When sin came in the garden of Eden, man lost his appearance, and didn’t look anything like who he was created to be. So Jesus came and lost His appearance and became disfigured as we were so that we could get our rightful identity back: sons before the throne! Jesus got beaten beyond description because your identity was beaten beyond description by sin.

You’re made in His image. Start speaking His language.

He’s saying, “If you make a tree good, the fruit will be good. If you teach people who they are, their life will show it.” And all of a sudden, I’m in the freedom of grace! I’m not working and laboring to produce good fruit; are you kidding me?

You ask, “How can you walk in righteousness?”

Because I’m a righteous tree, a planting of the Lord! I’ve been made righteous in His sight, so righteousness is what I do, it’s who I am! Isn’t that awesome! I can be righteous because I’ve been made righteous! I’m not trying to earn or prove it. I’m enjoying it! I’m accepting it!

I can show you in Colossians 1 where you’re holy, blameless, and above reproach in the sight of God through the death of Jesus Christ, and that you’ll remain that way if indeed you continue in the faith and don’t let anything change your mind [vv. 22-23].

So if you stay there, guess what your fruit will start looking like? Holy, blameless, and above reproach! And then guess what? You’ll have this unveiled face and you’ll feel like you’re one with Him and you’ll have intimacy with Him and you won’t be ashamed.

You’re the bride, not the concubine. The concubine of the Old Testament serves the king and gets called into his chamber once in a while. That’s how a lot of Christians live. That shouldn’t be your Christian testimony, living from encounter to encounter and serving in between!

You’re called to be the bride! You’re privileged to know Him! He calls you friend, and He lives inside of you.  Amen.

(excerpts from Dan Mohler’s youtube message)