“I am a fellow citizen with the rest of God’s people in His family.” Ephesians 2:19
Who are we in Christ?
Do we have an identity crisis?
In Iraq the Christians know exactly who they are.
They do not have an identity crisis.
If you are watching the news (and I hope you are!) the Christians in Iraq (and the Sudan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, North Korea and more at www.persecution.com ) are willing to die for Jesus Christ.
At the present time, God is only requiring the American Christians to stand for Christ.
Our behavior flows from our identity.
If you a follower of Christ, do you know who God says you are?
The apostle Paul wrote Ephesians as an encouraging letter focusing on our identity in Christ. The new Christians in Ephesus had an identity crisis. Over the next few days may I suggest you read this book and ask yourself, “Who am I, in Christ?”
I’ve selected a few Scriptures from God’s Word describing who we are in Christ:
John 1:12 I am God’s child
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God’s temple.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s masterpiece.
Ephesians 2:19 I am a fellow citzen with the rest of God’s people in His family
Exodus 3:14; John 8:58; 1 Corinthians 15:10: I am not the great I AM, but by the grace of God, I am who I am.
Now is the time for those who call themselves followers of Christ (no matter what church they attend), to take a stand for Christ and daily walk with courage to follow Him and His ways.
Our fellow believers in Iraq are praying we will have the courage to stand. More importantly, God is calling us to STAND FOR CHRIST. Will you and I be the ones God is looking for?
I’m embarrassed to write that in my weakness, the thought crossed my mind “what will others think” about this blog. I asked God for forgiveness for even thinking those thoughts. Then I read this letter written in an article by Jesse Rice titled: Dear Fear-Of-What-Others-Think and knew this was the way to end today’s post.
Dear Fear-Of-What-Others-Think:
I am sick of you, and it’s time we broke up. I know we’ve broken up and gotten back together many times, but seriously, Fear-Of-What-Others-Think, this is it. We’re breaking up.
I’m tired of overthinking my status updates on Facebook, trying to sound more clever, funny, and important. I’m sick of feeling anxious about what I say or do in public, especially around people I don’t know that well, all in the hope that they’ll like me, accept me, praise me. I run around all day feeling like a Golden Retriever with a full bladder: Like me! Like me! Like me!
Because of you, I go through my day with a cloud of shame hanging over my head, and I never stop acting. The spotlight’s always on, and I’m center stage, and I’d better keep dancing, posturing, mugging, or else the spotlight will move, and I’ll dissolve into a little, meaningless puddle on the ground, just like that witch in The Wizard of Oz. I can never live up to the expectations of my imaginary audience, the one that lives only in my head but whose collective voice is louder than any other voice in the universe.
And all of this is especially evil because if I really stop and think about it, and let things go quiet and listen patiently for the voice of the God who made me and the Savior who died for me, in his eyes, it turns out I’m actually—profoundly—precious, lovable, worthy, valuable, and even just a little ghetto-fabulous. When I find my true identity in Christ, then you turn back into the tiny, yapping little dog that you are.
So eat it, Fear-Of-What-Others-Think. You and I are done. And no, I’m not interested in “talking it through.” I’m running, jumping, laughing you out of my life, once and for all. Or at least, that’s what I really, really want, God help me.
