God desires truth in our inward parts…Psalms 51:6.
What is your identity in?
Job financial status relationship social status happiness church ministry
Is it in anything other than God?
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
III John 1:4
I recently spent time with a couple that I consider some of my dearest friends. They have a three year old little girl by the name of Jada (her name means “belongs to God”). She calls me her friend. She actually asked her mom one night if her friend (me) could come over and play at her house. I felt so privileged to hear her say those words. Visiting one day while the grown ups were talking, we wanted to play. So we went outside and jumped on the trampoline. It was a beautiful night to jump, dance around, sing songs and laugh. A few times she stopped jumping and saw through the window her daddy sitting on the couch. She began to call out his name louder and louder: “Daddy! Daddy…Daddy!” I said, “What do you want to tell daddy?” She said, “I just want to make him smile.” So I said out loud, “God please let her daddy look out the window.” Immediately he turns and waves his hands and of course he has a huge smile on his face. She was giggling and jumping up and down so delighted that he saw her and responded to her.
I thought to myself… Lord, I pray that I would remember who I belong to. That I would not forget the true desire of my heart in all that I do is to make you smile.
It is easy to forget who you are these days. In today’s society the promoted promise for success is: go to school, make something of yourself, be anything you want to be if you just set your mind to it. With all the well meaning complements, advice, advertisements, suggestions from anyone and everyone, it is hard to tell the difference between your own thoughts and the expectations of those around you. Most of the time, you hurry up and make a decision in hopes of gaining some approval that will make the pressure stop at least for a little while.
Meanwhile, a job will hopefully make you responsible and help prove your worth. I know for myself, I felt a duty since an early age to be responsible, to carry my load, to do my part. As far as my reason for working – mine started out to make money in hopes of helping out, and then my reasons grew from there (buy a car so that I can get to work, gas so that the car can run, eventually felt the need to live on my own which brings a whole new set of bills and responsibilities). Before you know it, you are working because you have to, and you owe the world because you are trying your hardest to ‘have a life of your own.’
By this time feelings of purpose and meaning have somewhat drowned by the immediate workload. Buried beneath mountains of debt the motivation has shifted slightly, because if you do not pay your debts the ‘get out of jail’ card does not work in real life. A sense of personal loyalty and faithfulness to the company will come at a cost of all your energy and strength. Something every one might hope for…promotion and recognition and more money. Finding temporary comfort in the occasional thought of: “if I just keep on working and I work hard enough eventually I will get out of this…and hopefully one day deserve a retirement, and then I can finally do what I really want to do.”
PLEASE NOTE: If you have worked all your life or you are currently pursuing a career or occupation - that is great. It is even greater if your goal is to do all that you do for THE GLORY OF GOD. You can be a servant of all and a son or daughter of the living God wherever you are. You can live the example of one who does not just hear the Word of God, but lives it (does it). You can preach the gospel by the way you live your life. Do all as unto the Lord (with excellence). Keep a right attitude. Be the best you…you can be.
In hopes of encouraging you to examine your own heart and life according to the truth of God’s Word; I am sharing the various thoughts and decisions I have walked through. As I was challenged by the Word of God to realize my purpose and meaning, the truth revealed my time was eaten away by the workload, hoping for promotions, trying to hang on to temporary comforts, and daily dreaming for something different actually being a possible option. What I did not realize is the truth would reveal the heart of the matter; my hope and my trust was in myself and in what I could do. I did not want to make anyone unhappy with me. I did want to please God somewhere in all of that, but wanting does not make it so.
God enjoys us …he does not think that our desires for living something more than what we have known are foolish. He desires so much for His kids. He wants us to be living the life that is truly life, and life more abundantly. This life more abundantly is in His Son, Christ Jesus. We are in this world but we are not of this world. The Kingdom of God is within us, and so to find our fulfillment in anything other than doing the King’s will is futile. That is not our true identity.
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. II Timothy 2:4
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. I Corinthians 11:28
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (Reprobate = One who is predestined to damnation) II Corinthians 13:5
What are you glorying in? What things do you boast of?
These are the things you approve of and encourage others to do likewise. God sees and knows all. His ways are so much higher, His thoughts are higher. Psalms 139 says that He perceives our thoughts from afar.
Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 9:23,24
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things that are not convenient;
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:30
We are in the last days…
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. II Timothy 3:2
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. II Timothy 2:19
Departing from iniquity is turning away from evil. “Depart from evil and do good; Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” Psalm 37:3,27 Turning away from evil is the work of repentance. When we examine ourselves according to God’s Word we will realize how great of a debt we owe. We deserve death, eternal separation from God. If we have broken one of the commandments we have broken them all. (James 2:10) Jesus paid it all. He served the sentence, took the punishment that we deserved.
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Acts 17:30
Repent means = Creeping along the ground; prostrate. Sorry for doing wrong. Turning from wrong doing with a true intent and determination not to return to or repeat same offense.
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 3:2
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
Should we not be preaching and living the same gospel that Jesus did?
Your true identity is who you are. Many people are working hard to make something of themselves, to have a good reputation, to make a good impression. Sadly, even when it comes to ‘good works’ and ministries, if they were measured by personal motivation in light of the scriptures – we might find many do things in His name, and yet never really know Him.
“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 6:27-29, 31, 32
Do you want to work the works of God? Believe on him (THE WORD OF GOD made flesh…JESUS). If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians” 2:20
This is our true identity now. Christ Jesus lives in our flesh by faith, in Him who loves us and gave himself for us.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” Hebrews 12:2, 3
KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD, LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST UNTO ETERNAL SALVATION. Jude 1:21
My Friends whatever you do
Be who God has made you
You were made for love
THE LOVE OF GOD
For the glory of His name
Be who God has made you
We are here to bring glory to God and freedom to mankind. Christ Jesus is our life. As we obey the truth of God’s word we live a life of love. May we fully surrender all of our plans and ask with a willing heart to receive His plans and what He has in store. Let us walk by faith and not by sight, believing and speaking with the authority that has been given us in Jesus name. May our hearts be purified by His Word. To Him alone be glory and honor, both now and for ever. Amen.
Marcie L. Mayo April 2007
