MAINTAIN YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

A person's identity is who they are: what sets them apart. Who are you? Who do you claim to be? Do people know you, and does their knowledge of you match who you claim to be? Don't make room for them to assume who you are, and don't make room for them to guess, but if they do guess, make it possible for them to guess correctly. Just be who you are in Christ! 

For example, if you see an individual in a hospital with a stethoscope around their neck, you could assume they are in the medical profession. If you see an individual in a courtroom, wearing a robe, sitting behind the bench, holding a gavel, you could safely assume they're the judge.

In our natural world, everyone has parents. So, it is in the spiritual world. You either have God or Satan as your father. Do you call yourself a child of God? If you do, then be a child of God. When you meet people, do they notice something about you that causes them to assume or guess you are a Christian, or are they uncertain? If they don't think you are a child of God, you are left with only one other option: they must think you are a child of the devil. But if you are a Christian, you are presenting the wrong identity.

If you became a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, it should be evident to people around you. If you live a life of obedience to God, you will, in essence, be saying you love Him (see John 14:15). On the other hand, if you are living in disobedience, people can quickly assume you are not a Christian, even if you claim to be one. 

Jesus is not interested in lip service, and He made that clear to the disciples when He asked them, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not what I say?" (Luke 6:46). When Jesus was warning against false prophets, He said, "By their fruit you'll recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit" (Matthew 7:16-18).

If you are a child of God, the characteristics (fruit) you exhibit should clearly indicate that you are His child. There is no better way of demonstrating that you are a child of God than through obedience. The Bible says, "Be holy for I (God) am holy." In other words, we should exhibit His traits of holiness in the way we live.

Developing these traits is an ongoing effort. We will arrive at holiness after some time. According to the apostle Paul, we must work at it with fear and trembling (see Philippians 2:12). It takes meditation on God's Word:  allowing it to transform us into His nature by renewing our minds. Then we will shine, as the Scripture says, like stars in the universe (see Philippians 2:15). 

Observing the disciples' lives, the Jewish leaders could accurately conclude that they had been with Jesus. If we have been with Jesus, it should be evident to others. Claiming to be a Christian and yet living as an unbeliever is proof of an identity crisis. It means you are still determining who you are.

A Christian should not live comfortably in sin. So, if you claim to be a Christian but are living comfortably in sin, you must revisit God's plan of salvation to ensure you are born again. We need to turn our backs on worldliness and all appearances of evil. If we fall into sin, which we occasionally do, we should quickly repent, confess, and seek forgiveness. That is the mark of a Christian: the fear of evil and the concern for displeasing God (see 1 John 1:9). 

Are you experiencing an identity crisis? The cure for an identity crisis is putting on the armor of God and keeping it on (see Ephesians 6:11-18), 24/7. You can overcome this crisis by determining to live a God-pleasing life and then seeking the help of the Spirit to accomplish it.

THE SECOND STAGE OF SALVATION

  

Salvation is the deliverance from the power and effects of sin by God’s intervention through the death of His Son, Jesus. The Bible says we are all sinners and therefore separated from God. If this separation continues past this earthly life, it will become permanent, and we will spend eternity in hell. Jesus took our sins on Himself to bridge that separation and died in our place. Anyone who puts their faith in Jesus as their sin-bearer is forgiven (saved) and comes into a personal relationship with God. “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are” (Romans 3:22). This, you might say, is the first stage of salvation.

One might ask, why is salvation in two stages? It’s in two parts because becoming a child of God begins a lifetime of becoming more like Christ. During this process, we have to continue to live in this world, struggle with our sinful nature, the devil, and the difficulties of this life, and win victories that will gradually transform us (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). But there’s coming a day when Jesus will usher us to our heavenly home. At this point, our salvation will be complete. There’ll no longer be sin, evil, temptations, pain, or suffering; they’ll all be gone forever, and we’ll be free to serve our God and Father without hindrance from the devil and his agents. We will reign with God forever.

So, what should we do while waiting for the culmination of our salvation? We should continue to grow spiritually and bear fruit. We should grow in our knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, living holy, godly, and peaceful lives and looking forward to the Lord’s return (see 2 Peter 1:2; 3:11-14). We should also be mindful of the plight of the unsaved and do all we can to share the gospel with them because the Lord does not want them to perish, but to come to faith in Him and be saved, just as we’ve been.

What we do should not be the result of our abilities.  Instead, we should depend on God’s promises and all He has made available through His divine power (see 2 Peter 1:3-4).

