Your Identity Is In Christ

                                       

Sister, your identity is in CHRIST.

Don't let the clothes you wear, the car you drive, your circumstances or the friends you have define you.

Don't get lost in anyone's shadow, don't find a sense of security in material things, people or even your relationship status.

At times we get lost and confused, that terrible feeling of emptiness and loneliness sets in then we seek out satisfaction. We can look for fulfilment in material things, activities or even in another person. You can search every corner of the earth but you'll will never truly find what you're looking for until you FIND GOD. 

Don't let insecurity drive you to look for answers in the world when the Answer is right within you (Col 1:27).

Your identity is hidden in Christ alone and at times you may ask that question... "who am I?".

To find yourself you must find Him, and to know yourself you must know Him.

God created you...  a fearfully and wonderfully made woman of God endowed with gifts and talents by the giver of life Himself.

Have you ever felt lost? Go before God and let Him navigate you back to His will.

Ask God to help you shift your focus back to Him.

When you let Christ into your heart, He begins to work and a transformation takes place, it's like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly but this is really becoming a new creation in Christ!

(Let's action on this! Some helpful verses: Romans 6:11, Mark 8:34, James 4:8, Matthew 6:33, 2 Corinthians 5:17 & Psalm 145:18)

Jesse O.K - Live 31 Team

Purpose Driven Relationships

Purpose Driven Relationships...

Purpose driven relationships are God-centred relationships in alignment with His will. Sadly, the world has remixed God's plan for love and it's driving us all to destruction. Because we've diverted away from God's plan, divorce rates are increasing, we have adulterers, we're getting more unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and infections and not to mention soul ties!

People may look at you all strange when you do things God's way but God didn't make commandments about purity, relationships and marriage to keep us bound and boring, He made them because He knew the consequences. We must submit to God's word!

Yes, it's hard because in this 21st century we have very few examples of what a Godly relationship looks like but we MUST look to the word of God!
We see in the media and places you go flesh-fuelling and self-gratifying relationships but your relationship must always look to God, everything you do within your relationship must glorify God alone.

A purpose driven relationship is one driven by love and not lust. Remember that God is LOVE (1 John 4:8) so God is really the motivation of your relationship!

Let your relationship bring about Kingdom advancement and glory to God, be a godly example to others (1 Tim 4:12), give your relationship to God and continue to pray regarding it and let God work in it.

It's hard with the temptations around us and with the world we live in today but commit it to God and always rely on His strength to do it HIS way. We can't do it on our own!

Happy Valentines Day

Jesse O.K - Live 31 Team

Valentine's... By The Live 31 Team

Loving Yourself - By Tayo. E

“I’m not good enough.

 I’m not beautiful enough.

 I’m not smart enough.”

Three questions.

Says who?
Why does what they say matter so much?
What gives them the right to dictate what you are?

When I first heard ‘loving yourself’ I just thought of telling you, *prepares American accent* Girllllll, you don’t need no man to love you before you can love yourself etc etc. 
As true as that is, it’s pretty cliché right?

When I say loving yourself, I mean loving who you are, loving what you are and also loving how you are.
I reckon this is such a touchy subject because I believe everyone faces insecurities one way or another. Trick is to not let it define your existence.
It seems like a difficult thing to do, but it’s only really as difficult as you choose make it.

The fact that ‘no one’ seems to appreciate you doesn’t mean you aren’t important. 
Christ died to save you. He is the true epitome of love – please understand the depth of this. You are that special.

You were made by a perfect God. He cannot and never will make a mistake.  His works are wonderful!

This was something written by a sister of mine and it encouraged me.

“As you look at yourself in the mirror, think about at least 3 things that you like about yourself. 
Take the time out to thank God for it because there is no one like you.
You are beautiful.
You are one of a kind.
And you are fearfully and wonderfully made.”

I just want you to know that you are such a significant female, a true beauty and blessed creation. Never let anyone tell you different. 
Love and respect yourselves.
Beauty radiates from within you. Give it a chance to shine through, be thankful and appreciate your being.

I’ll leave you with this,
Psalm 139 
and also 
Genesis 1:27 NKJV “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”Love and peace.
xo

Valentine's.. By the Live 31 Team

Loving God - By Rebecca. A

As an individual who grew up in church and is surrounded by friends and family who constantly talk about the Lord I automatically placed myself in the category of 'a person who loves God' However in the last year, events have occurred where God has challenged me to think twice, in which I came to the conclusion that I loved material things and idolised people who if I walked past would not know my name. But Christ  is more important and more powerful than anything and anyone and he knows my name and knows yours too.

 Often at times at the start of a relationship, many may be sceptical about the other persons feelings towards them, maybe due to the lack of times he/she calls or the lack of hints they give you,  but with Christ he's told us that HE LOVES US...(John 3: 16) So what’s holding us back into getting to know him. We make so much effort trying to impress people that don't know us and some that frankly don't want to know us but with God, not only does he KNOW us but he also wants to transform us to be the best that we can be. Why waste time LOVING things that will one day fade away, why not place your love in him who loves us more than we can ever imagine, and laid his life down for us so that we can one day meet him. John 14:15 says 'if you love me, keep my commands' if we don’t know his commands, we wont be able to keep them right? Where do we find his commands?..in his word. So I encourage you guys including myself to make an effort in getting to know the God that we serve or the God that we want to serve. Lets start opening the word to find out more about Him, lets take time out of our days and pray and meditate on His word.  Lets not only be hearers of the word (James 1:22-25), lets start DOING, BEING and LIVING for Christ.

