loved us first and He knows our hearts, we were and truly are made in the Image of Him and He knows our hearts and thoughts before we ask or think it, and so as we continue throughout our week, let us remember to keep being the best version of our self, so that we can continue to help encourage and uplift others around us that may doubt themselves.

See when we doubt ourselves we don't try and be the best version of our self, instead we let the enemy take over and put us down, to tell us we are not worthy, how can we truly be loved by God? Well, see that is a lie from the enemy because we are worthy and loved by God and God only wants us to become the best versions of ourselves every day in who we were made and called to be in the plan that He has for our lives.

So take time even to remember Jeremiah 29 verse 11 that says: For I Know The Plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, but to give you a hope and a future.

That hope and future will help lead you in His plan to show you, You are where you're supposed to be.

You are who you were made to be. You are becoming the best version of yourself in Christ rather than being what the enemy thinks is the best version of you, by putting lies, fear, anxiety and doubt in your heart.

A Comparison To Others

 The concept of the study is in a way based off of how a friend of mine who has become family,  tells me that I don't need to compare myself to anyone who tries to change me, but to just be my genuine self and the right people in my life are going to love me for who I am, but the main idea of it all where it comes together is how we don't have to compare ourselves to anyone, or make a comparison of who we are or who we see ourselves as to someone else because the comparison that we should see is a true reflection of how Christ made us in His Image as Beloved Children who are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and as He calls us His, we know we are not a mistake and we are Beloved by the One who created us and shows us that there is more to this life than just trying to fit in and being somebody that we are not versus just being our genuine self to where God will always love us for us because sometimes it's hard to not make a comparison in who we see ourselves as versus we think at times we need to change and compare ourselves to the other person in this world to be the same, but God doesn't want that, cause He made us differently, He made us unique to show us that He has put a plan in place to show us that the plan He has for our lives is different but we are one of a kind, a new creation in Him to do His Will. So while we think and reflect on this part of the message in how we don't have to compare ourselves or make a comparison to others, let's look at some scriptures that are going to show a little bit more of just that in what we are learning.

Galatians 2 verse 20, 2 Corinthians 10 verse 12, Romans 12 verse 2, Matthew 7 verses 1-2, 2 Timothy 2 verse 15, Romans 12 verse 3, Psalm 118 verse 6, John 21 verse 22, Psalm 139 verse 14, 2 Timothy 3 verse 17, Psalm 138 verse 8, Jeremiah 29 verse 11, Hebrews 11 verse 1, Matthew 11 verse 28, John 14:27.

Don't Compare Yourself To Others. Compare Yourself To God.  When we compare ourselves with others, we are using the wrong measuring stick. We should be measuring ourselves against the perfect standard, Christ.

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Run Your Race, Stop Comparing Yourself To Others.

Now there's another thing I'm wishing, I wish I didn't just say what I just said, Cause now everybodys heard, All the insecure voices in my head, Not good, not cool enough, don't measure up, yeah I've had enough, Hey I don't wanna spend my life, Wishing I was different, That would be a waste of time, Cause I know You love me just as I am, And I know my God don't make mistakes, So, I'm just gonna be the me you made, The whole world is posting pictures, Looks like everybody else has a perfect life, And we're just watching from the bleachers, Discontent and thinking wouldn't it be nice, But comparison is the thief of joy, Trust me, I know cause for way too long I let it steal my joy, but not anymore, Hey I don't wanna spend my life, Wishing I was different, That would be a waste of time, Cause I know You love me just as I am, And I know my God don't make mistakes, So, I'm just gonna be the me you made, Yeah, I'm just gonna be the me you made.

You've owned your fear and all your self-loathing, You've owned the voices inside of your head, You've owned the shame and reproach of your failure, It's time to own your belovedness, You've owned your past and how it's defined you, You've owned everything everybody else says, It's time to hear what your Father has spoken, It's time to own your belovedness, He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you, I find you beautiful in every way, My love for you is fierce and unending, I'll come to find you, whatever it takes, My beloved", You've owned the mess you see in the mirror, You've owned the lies that you're just not enough, You've been so blinded by all you're comparing, It's time to own your belovedness, He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you, I find you beautiful in every way, My love for you is fierce and unending, I'll come to find you, whatever it takes, My beloved", You are completely loved and fully known, Beloved, believe He died to make your heart His home, And He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you, I find you beautiful in every way, My love for you is fierce and unending, I'll come to find you, whatever it takes", He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you, I find you beautiful in every way, My love for you is fierce and unending, I'll come to find you, whatever it takes, My beloved", It's time to own your belovedness.

Just like these last two songs and everything we read in scripture and heard in the beginning, let us remember how we don't need to have a comparison to others because we don't need to be like everyone else, all we need to do is compare ourselves in the true reflection of who God is and who God made us to be, so that we can be a living and walking testament in how God is crafting our scrapbook in the testimony for our lives because His plan is greater than any other plan we can compare anything else to.

The Smalls Steps Of Diving Into Faith

 Hebrews 11 verse 1, 2 Corinthians 5 verse 7, Psalm 150 verse 1-6, 1 John 1 verse 9, 2 Timothy 3 verse 16-17, 1Peter 3 verse 15, Romans 10 verse 17, Matthew 6 verse 33, 3 John 1 verse 3, 2 John 1 verse 2.

