GOSPEL CORNER:THERE IS GREATNESS IN YOU—TALENT, WISDOM, AND CREATIVITY. GOD HAS DESTINED YOU TO DO SOMETHING AWESOME. BUT IF YOU SEE YOURSELF AS ORDINARY, NOT THAT TALENTED, AND NOT HAVING A GREAT PERSONALITY, THAT DISTORTED IMAGE IS GOING TO KEEP YOU FROM SHINING.

12/04/24

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Creation itself is on tiptoe with expectation, eagerly awaiting the moment when God’s children will be revealed.
Romans 8:19, NTE

BELIEVE THAT IT’S TRUE
There is greatness in you—talent, wisdom, and creativity. God has destined you to do something awesome. But if you see yourself as ordinary, not that talented, and not having a great personality, that distorted image is going to keep you from shining. Don’t discount who you are. Don’t let people or disappointments convince you that you are weak, lacking, or inadequate. Take off the negative labels and get in agreement with who God says you are by putting on new ones, such as “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made,” “Masterpiece,” “One of a Kind,” “Strong,” “Talented,” “Well Able,” and “Successful.”

Will you believe that is true? In today’s Scripture, Paul is saying, in effect, “All of Heaven is waiting for you to recognize who you are.” They’re standing on tiptoe, thinking, “Maybe today they’ll realize they’re a masterpiece, the King’s son or daughter. Maybe today they’ll realize they’re royalty.” Do you want to give Heaven something to cheer about? Make this a new day in your life. See yourself the way God sees you and step up to who you really are.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father, thank You that there are no negative labels that can stick to me because I am Your child. Thank You that I am not defined by a distorted image, but I am defined by what You say about me. I believe that I am Your masterpiece and fearfully and wonderfully made. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO
Where is this secret place of the Most High and how do you get there? Before I answer this question, I want you to be careful of preaching and teaching about Psalm 91 that make “the secret place of the Most High” a place that only an elite few can go to, while the rest of us have no access to it because we haven’t done enough, such as pray for eight hours.

Usually, the person who teaches along these lines is trying to say that there is a standard of holiness that you must attain before you can reach the secret place of the Most High. Now, if this is true and it takes eight hours of prayer at home to be in the secret place of the Most High, then how about those of us who have full-time jobs and can’t pray for eight hours, and who really need protection?

Think about it for a moment. Who needs more protection—the one praying in the safety of his home or the one working out there? Clearly, it is the guy who is working out there in the world where accidents are possible and where he is exposed to all kinds of viruses.

Yet, according to this teaching, he cannot access the secret place because he has not prayed eight hours a day! Does this even make sense to you?

That’s why I don’t like teaching that makes certain people—especially the preacher—appear like they are part of an elite few. The Lord’s blessings are not just for an elite few. If a blessing is from our Lord, everyone has access to it. The young and the old, the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor—all have access by faith to His blessings that are freely given (see Today’s Scripture).

Let me tell you where the secret place of the Most High is. The secret place of the Most High is a place where you are in Christ.

Wouldn’t you agree that being in Christ is to be in the safest hiding place? How did you get to be in Christ? By receiving the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

Once you are a born-again believer, our heavenly Father sees you in Christ. You are safe, protected, and secure in the hiding place! Be anchored in this truth and see yourself walking in a greater measure of His divine protection in the days to come.