Bible verses to think about:

1 John 4:19 -  'We love because he first loved us'

Acts 13:22 - God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.

Valentine's.. By the Live 31 Team

Loving Others - By Jesse O.K

"...Let us love one another..." (1 John 4:7 NKJV) 

Loving others... sounds pretty easy right? We're commanded to love our neighbours! It's easy to love the people who are close to you, make you happy and who make you feel special. That's all good but those are not the only people we have been called to love; we're also called to LOVE THE UNLOVABLE. How easy is it for you to love someone who always lets you down, someone who upsets you, someone who's rude or even someone that society looks down on? Not so easy now we think about it! But look at what Jesus done for us on the cross.. God's love for us is not a feeling or an emotion because they can change! God is the very source of love Himself, and His love is eternal.
God is LOVE (1 John 4:8) and being His people, we must walk in love and live in love. It's important to show love to people everywhere you go, that's a true Christlike attribute.

Love has become so commercialised. Shops everywhere are selling roses, chocolates, perfumes and all sorts of gift ideas for Valentines day but this isn't God's only plan! It's wonderful to appreciate the one you love but why not extend a hand of love to multiple people today? And not only today but for the rest of your days! With God's help it is POSSIBLE. Love is not just a word, it's an action (1 John 3:18). Presents and trips to your favourite restaurant are not the only proofs of love. Let your speech and actions echo love from God's heart. 

How can you show love to someone today? What are some of the ways you can think of?

If you desire to show love God's way, go before Him in prayer and ask Him to give you a heart of love! I'm living proof that God still does heart surgery! Give Him your heart and let Him transform it!
Happy Valentines Day

(Let's action on this! Some helpful verses: 1 Peter 4:8, 1 John 4:7-8, Hebrews 31:1, Philippians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Valentine's.. By the Live 31 Team

What Is Love? - By Natasha. A

What is Love? It's one of those things everyone has a different answer to. And even once they reach their own personal definition lots of questions are attached. When's the right time? And most importantly how do you know when it’s real?

Love vs. lust...With both creating such strong emotions it’s easy for the line between them to blur. Personally where I think the line is drawn is lust being just a need to feel a physical want, whereas love is a need to connect with that person on every single level. Emotionally. Spiritually. Physically. Don’t get me wrong physical attraction is important. Chances are if there wasn't any most relationships wouldn't even begin.

I can’t count the amount of times I’ve heard the word love being thrown around. So if it’s real how come some people find it so easy to fall out of it? Makes you wonder if it was actually there in the first place.

In the bible there are lots of examples of great loves Mary and Joseph, Abraham and Sarah and of course where it all began Adam and Eve. Relationships built on strong connection. Doesn’t really sound like anything I’ve heard lately. So does that mean love is now non-existent anymore or the meaning of it has just adapted like everything else in society?

Sooo... to sum up it seems love is just is one of those things that are hard to define even for the people that are in it so I'm not even gonna try and make a definite assumption. The only thing I know for sure. But i will leave you with the biblical explanation of love which helps shed sum light on it. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-84- Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs

Valentine's.. By the Live 31 Team

Loving Life - By Funmi. O 

So it’s that time of the year again *sigh*… flowers, cards and chocolates but not a single one being sent to me…again! I know what you’re going to tell me; I’ve got Jesus---I don’t need a man---focus on loving yourself etc... but... but...

But nothing. The Bible tells us that there’s a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Life is about seasons- a time when we “have someone” and a time when we’re “alone”.

And whilst we long for future seasons of our lives, we must embrace the current season we find ourselves in; trusting and believing God that it’s all in His divine plan for our lives. But what does this “alone” actually mean? Why is it seen as a negative to be alone?         
                                                   
We need to get the understanding that we can be alone but content. We came to the world as a single person and our sole purpose of creation was not to be hitched with someone but to glorify God with that which He has placed in us (Adam was in his assignment before Eve was given to him- Genesis 2:15). So don’t see your life as incomplete because you’re not with someone. Christ completes you and everything else is an addition.

Discover the potential/treasure/gift uniquely placed in you and share it with the world!                                                                                                        
In this season of your life, why not get the most out of your “alone time” by enjoying life to the fullest.. “For I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest” (John 10:10).                                   
So use this time to enjoy socials with your friends, get to know God better etc.                                                
Be adventurous… challenge yourself… do things you’ve never done before… take swimming lessons lol… go on holiday… eat something new… treat yourself to something nice. Just LOVE LIFE because not everybody’s got it.

John 10:10 x 

Live 31

What is Live 31?

Live 31 is a fellowship for women focused on inspiring women to be Godly and virtuous.

We will dive into topics pertaining to women and issues that affect us. Join us as we unite in sisterhood and promote the love of Christ to each other.

Stay tuned & stay blessed

Jesse O.Konadu