When that day comes, we’ll have nothing to be ashamed of. Our new home will take our breath away; we will be at a loss for words. Even so, Lord Jesus, come! God will give us a grand entrance into His eternal kingdom (see 2 Peter 1:11). The amazing promises He has made should help us keep our eyes on the prize, including a new heaven and a new earth, streets of gold, walls of jasper, and gates of pearls; arriving at our new home will be the second and final stage of our salvation. 

MAINTAIN YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

 

A person's identity is who they are, which sets them apart. Who are you? Who do you claim to be? Do people know you, and does their knowledge of you match who you claim to be? Don't make room for them to assume who you are, and don't make room for them to guess, but if they do guess, make it possible for them to guess correctly. Just be who you are in Christ! 

For example, if you see an individual with a stethoscope around their neck, you could assume they are in the medical profession. If you see an individual in a courtroom, wearing a robe, sitting behind the bench, and holding a gavel, you could safely assume they're the judge.

In our natural world, everyone has parents. So, it is in the spiritual world. You either have God or Satan for your father. Do you call yourself a child of God? If you do, then be a child of God. When you meet people, do they notice something about you that causes them to assume or guess you are a Christian, or will they be uncertain? If they don't think you are a child of God, you are left with only one other option: they must think you are a child of the devil. But if you are a Christian, you are presenting the wrong identity. What could be the cause of this discrepancy?  

If you become a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, your person should be evident to people around you. If you live a life of obedience to God, you will, in essence, be saying you love Him (see John 14:15). On the other hand, if you are living in disobedience, people can quickly assume you are not a Christian, even if you claim to be one. 

Jesus is not interested in lip service, and He made that clear to the disciples when He asked them, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not what I say?" (Luke 6:46). When Jesus was warning against false prophets, He said, "By their fruit you'll recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit" (Matthew 7:16-18).

If you are a child of God, the characteristics (fruit) you exhibit should clearly indicate that you are His child. There is no better way of demonstrating that you are a child of God than through obedience. The Bible says, "Be holy for I (God) am holy." In other words, we should exhibit His traits of holiness in the way we live.

Developing those traits is an ongoing effort. We will arrive at holiness after some time. According to the apostle Paul, we must work at it with fear and trembling (see Philippians 2:12). It takes meditation on God's Word and allowing it to transform us into His nature by renewing our minds. Then we will shine, as the Scripture says, like stars in the universe (see Philippians 2:15). 

Observing the disciples' lives, the Jewish leaders could accurately conclude that they had been with Jesus. If we have been with Jesus, it should be evident to others. Claiming to be a Christian and yet living as an unbeliever is proof of an identity crisis. It means one is still determining who they are.

A Christian should not live comfortably in sin. So, if you claim to be a Christian but living comfortably in sin, you must revisit God's plan of salvation to ensure you are born again. We need to turn our backs on worldliness and all appearances of evil. If we fall into sin, which we occasionally do, we should quickly repent, confess, and seek forgiveness. That is the mark of a Christian: the fear of evil and the concern for displeasing God (see 1 John 1:9). 

Are you experiencing an identity crisis? You can overcome that crisis by determining to live a God-pleasing life and then seeking the help of the Spirit to accomplish it. The cure for identity crisis is: putting on the armor of God and keeping it on (see Ephesians 6:11-18), 24/7.

GOD LOVES TO BEQUEATH LEGACIES TO HIS PEOPLE

  

Bequeath transfers property from one person to another, typically through a will or other legal document. One has to be the owner of what they bequeath to another.

God has the authority to give away whatever He wishes because "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him" (Psalm 24:1). And talking about legality, God's Word is more trustworthy than legal documents from our courts and can be trusted fully.

Many years ago, God chose the Israelites to be His people, beginning with Abraham and his descendants. From the beginning, He promised them a possession, a land flowing with milk and honey that they did not build. He displaced the original dwellers and gave it to His people as an inheritance.

How about today? Today, He's created a people for Himself by redeeming them from sin through the death of His Son, Jesus: "God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body, God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins" (Romans 8:3).

To the redeemed, also known as the Church, His Body, and His children, He has made innumerable promises for life here on earth—provision, protection, healing, you name it. In addition to the promises on earth, He has promised us an inheritance in heaven. The promises of heaven are out of this world; our imagination cannot do them justice. And He will be there with us around the clock! (See Revelation 21:3).

Here's John's description of what was revealed concerning our inheritance: A new heaven and a new earth, and the holy city- the new Jerusalem. It's a large city made of pure gold, as clear as glass, with walls of jasper (see Rev 21:18). It shines with the glory of God and sparkles like a precious stone. The gates are made of pearls, and the main street is pure gold, as clear as glass (see Rev 21:21). There's a guardian angel at each of the twelve gates (see Rev21:11-12). What an inheritance!

