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	<title>Our Only Hope Archives - Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel</title>
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	<description>Finding Our Identity in the Heart of God.</description>
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		<title>Mirror Mirror on the Wall and SAF Linkup</title>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jaime Wiebel]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Dec 2017 08:43:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Devotionals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Christmas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[God's Word]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[He Will Return]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mirror]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Our Only Hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sitting Among Friends Blog Party]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[True Refelctions]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Mirror Mirror On the Wall&#8230; Mirror Mirror on the Wall, tell me something truly amazing about myself.  When looking in the mirrors at the fun house we are often amazed by the distorted views of those mirrors. Maybe we like that they make us taller, thinner, or shape us in all the right places. Have you [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://jaimewiebel.com/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-and-saf-linkup/">Mirror Mirror on the Wall and SAF Linkup</a> appeared first on <a href="https://jaimewiebel.com">Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1><span style="color: #8b94aa;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-1553 aligncenter" src="https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wall.png?resize=1024%2C512&#038;ssl=1" alt="Mirror Mirror, who can give me the truest reflection of who Christ is and who I am in Him? Christ and His Word can give me the truest reflection." width="1024" height="512" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wall.png?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wall.png?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wall.png?resize=768%2C384&amp;ssl=1 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></span></h1>
<h1><span style="color: #8b94aa;">Mirror Mirror On the Wall&#8230;</span></h1>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Mirror Mirror on the Wall, tell me something truly amazing about myself. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When looking in the mirrors at the fun house we are often amazed by the distorted views of those mirrors. Maybe we like that they make us taller, thinner, or shape us in all the right places. Have you ever stood in front of one of those mirrors and said, &#8220;I need one of these at home!&#8221; </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As my daughter and I were cleaning up in the kitchen, she looked into the stainless steel pot and said, &#8220;Mommy, why does my head look weird in metal?&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Just as in the funhouse mirror or the mirror mirror</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> in the fairy tales, we want the reflection we see to be the best representation of ourselves. We want it to look like who we believe we are.  We certainly don&#8217;t want it to look &#8220;weird&#8221;. I don&#8217;t want it to point out my flaws or my facial blemishes. I certainly don&#8217;t want it to reflect me in all the wrong places. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As we read scripture, we often have one major grief with it, it points out our most major flaw, that we are sinners. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #8b94aa;">Not a True Reflection</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Instead of holding the Bible up to a funhouse mirror, as believers, we may do several things. We may read only the parts that make us feel good or the parts that help us reflect us getting our &#8220;Best Christian&#8221; Award. We may take God&#8217;s attributes that we like and that are flattering to cover our sins, like love, grace, and mercy and capitalize on them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Just so we don&#8217;t get a true reflection of what the Bible says, we may even go to the extent of never reading its contents. We may only rely on someone else to give us it&#8217;s translations. We may have to dust it off every time we need to carry it somewhere.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Why go to all these extents to not see who we truly are?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">My husband is great at pointing out my flaws on my best days. &#8220;You are being too critical.&#8221; &#8220;Honey, don&#8217;t you think, you are being negative.&#8221; &#8220;You need to show more kindness.&#8221; &#8220;That wasn&#8217;t very loving.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sometimes it makes me madder than a wet hornet to hear these things. Not because he is trying to hurt me but because they are true. (Don&#8217;t tell him I said that <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.1.0/72x72/1f609.png" alt="😉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> ) I don&#8217;t always want to know that I am being ugly, but to be honest, I need it.</span></p>
<hr /><p><em>My goal isn&#039;t to just become good or better at things. My goal in life is to become godly and strive toward holiness. To do that requires me to lay down my sinful ways and become more like Jesus.</em><br /><a href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwp.me%2Fp9igEf-oZ&#038;text=My%20goal%20isn%27t%20to%20just%20become%20good%20or%20better%20at%20things.%20My%20goal%20in%20life%20is%20to%20become%20godly%20and%20strive%20toward%20holiness.%20To%20do%20that%20requires%20me%20to%20lay%20down%20my%20sinful%20ways%20and%20become%20more%20like%20Jesus.&#038;via=Jaime_Wiebel&#038;related=Jaime_Wiebel' target='_blank' rel="noopener noreferrer" >Share on X</a><br /><hr />
<h2><span style="color: #8b94aa;">Sharper than a Double-Edged Sword</span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)</span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Bible is capable of showing me more than what my husband and family can see. The Bible is able to penetrate deep into my heart. It will get down to my innermost being and divide what is holding me together, my joints and marrow and my spirit and soul. God&#8217;s Word will slice a dividing line right in the middle of them. </span></p>
<hr /><p><em>The Bible is able to cut to the matter of my sin faster and sharper than anyone because God knows the attitudes of my heart that no one can see. The things I hold deep inside of me are not off limits to God. (Hebrews 4:13) </em><br /><a href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwp.me%2Fp9igEf-oZ&#038;text=The%20Bible%20is%20able%20to%20cut%20to%20the%20matter%20of%20my%20sin%20faster%20and%20sharper%20than%20anyone%20because%20God%20knows%20the%20attitudes%20of%20my%20heart%20that%20no%20one%20can%20see.%20The%20things%20I%20hold%20deep%20inside%20of%20me%20are%20not%20off%20limits%20to%20God.%20%28Hebrews%204%3A13%29%20&#038;via=Jaime_Wiebel&#038;related=Jaime_Wiebel' target='_blank' rel="noopener noreferrer" >Share on X</a><br /><hr />
