Pastor JJ took a group of 15
young college-age adults up to a camp retreat, so his
Step-father Sheriff Chaplin Phillip Smith filled in again with a
message that asked the question: “Do we really know ourselves?”
Psalm 139:1-6 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts
even when I’m far away. You see me when I
travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and
follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to
understand!
Who are we? God knows us,
but do we know ourselves. We all have a identity philosophy, but what makes
identity identifiable? What makes an ‘entity’ definable? At one time,
identities used to be linked to occupations, where we get last names like
Taylor, Baker, Thatcher, Smith and Carpenter. Today, people are defining and
redefining personal identity and continuity of existence, even to the point of
gender identity in California
Philippians 3:3 -12
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit,
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss
for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found
in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God
by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and
the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any
means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am
already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ
Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Jesus came to die for
us, because of our sin. Sinners are saved by the grace of God in Christ;
nothing else. Our identity is in believing the gospel of Jesus Christ, so are
called “Believers”. Acts
16:31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you
will be saved.” Bring your problems to Him. Tell your neighbors the truth. Put
to death the idols in your life, not polish them. Idols meaning the stuff that
we regard and treat higher than our Father in Heaven. They are the spiritual
cancer that is killing us today.
Colossians
3:1-7 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on
the earth. For you died, and
your life is hidden with Christ in God. When
Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in
glory. Therefore put to death
your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil
desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of
these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you
lived in them.
The Word of God is a
sword (Ephesians 6:17), but it is double-edged (Hebrews 4:12). What do you and
I need to cut out of our “old man” self today, as a new creation in Christ? We
have a new identity, a regenerated spirit in a renewed faith, while living in a
world that is trying so desperately to steal our identity daily. We have come
back according to the image of Him who created us. Who am I in Christ?
Isaiah 61:10 “I will
greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful
in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered
me with the robe of righteousness.”
What do your friends say
about you and your identity? What does the world say about you and your
identity? What does God say about you and your identity? What is our identity? Examine yourself and talk to God. No
superficial “me, myself and I” posers allowed.
In Christ, Brian
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