Although we will worship day and night, the city will have no temples because the Father and the Son will be the temple. We won't need the sun or moon because God's glory will illuminate it, the Son will be its light, and the gates will remain open around the clock (see Rev 21:22-23, 25).

No matter how diligently one searches, there are things one cannot find in this new city. Nothing evil, no one who practices shameful idolatry, immorality, dishonesty, unbelievers, liars, criminals, or cowards (see Rev 21:8, 27). In addition, there'll be no sickness, crying, death, or pain (see Revelation 21:4).

So, who is going to possess this unimaginable place? The bride of Christ, of course-the Church, those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. We will be clothed in white, have His name written on our foreheads, and worship Him.

Before Jesus came to earth to reconcile us to God, God chose a nation through whom to accomplish His plans for the world; He provided lavishly for them. After salvation through Jesus became available, He decided that all who believed in Him would become his children for whom He prepared this great inheritance.

Dear reader, if you don't inherit heaven, there'll be only one other place to inherit--hell. Hell is the exact opposite of heaven; the devil and his agents and all those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be there, and there'll be torment and gnashing of teeth that goes on forever. At that point, it will be too late to do anything different; you'll be in hell to stay. Think about it, and call on Jesus today before it is too late. I invite you to pray the prayer below:

  "Dear God, I know I'm a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen."

Jesus promised: "Look, I am coming soon!" (See Rev 22:7). Let's look forward to His return when He will make all His promises about our inheritance good. And as we look forward to His return, let's walk in obedience to His Word and make disciples.

SECURE AN ADVOCATE BEFORE THE VERDICT

   

Who would wait to find a lawyer until after the judge has pronounced the verdict? Shouldn't one look for a lawyer of good repute to defend them If they have a pending court case? I would! What good would it do to secure a lawyer after the judge pronounced guilt and announced punishment? None whatsoever!

By the same token, what good would it do to wait until it's too late to call on Jesus for salvation? God has declared we are all sinners and deserve to die (an eternity in hell) unless we ask for and accept Jesus as our sin-bearer. Waiting indefinitely would not help anyone in this situation.

You might wonder when it will be too late to accept Jesus' offer for salvation. It will be too late when you can no longer ask when you are dead or not in the right frame of mind to ask. The Scriptures admonish us to respond as soon as we hear the gospel: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion" (Hebrews 3:7,1 5). Please don't say too quickly to yourself that you're young; you might be young, but death doesn't wait until you're a particular age.

Jesus came the first time to save us, and He accomplished that. He is coming a second time, but this time as a judge: "He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from his glorious power" (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). Someday, you will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged and condemned unless you have become a child of God through Jesus.

So, what are you going to do with this knowledge? Call on Jesus today for salvation, and He will forgive your sins and put His Holy Spirit into your heart as confirmation that you're saved, and will write your name in the Lamb's Book of life (see Revelation 3:5). I encourage you to pray the prayer below sincerely:

"Dear God, I know I'm a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that You raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do Your will. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen."

Did you pray the prayer above? Welcome, then, into God's family, the Church! As a child of God, read your Bible and pray daily. May God help you obey what you read and find a local Bible-believing church for fellowship.

Now that you're a child of God, you'll have no fear of judgment; eternity in heaven awaits you, where you'll see Jesus face to face and never have to worry about sickness or death again.

DIVIDE and CONQUER

 

Divide and conquer is the policy of maintaining control over one's subordinates or subjects by encouraging dissent. This adage clearly demonstrates, "There is strength in numbers." Because when unity is lost, the accompanying strength is lost as well. Yet another proverb teaches the same lesson: "United we stand; divided we fall." All these are factual statements that, when put into action, can result in chaos and defeat. This is one of Satan's tools, and he uses it against the Church quite often, unfortunately, with much success.

Do you know people who hop from Church to Church, unable to call any particular church their home church? Why does that happen so often? Why aren't people happy with 'their church'? They make excuses: they didn't like someone or something in a particular church, someone offended them, their needs were not being met, or their suggestions were not taken seriously, just to name a few. The devil uses all these excuses to break down relationships in the Church, and we become powerless in prayer because we regard so much iniquity in our hearts (see Psalm 66:18). We hold our hurts inside, give people the silent treatment, and think we are doing Church. O shame, thrice shame upon us, Christian brethren, for allowing the devil to gain so much ground.

 This morning, reading Psalm 141, I was fascinated with verse 5: "Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it." I believe that's what the Church needs today; we need to accept correction with gratitude and rebuke and correct each other with kindness and respect. The Church is God's; if we focus on His glory alone, we won't allow our emotions to run wild. It's time to settle down and play our given role in the Body of Christ. And, if something goes wrong, which, given time, it will, let's address it with the right people in the right way (see Matthew 18:15-17).  