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Bible is able to divide my soul and my spirit. Meaning it can divide my personality, my human tendencies from the part that wants to do what is right. Paul says in Romans. </span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. Romans 7:20 (BSB)</span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We want to do good but we are often torn and continue on doing what is evil. Our flesh is waging war against us soul. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Bible is able to divide my soul and spirit. Down to the deepest parts of my heart and mind, the Bible is able to get in their and work. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Why?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Because it is alive and active. It is capable of giving me the help and restoration that I need to become more like Christ. </span></p>
<h2><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-1557 aligncenter" src="https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/For-Whoever-Hears-the-Word-of-God.png?resize=940%2C788&#038;ssl=1" alt="Mirror Mirror, who can give me the truest reflection of who Christ is and who I am in Him? Christ and His Word can give me the truest reflection" width="940" height="788" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/For-Whoever-Hears-the-Word-of-God.png?w=940&amp;ssl=1 940w, https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/For-Whoever-Hears-the-Word-of-God.png?resize=300%2C251&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/For-Whoever-Hears-the-Word-of-God.png?resize=768%2C644&amp;ssl=1 768w" sizes="(max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px" /></h2>
<h2><span style="color: #8b94aa;">Don&#8217;t Forget What You Look Like</span></h2>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:22-24 (BSB)</span></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">How often do we hear or read God&#8217;s Word and walk away and walk right back into our sinful ways</span>?<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> James is such an encouragement to the Christian walk but he is honest, something we don&#8217;t often like to hear. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We know what is right when we have read God&#8217;s Word.  We have sought it out for guidance and then we walk away. As we go back to our daily lives, we soon forget. We forget it&#8217;s value, purpose, and it&#8217;s assurances. We quickly forget the blessings and the promises that God lays out right before our eyes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We become the man who walks away from the mirror and forgets what he truly looks like. Then we forget who and whose we truly are.  </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Instead of going back to it and seeing the reflection of ourselves and God&#8217;s living words, we stumble through life with no solid grounding. A forgotten reflection of our true selves becomes a hurdle to cross.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #8b94aa;">Our only Hope </span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">God&#8217;s Word not only teaches us who we truly are but offers us <a href="https://jaimewiebel.com/2017/03/a-living-hope/">the only hope</a> and the only way to truly fix it.</span></p>
<hr /><p><em>As we continue in this Christmas season, may we not become numb to the reality that our busyness is only Satan&#039;s attempt to draw us away from spending time in the Word.  Leaping us off the pages of truth and life into the world of…</em><br /><a href='https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwp.me%2Fp9igEf-oZ&#038;text=As%20we%20continue%20in%20this%20Christmas%20season%2C%20may%20we%20not%20become%20numb%20to%20the%20reality%20that%20our%20busyness%20is%20only%20Satan%27s%20attempt%20to%20draw%20us%20away%20from%20spending%20time%20in%20the%20Word.%20%20Leaping%20us%20off%20the%20pages%20of%20truth%20and%20life%20into%20the%20world%20of%E2%80%A6&#038;via=Jaime_Wiebel&#038;related=Jaime_Wiebel' target='_blank' rel="noopener noreferrer" >Share on X</a><br /><hr />
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Christ came to be a God who dwelt among His people. He left all His glory and the side of His Father to come to Earth in the lowliest place. Born among the animals and lying in their feeding place, He came with a rescue mission. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This season is the celebration of that newborn King. It is truly about Him walking among us and showing us the hope and truth that until that point in history could only be read about.  </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The greatest hope of all was born on that first Christmas. Just as he came before, He will return again. Our longing for all to be right and our longing to look in the mirror and see our best selves will be a faded memory. Because one day we will not only see ourselves as Christ sees us but we will see Him for who He truly is. </span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)</span></p></blockquote>
<h2><span style="color: #8b94aa;">He Will Return</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">One day Christ will return. In that moment, we will have to have made the decision about what we believe. The Bible is clear that every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. (Philippians 2:10)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">So while we celebrate this joyous occasion please don&#8217;t miss the opportunity to get to know Christ more. Open your Bible where you will see the closest reflection of who He is.  </span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Need a good place to start reading your Bible or pick it back up? Matthew and Luke &#8211; Two of the four gospels give an account of Jesus&#8217; birth. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #8b94aa; font-size: 14pt;">**Starting Next Week, I am doing a series called Walking Among Us &#8211; Christ&#8217;s Journey on the Road. I hope you will join us on this journey as we look into Christ&#8217;s life, His interactions with the people around Him, and how that affects us today. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #8b94aa; font-size: 14pt;">Also, next week I will run my blog party for 2 weeks because of Christmas Week. Please stop by so you can link up your new posts.**</span></p>
<h2><span style="color: #8b94aa;">Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party</span></h2>
<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-1463 alignleft" src="https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Sitting-Among-Friends2.png?resize=286%2C300&#038;ssl=1" alt="Sitting Among Friend Blog Party at Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel Every Wednesday!" width="286" height="300" /><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can&#8217;t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">*Please take the time to visit other blogs and comment and share*</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Tag Me with Twitter Shares and I will RT them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I will be featuring a friend during the week on my FB page!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Join us at our <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/Jaime_Wiebel/sitting-among-friends-blog-party/">Sitting Among Friends Pinterest Board</a> by following <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/Jaime_Wiebel/">my profile</a> and then requesting an invite.</span></p>
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<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1554" src="https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wallpin.png?resize=683%2C1024&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="683" height="1024" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wallpin.png?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wallpin.png?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/jaimewiebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mirror-Mirror-On-the-Wallpin.png?w=735&amp;ssl=1 735w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></p>
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