Whose We Are

Here's another Thursday message from Michael.
Lord, give me one moment in time, when I'm racing with destiny, and in that moment of time ... I shall see eternity. Each brief and shining moment is precious.  All I have is this moment, this next step upon “the Journey of Life”.  Therefore, let each step count for God's eternity.  He has called me to walk moment by moment, step by step for one moment in time.  Each step is a vision of the eternal now to redeem the time in fellowship with Him. We must keep the vision and the focus of why we're here, what God has done, and what God is doing. To remember not who we are, but “whose we are”.

God has called us to make an impact as lights in a world of darkness.
Though the world slowly erodes, spiritual disciplines become ever increasingly important to men and women of God. We must deliberately take hold of the freedom that God has given us in Christ to be set free from the bondage of the darkness of the world. When we give up the struggle against the self, then we are free from the bondage of the sin nature.  Jesus said, "He who looses his life for my sake shall find it" - Matthew 10:39 and 16:25. To turn to “Freedom in Christ”, we must turn away from the bondage of self (John 8:31-32).

Jesus came not to raise the man and woman of the flesh from the dead, rather he came that we may be “born anew” of the Spirit of Life in Christ.  He has called his people as His own possession:  He has called us to be a peculiar people, an holy nation, a royal priesthood.
Though we were not worthy in the flesh, his mercy by grace, has made us a new person in Him.  When we realize “whose we are”, there is no problem setting our affection on things above, not on things of the flesh - Colossians 3:2. Jesus came not only as Savior from sin, but also Lord of our lives.  Lord means “owner”.  It's not about who we are but “whose we are”.  My life is no longer my own...  my life is hid with Christ in God.

The devil and the world's politically correct will tell us that we are not holy...  that we have not been set apart for the purpose intended by the Designer of heaven and earth.  The PC Police say that Children of God are not any different from the selfish sinful world system of Vanity Faire. They say that we are intolerant, closed minded, and not accepting of that which “the World” calls politically correct...  that we suffer from an attitude of discrimination. However, holiness, a.k.a sanctification, starts with discrimination.  It literally means to separate. That which separates truth from error is the Word of God. The world calls good evil and evil good. In a world of relativism, there is no meaning. Without truth there is no meaning. There is only meaning in the Truth. The Word of God discriminates good from evil.
Jesus' purpose was not to draw great multitudes and crowds.  Rather, he came to deliver the message and to be the message of Salvation.  He came to call the few to the narrow way through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13). He came to call “a few good men and women”, the remnant of this world who would be His disciplined followers...  his peculiar people...  his fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). Men and women of God are outliers from the world. The darker the darkness, the brighter the light shines.  Therefore...  be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).

Sanctification is separating ourselves from the darkness of the world by walking in the light, by not conforming to the darkness. We must keep short accounts with God.  He gives us a window of opportunity moment by moment to set his spirit loose:  for it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).  He has given us a window, a moment in time to know the power of his resurrection.  The message is to give diligence with urgency to call men and women from darkness unto light (Acts 26:18).  God's hand honors the remnant of believing men and women of God who stand in the gap against the prevailing culture of this world. Prayer unleashes the power of God in manifestation.  He has called us to be His emissaries to proclaim the gospel of truth.  Through God's grace he has commissioned us to be the clarion call, the herald of the Truth of the Word.

He has not called us to compromise to the culture...  to acquiesce and bow down to the politically correct powers of this lawless world.  We have not been called to appeal to the majority.  Rather he called us to show others the narrow way...  Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life. God has called us to redeem the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). This is the "inconvenient truth" against the culture of the times.  Each moment in time we have a unique “moment by moment” opportunity to walk in fellowship with our Heavenly Father. Luke 9.  Jesus said, "whom do ye say that I am?"  Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God" (Matthew 16: 15-16). The context of this verse is about letting go of the affairs of this world.  It means walking away from the world's sin problems by becoming a part of God's solution...  to admit that of my own power I can do nothing.  To let go is to allow God to work in me to will and to do of His good pleasure...  to become a fearless-living men and women of faith.  Therefore, let go and let God...  Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee.

God has given us a window of opportunity for each brief and shining moment.  When the race has been run and God has called me home, may my epithet be, "he walked humbly with his Lord along the journey his Master prepared for him."  Not my will, but thine be done. That’s whose we are!

Your brother in Christ, Michael