Jesus knows the power of unity. After all, He is in unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit as the Godhead, and they work together as One! They have no internal fighting; there is always harmony in their relationship, and they are each other's promoters. They never do anything contrary to the will or desire of the other. They created the world together and supervised its workings jointly. Before His death, Jesus prayed for His disciples (the then-current, and the future ones, including us), "Protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are" (John 17:11). "Just as we are," He prayed! How powerful! For Christians to succeed at what they undertake to do collectively, they have to agree and be united. No wonder Jesus taught, "If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them" (Matthew 18:19-20). 

Likewise, Satan knows the power of unity, not because he is one with anybody, but because He sees the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at work and knows how powerful and effective they are in all they do. That, of course, is why he does not want interconnected families or unity in the Church. His goal is to turn believers against each other, creating chaos so they lose focus on their calling and responsibility toward each other and the unbelieving world. When we allow infighting and division in the Church, group unity is lost, leading to defeat.   

Can you imagine what great works the Church could accomplish if we were united? If we didn't have gossip, backstabbing, backbiting, resentment, pride, arrogance, and "better than thou" attitudes in the Church, what victories we'd experience as the body of Christ!

We should guard against such problems by obeying the command, "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace" (Ephesians 4:2-3). We are also commanded to "Get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech" (1 Peter 2:1). 

Why does Satan attack Christian marriages? Because the Christian family is a Church in itself and a member of a local and the universal Church. Couples have disagreements about finances, child discipline, you name it. If he succeeds in instigating controversy, he gets the upper hand. And even if the controversy does not lead to separation or divorce, he has still succeeded in turning the couple against each other. When there's chaos in the home, praying or studying the Word together would be impossible or ineffective.

Church, let's stay alert and not allow the enemy to divide us. If we allow him to divide us, we've given him permission to derail us and hinder the work of God through us. The biblical solution to this dilemma is for us to "Show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters" and "Love each other deeply with all our heart" (1 Peter 1:22). May God help us!   

MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS IS CRUCIAL

More and more, it's becoming necessary to consent to the services we receive. Do you need a medical procedure, online services, etc.? Then be ready to sign a piece of paper to grant consent; first, they give you information to explain what you agree or disagree with. That kind of consent is called informed consent-implying you know precisely what you're getting into.

Similarly, we must consent to what will happen to us regarding our sins. Whether or not we know and agree, we are each accountable to God. He has given us two options for how we want our sins to be treated.

Before you tell yourself you are not as sinful as others, you must know what the Bible (the Word of God) says. It says: "No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one" (Romans 3:10-12).

You might ask why we are in this predicament. It's because we are descendants of sinners (Adam and Eve). They sinned by believing Satan's lie and acting on it, thereby disobeying God; their sinful nature and the consequences of their sin (separation between God and man) were passed on to us, their descendants (see Genesis 3).

Being kind and loving, God has provided His Son, Jesus, to take on the penalty of our sins through death. This is what we know so far:

1. We are all sinners,
2. God hates sin and has separated Himself from us. But, being so kind,
3. He has made Jesus our substitute to take on our punishment to restore our relationship with Him.

So, in the matter of sin, we have a decision to make; one can either choose to pay for their own sin (remain separated from God) or accept Jesus' death as payment for their sin and therefore regain a relationship with God: "To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God" (John 1:12-13).

Dear reader, you have the decision to make: now that you have all the facts to base your decision on, which option appeals to you? Also, know that time is not on your side; once you die, you've missed the opportunity, and by default, you will remain eternally separated from God, which means an eternity in hell. In addition, know that no one else can make that decision for you; the prayers and nice things said at your funeral won't change your destination. Consider this passage: "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son" (John 3:18).  

Informed decisions exonerate the individuals enforcing the rule. Therefore no one can blame God for going to hell; they chose hell by not choosing heaven through faith in Jesus. If you are reading this, you still have time, but not long. This is the day of salvation; don't procrastinate. God loves you but will not force you to choose one way or another; He says to all of us: "Today, I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19).

If you'd like Jesus to be your substitute, repent of your sin and ask God for forgiveness through the work of His Son, Jesus. Call on Jesus today to ensure you'll have life in heaven at the end of this life. You can pray the prayer below sincerely:

Dear God, I know I'm a sinner, and ask for Your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that You raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do Your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen."

If you've accepted Jesus' death in your place and have prayed, welcome into the family of God! You are now His child; as confirmation, He has put His Holy Spirit into your heart. Live as a child of God by following what He says in the Bible, reading and praying daily, and obeying what he tells you. Obeying the Word of God gradually changes you (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Next, find a local Bible-believing church for fellowship and growth in your relationship with God.

God bless you and your new life!