Marc Estes

Life is much like a masquerade ball – A masquerade ball is an event which the participants attend in costume wearing a mask. The masked guests are supposedly dressed so as to be unidentifiable. This creates a type of game to see if a guest can determine each others’ identities. These gala events date back into the 15th century and were popular amongst royalty and the upper class. Many films and operas have been built around this mystic celebration including “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Although masquerade balls are intended to be a fun, isolated special event, many of us today live our lives daily, much like we are attending a Masquerade party. We begin by deciding who we want to become and what we want to look like (good or bad).  Then we pick out our outfits; the words we will choose, the lies we will tell, the secrets we will hide and the stories we will build. Next, we parade ourselves out into the real world, hiding our true identity behind the mask, never really allowing anyone to know who we really are.   We play the game, talk the talk  and do life together, but behind masks lies loneliness, hurts, wounds, insecurity and pain.

 Yet when we get all alone and take off the mask, we realize that our life is unfulfilling, non-meaningful and empty. We long for love and relationship yet we just don’t know how to get out from behind our masks and build healthy, lasting relationships.

A mask is simply, “a covering to disguise or conceal the face. To make unrecognizable.  To hide under a false appearance.” We may not literally walk around with a mask on our face, but many today do shroud themselves with invisible masks that paralyze their ability to build healthy relationships.  They disguise and conceal their real identity. They simply live a life in hiding. 

As long as you hide behind your ‘mask’ you will never fill the voids, heal the hurts of fix the problems!  Reality is, if we are totally honest with ourselves, EVERYONE has experienced life behind the mask.

Here are eight masks many of us wear today:

1. Mask of Pain – Caused by hurts and disappointments.  Psalm 73:14
2. Mask of Brokenness – Caused by life’s tragedies, trials and setbacks. Proverbs 17:22
3. Mask of Insecurity – Caused by lack of affirmation, low self-esteem, and wrong view of self. Psalm 129:33
4. Mask of Bitterness – Caused by offenses, misunderstandings and unresolved conflict.Psalm 73:21
5. Mask of Shame – Caused by embarrassment from wrong actions and mistakes you have made. Genesis 3:8
6. Mask of Selfishness – Caused by pride, arrogance and focusing regularly on your own needs.James 3:14
7. Mask of Fear – Caused by fear of the unknown, primarily in developing a new relationship. Psalm 55:5  
8. Mask of Wrong Motivations – Caused by ambition, busyness or preoccupation to pursue things of perceived value at the expense of relationships. James 4:3

In order to find true fulfillment in your life an unlock all of God’s blessings you must remove the masks and face reality.

Here are some simple steps you can take to removing your masks:

1. Get alone with God and ask Him to show you your masks – You probably know them well.
2. Be honest with yourself and face the issues – Ask someone else to be honest with you.
3. Pray and overcome them – Pray until breakthrough, daily! Every time it shows up confront i.
4. Bury your mask – Renounce it, don’t let it define you, walk from it, never to return.
5. Take the risk to live life beyond the mask – Make practical plan to step out in new ways.

Relationships have a profound shaping power in your life.  Much of what you become in life is a result of relationships. Your parents played a key role in shaping your morals, values, and world view. Your teachers have shaped your perspective in many foundational areas. Your friends have a huge impact on the way you act as well.

If relationships are so critical to the outcome of who we become, it would behoove us to carefully consider the friends we choose to integrate into our lives. A few months ago I shared the seven “C’s” for developing relationships that would be a great benefit to a person’s life. As you review these seven areas, consider the relationships that you currently have or are beginning to establish with others:

Assess Their Convictions

1.    Beliefs

2.   Values

3.  Morals

 

  Clarify their Core Values

1.    Loyalty

2.   Faithfulness

3.   Honesty

4.  Encouragment

5.  Giving

6. Accountability

7.  Purity

8.  Level of Love

9.  Willingness to Sacrifice

 

Discern their Character

1.    Personal Standards

2.    Attitudes

3.    Actions

4.    Reputation

5.    Maturity levels – Spiritual, relational, emotional

 

Discover their Chemistry

1.    Hobbies and Interests

2.    Passions

3.    Gifts and Talents

4.    Personality

 

Understand their Calling

1.    Identify their purpose

2.    Ministry involvement (or lack of)

3.    Long term vision for life

 

Check out their Companions

1.    Friends and Acquaintances

2.    Girl or Boy Friend (or spouse)

3.    Their children (if applicable),

 

Review their Commitments

1.    Commitment to other relationships (God, parents, pastors, peers)

2.    Commitment to their local church

3.    Commitment to their jobs.

4.    Commitment to themselves.

 

Hopefully, these simple, yet important guidelines will help you to build lasting relationships that will propel you towards all that God has destined you to be. Give it a shot and see if you are pleasantly surprised.