Mark 10 verse 52, Matthew 9 verse 9, Philippians 4 verse 13, 1 Samuel 16 verse 7, Luke 6 verse 35.

James 1 verse 2-4, 1 Corinthians 13 verse 1-13, Acts 2 verse 38, John 3 verse 16-17, Psalm 23 verse 1-6.

In the scriptures we can see that if we just take a small step of Faith we can overcome in the process of knowing that God is in our midst and He makes a way in the midst of time in what we need in our heart as a reminder that our Faith can be made strong in our relationship with Christ. We know and understand that our Faith is a Substance of things hoped for and things yet not seen.

We understand and can tell that our God is greater in the small steps of diving into Faith, taking a deeper dive into what Faith is that we can overcome by the blood of the Lamb because our story is a living and breathing testament of who God has made us and who God has called us to be in this walk we take with Him because if we have Faith the size of a Mustard Seed, we can take that small leap or step to know that the plans that God has for us is to prosper us, not to harm us, but to give us a hope and a future.

The long awaited rains, Have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground, And carved their way to where

The wild and rushing river can be found And like the rain, I have been carried here to where the river flows, yeah, My heart is racing and my knees are weak, As I walk to the edge, I know there is no turning back, Once my feet have left the ledge And in the rush I hear a voice, That's telling me it's time to take the leap of faith, So here I go, I'm diving in, I'm going deep, in over my head I want to be, Caught in the rush, tossed in the flow, in over my head I want to go, The river's deep, the river's wide, the river's water is alive, So sink or swim, I'm diving in (I'm diving in...)

Oh me of little faith, Can't seem to see my way, Out of the storm I'm in, Diving waves are crashing in

Down to my last mustard seed, God help oh me of little faith, Oh me of little hope, What I would give to know, Answers waiting on the other side, Of the pain and the tears I've cried, At the end of a worn out rope, God help oh me of little hope, Lord, I believe but help my unbelief cause, Trust and fear are fighting and I'm somewhere in between, A fumbling fool I am, I'll never understand how You oh God of endless grace, Can love oh me of little faith, Oh me of little peace, This world won't let me be, Spinning out of my control, Troubled times, troubled soul, Help me fix my eyes on Thee, God help oh me of little peace, Oh me of little love A lonely life in the middle of A sea of faces racing on, I think I find it, then it's gone But You fill my empty cup, God help oh me of little love, Lord, I believe but help my unbelief cause, Trust and fear are fighting and I'm somewhere in between, A fumbling fool You know I am, I'll never understand how You oh God of endless grace, Can love oh me of little faith.

If I could talk to myself eight years ago, Seeing what I've seen, knowing what I know, I would tell that quiet kid, There'll be days ahead when it doesn't make sense, I would tell him he can trust Your hand

'Cause now I gotta picture of the greater plan, I can see with perfect clarity, It wasn't tragedy, it was what I needed.

Can't escape disappointment, Can't avoid the delay, But I don't have to make feeling down and defeated the place that I stay, Gonna rise to the moment, Gonna speak to the waves, Gonna push back that doubt that keeps dragging me down when I can't find a way, Don't need to see it (eyes on You), To believe it (for my breakthrough), Before You even move or make a way, I will stand in faith (eyes on You), Walk by faith (for my breakthrough), Live by faith (before You move), Oh, I believe, I believe, I believe, Stand in faith (eyes on You), See by faith (for my breakthrough), Receive by faith (before You move), Oh, I believe, I believe, I believe.

O God did I hear You?, You really want me to, Walk up to that mountain, Tell it just to move, This is crazy, yeah, But here face in that picture, I said that's our daughter, But we can't swim this ocean, But You're telling us to move, This is crazy, yeah, Lord, this scares me, yeah, But it's gonna take crazy faith, So what if it costs (me) everything, I'm stepping out, I'm taking the leap of crazy faith, Crazy faith.

Faith isn't about asking God to stop the storm. It's about Trusting God to Help You Through The Storm. Just Believe.

Faith is not the absence of Fear but the Presence of Courage.

The smallest seed of Faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness.

“Your first small step must be followed by another, and another, until you realize that God has indeed made a way for you to know him personally.”

“Little progress is better than no progress at all. Success comes in taking many small steps. If you stumble in a small step, it rarely matters. Don’t gift wrap the garbage. Let little failures go.”

I raise a hallelujah, In the presence of my enemies, I raise a hallelujah, Louder than the unbelief, I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me.

In all of this what have we learned? What can we do this week to show that even taking the small steps of diving deeper into Faith can be an outcome to share the knowledge of the Holy Spirit with someone who feels like they don't have someone to talk with when they feel alone when they are not? How can we apply all of what we learned so that we can Stand In Our Faith even stronger than before to not let the enemy steal, kill, and destroy our Joy to not let Him win a battle or trial that we face sometimes, but realize God is in control when we feel like we sometimes can't go on? Think of these questions and then really reflect on how In The Small Steps Of Diving Into Faith is where God is going to show you that your Faith alone, but with Faith, He will show you that He can move Mountains for you and I and He'll help you continue to grow.