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 "...you shall love your neighbor as yourself."[Matthew 22:39] Browsing through the local bookstore the other day searching for a book a friend of mine recommended, I noticed the exhaustive selection of self help publications. What it tells me is that a lot of people are having difficulty finding their true identity. Before television, humans could find their identity in movies. Before movies, identity was sought on the stage. Throughout human history we’ve had a need to find our identity in other things, whether they be animal, vegetable or mineral. Where did this need originate? To make the most of this message, it will make for better understanding, if the Bible passages sited are read from whaterver translation suits you. I recommend this page be printed out so you can take more time to read and look up the Bible references. The Bible says that the first being to lose his identity was Lucifer.[Ezekiel 28:12-16 ; Isaiah 14:12-14 ] Ezekiel’s prophecy against the king of Tyre in chapter 28 has a double reference as does Isaiah’s prophecy against the king of Babylon. Isaiah’s prophecy spanned a period from 739-681B.C. The Babylonian empire rose to prominence by 626 B.C. Tyre was the most noted Phoenician city, dating back as far as 2700 B.C. Tyre sat high and proud among the kingdoms of the ancient world. Notice that the rulers of these noted kingdoms are referred to in the first person. Not as a group or population. Turn to [Daniel 10 ] When you read through it make note of the name of the king of Persia. Who was withstanding or resisting the messanger sent to Daniel from God?[Daniel 10:13 ] Meditate on what is happening in verses 12 and 13. Now put a bookmark there and turn to the New Testament book of [Ephesians 6:10-12 ] According to the apostle Paul’s wrting we are dealing with a force that is invisible. Not only is it invisible, but it’s mean and nasty.[1 Peter 5:8 ] Take a look at history and tell me how many kingdoms are smoldering in their own rubble. Let’s go back to the beginning. The Bible tells us that Lucifer lost his identity with God and was cast down to earth. I believe the first thing he did was pay a call on the ones who bore the idenity he forfeited . Knowing human psychology, Lucifer ( Satan, the serpant, the Devil ) was able to deceive the parents of Adam’s race into crossing over the devine line. Thus relinquishing their position as rulers of the earth over to the devil and at the same time, losing their identity as the children of God. Humanity’s attempt to bridge that gap turns into religion. Archeologists dig of artifacts all over the world that are carved images of wood, stone or metal. These artifacts were objects of worship for a people or person trying desperately to find some identity. Scientists that study these things say the figurines are self-portraits of the artist. The American Indians found identity in living things. Which is understandable in the light of God’s creating force. In the book of Genesis the first two chapters, God is speaking things into existence. Take a look at [ Psalm 33:6 ] The term breath can be interchangeable with spirit. When the Bible refers to God’s Spirit, we call it His Holy Spirit. So when God spoke things into existenc, He never told the process to stop. The animal and plant kingdom is the physical expression of God’s thought. The ground we stand on is our stage, the sky and everything in it is our ceiling. When I look at a sunset or a starry night. When I watch the hummingbirds surrounding the feeder I placed for them or when I go snorkeling in Hawaii. I am reminded of [ Psalm 8 ] I am also reminded of [ 1Corinthians 2 ] particularly verse 9. As you may recall in Priority 4, I talked about finding the balance within our boundaries set by God. Jesus Christ, during His passion week, while teaching in the temple. Was confronted by one of the ruling parties of His day. The Pharasees were the teachers and guardians of Mosaic law. In one episode the Pharisees approached Jesus with one of many trick questions. ”What is the greatest commandment...”[Matthew 22:36 ] His answer put things in a different perspective than what was being taught then and today, [ Matthew 22:37-40 ] God first, others second and ourselves last. Quite a contrast from the books about self-improvement on the bookstore shelves. When the parents of the Adam’s family lost their identity with their Heavenly Father. There stood a wall of separation between. Sin had entered the world through one man and that stained image could only be washed clean when the promised redeemer, the seed of the woman would come into our world.[ Genesis 3:15 ; Galatians 4:4-6 ] In other words. God, by His Spirit, came into our world and spoke to us by His Son. He not only showed us the way out of this world, but provided a way for us to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father.[ 2 Corinthians 5:15, 17-19, 21 ] Therefore if we have been reconciled back to God through the atonement of Christ our indentity with our Heavenly father is restored. Our identity with God through His Son Jesus Christ demands a choice. Jesus Christ has many names. Each one discribes who He is. One in particular is Emanuel. Which means, “God with us”.[ Matthew 1:23 ] Who He is demands a choice. To reject God’s gift is to reject our identification with Him. To accept God’s gift, by faith, means identification with Him and by the way is the only way out of a world that is going to fry. The other day I saved a spider trapped in my kitchen sink. It was desperately trying to get out but the side of the sink was too steep and slippery. It would have been easy to wash it down the sink. But I felt compassion, so I spent 5 minutes coaxing it onto a plastic lid to lift it to safety. I realize that spider had no clue as to what I was attempting. Humans on the other hand are the same way about our identity with God. That’s because it is a supernatural transformation. Like in the movie “Matrix” when Neo began to see the evidence of and realize the power of an elaborate deception that had invisible control over his life and he wanted to break free. As soon as his mind turned to pursue his thoughts, Morphius began patiently and carefully making contacting Neo. When the two finally met, Morphius holds out his hand for Neo to make a decision that was totally up to him. After Neo made his choice, he had to go through a transformation and training to prepare him for service. During Neo’s training he was told that as soon as he was freed from the Matrix he became its enemy. When a member of Adam’s family is released from the grip of Satan, he/she becomes a target and the Devil prowls back and forth upon the earth to seek and distroy those that have reclaimed their lost identity that Satan will never gain. God reached down into Adam’s family through His Son, who is the Son of Man, to provide a platform for us to climb onto. To identify with. To lift us out of this world to be with Him forever, never to taste the price of rejecting the identity He provided. When we regain our identity with God we lose ours. Our insistance on self-realization is evidence that we are not identified with God through His Son Jesus Christ.. The life of Christ was one of self-expenditure and He expects the same from His disciples.[ Matthew 16:24 ] Is it hard to be a disciple? You bet it is. Jesus tells His disciples to expect persecution.[ Matthew 5: 11-12 ] Jesus comforted His disciples by telling them not to worry about themselves.[ Matthew 6:25-34 ]God wants to save us from ourselves. He has provided a way for us to redirect our focus and bring us into a right relationship with Him. If you are seeking hope for a new life, it all begins with Jesus. Begin Here!
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