Praying God’s Word is one of the most powerful acts a human being can initiate. When you activate the principle of prayer along with the promises of God, their is a synergistic power that is released in  your life.

Knowing that 2010 will bring us great surprises and opportunities, our faith must be secure in who God is, and who He promises to be in our lives. Here a great scripture to apply to your prayer life this  year. It is taken from Psalm 23 and outlines the seven characteristics of God, derived from the Hebrew names of God. Try if for a week, and see if you aren’t encouraged with a fresh perspective for 2010:

* * * * * * * *

Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my Shepherd…” -

Prayer -”Lord you are Jehovah Rohi, MY Shepherd, the one who cares and protects me in all that I face. Thank you for loving me and caring for me.”

* * * * * * * *

Psalm 23:1 – “I shall not want…”

Prayer – “Lord, you are Jehovah Jireh, MY Provider and you will supply my every need according to your riches and glory. I will trust in you to take care of my needs.”

* * * * * * * *

Psalm 23:2 – “He makes me lie down in green pastures…”

Prayer – “You are Jehovah-Shalom, MY Peace and you will give me the peace that passes all my human understanding and reasoning, despite what I see or feel.”

* * * * * * * *

Psalm 23:3 – “He restores my soul…”

Prayer – “You are Jehovah-Rapha, MY Healer, and you will restore my body, soul and spirit and make me complete in you. I believe this year to be replenished in You.”

* * * * * * * *

Psalm 23:3 – “He guides me in the path of righteousness…”

Prayer – “You youre Jehovah-Tsidkenu, MY Righteousness and you will guide me to do what is right in your sight in all that I do. Let me live a live of purity and integrity this year.”

* * * * * * * *

Pslam 23:4 – “Though I walk through the valley of shadow of death… you are with me…”

Prayer – “You are Jehovah-Shammah, MY Presence and I thank you that you are always with me and will never leave or forsake me. Whether I feel you, or not, I know you are by my side.”

* * * * * * * *

Psalm 23:5 – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”

Prayer – You are Jehovah-Nissi, MY Defender, and you will alway protect me from the evil one. Lord build hedge around me today.”

I am sitting in my office, sipping on a fresh pot of french press,  veering out the window at the downpour of NW liquid sunshine.  A time of reflection and contemplating what 2010 will bring.  If it is anything like 2009,  it will be a year of surprises.  How you have perceived this year’s events in your life, may greatly dictate how you perceive the coming year.

From a natural perspective, the times in which we live are uncertain. We have no idea what will happen with our economy; it may rebound or collapse. There isn’t much hope in the near future for the employment issues to turn around either. Our political situation doesn’t seem very bright. The decline in morals and values appears to be on a continual spiral downward. If we look at this  year through our “natural eyes” and attempt to interpret the onslaught coming our ways, it will have an adverse affect on how we move forward in 2010. Unfortunately, many will travel down this predictable path of uncertainty, living another year of “holding the fort” and “looking out for #1.”

The other option, which I highly suggest you consider, is to look at this year as a year of promise. A supernatural perspective will give you the ability to see this next year’s from God’s point of view. From his eyes, this will be a year on  unprecedented opportunity. It will be a year where more people come to Christ. This will be a  year where our faith is strengthened as God’s continued hand of provision is poured out on our lives. It will be a time to remember what is most important in our lives. It will be a year where we can fulfill God’s purposes in our lives!

The bottom line is that the choice is yours. Each perspective requires that same amount of calories. Will you choose to believe God for His unfailing promises to shower your life daily throughout 2010 or will you find a corner to mentally rehearse all the doom and gloom that might come your way. I choose to make this a year of Promise!