When describing ourselves, we often use different titles, labels, positions, places, events, and activities. To identify means to estimate or indicate who or what someone or something is; to assign or describe oneself as belonging to a particular category or group. Most always, how we identify ourselves determines how we live, think, behave, and conduct ourselves.
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7a
To think means to reason, have ideas, and have beliefs. The heart is the place we make decisions. Simply put, what we think about in our minds and decide in our hearts, we are or soon become.
When someone says, "I'm just a dirty, rotten sinner, saved by grace," they are. Their focus is on the dirty, rotten sinner and not the saved by grace part. A dirty, rotten sinner is what we once were. Grace declares who we are now, born again children of God by the shed blood of Jesus. We are now set apart as saints because we are now saved by Jesus and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. So, we either identify with the life of a sinner without Christ, or as a Believer by the grace of God. So please allow me to ask, who do you belong to and identify with?
If I ask you to tell me who you are, what or who would you identify to explain yourself? Allow me to be an example. I could tell you my gender, age, place of birth, parents and siblings, schools I attended, work and jobs, hobbies I enjoy, positions I held and hold, and the things I like or don't like. And while these things are not bad, they are not my foremost identity. A load of men in this world may have similar things they identify with as well. Many of the things I could identify with, others who grew up like I did could relate. But there is one word that changes the meaning of my identity, and that word is "Christian."
God has stirred me to remind the Body of Christ that we are in this world, but not of this world. Way too many Christians identify themselves with the things, views, and positions of this world. As I have said many times, focus is extremely important. Focus means an act of concentrated interest or activity on something. A Microsoft study revealed the average human attention span has gone from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds in 2020. That should tell us a lot about the world we live in today. Our conversation is a sure giveaway on what we are focusing on. So, what is it you talk about the most, my friend? Is it people, places, events, material things, drama, or politics? Not that these are not things we think about in daily living, but they should not be our main focus. How we view these areas affects how we live and think.
Our focus MUST be on the Kingdom of God and His way of doing and being. As born-again believers, we are now "Christian." One who has repented of their sin, received Jesus into their heart as Lord and Saviour, and who is following Him with the instruction of God's Word and the help of the Holy Spirit. As a Christian, my life is now totally committed first and foremost to the teachings, standards, principles, and instruction of God's Word.
We have the Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, teach, empower, strengthen, and discipline us. Being Christian should overshadow, determine, and influence every area of our lives. That means the spiritual, physical, social, financial, emotional, and even political parts of our lives. If at any moment or decision we can set the values and standards of God's Word aside, it is at that moment we have stepped into disobedience and sin. When we choose how we feel, what we think, and how the world views things above God's Word, we are in rebellion against Truth.
Because God is our Creator and knows ALL things, His ways, plans, purposes, will, and thoughts are perfect and without flaw. God does not lead us in a good way, but in the best way. Sadly, many have been deceived by Satan into thinking they know more than God, if they even acknowledge God at all. It is more than high time that Christians wake up and realize who they are in Christ and Who they belong to as God's children. Our identity must begin with being a Christian; one living, loving, and leading like Christ. Our Christian values must lead in all our decisions, conduct, and behavior. I'm a Christian man, husband, father, neighbor, writer, friend, and so on. I must daily adjust any and everything that in any way contradicts my being Christian first and foremost.
True Christianity is not wearing a cross, but spiritually hanging on one so Jesus Christ can be Lord of our lives in every area. That will determine how I live, work, think, behave, love, treat others, and yes, even how I vote. Allow me to insert this thought about voting. We are not Christian Republicans or Democrats. We are Christ-followers who vote for those best representing the Truth found in God's Word. As my sweet wife Kim says, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. When a political party boldly proclaims they support killing babies in and out of the womb (murder), homosexuality (sexual immorality), gender denial (rebellion), same sex marriage (abomination), and the rejection of God and His Word; believe them! Please hear me; God will not only judge those who allow such things, but also those who support it with their vote.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
I pray this message challenges your heart. I pray you make being a born-again, Spirit-filled, and empowered Christian first and foremost in all you say and do. It is only when we truly live a Bible based, Holy Spirit led, Christian life, will those in darkness see who Christ is in us, and desire to know Him as their personal Saviour and Lord.
The list could go on of how we focus on our wants and desires while neglecting God is answering prayers daily. His presence is always with us and the more we acknowledge that He daily meets our needs, we also acknowledge His presence with us.
