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Identity

Over the last 5 years or so, as my wife and I have enjoyed regularly meeting in small groups and 'Open Homes', one particular subject keeps coming up, as of vital importance. I am so appreciative of one friend emphasing the subject which really struck a chord within, and has been so beneficial to me personally since.
It is the answer to the very simple question .. WHO AM I ? that we all ask ourselves at some stage through life.
And the answer to which is so important to our self-esteem, our confidence .
in fact to our entire persona and how we conduct our lives, how we relate to others
including our partner, our family ..... and to our God !
WHO AM I .... ?

Of course, each of us has a unique relationship with those around us.
To each person we relate slightly differently.
W e are just one person, and yet .........
we are someone's Son or Daughter, to another their Mother or Father,
Sister or Brother, Aunty or Uncle, Cousin, Nephew or Niece, Neighbour,
Associate, W ork-mate, Boss or Employee, Co-Worker, Mate, Companion,
Friend, or just a simple acquaintance.
Each name reveals our own special and unique relationship with that person alone.
But the daily grind, and earning a living .. providing, consuming, raising a family
relating, saving, spending, exercising, traveling / holidaying . all the facets of
life that take our time and leave us spent !
So that we often forget to remember our reason for being on this earth .
the very first tenet of the W estminster Catechism .
Question . What is the chief end of man?
Answer Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
Wow so simple, so profound, so life changing in its realisation !
That I am primarily here on earth to glorify God, in whatever I do, in whatever I eat
and drink .. to do all to the glory of God 1 Corinthians 10:31
This lifts ANY task, any endeavour, into a God glorifying one .. and leads us to our topic .

OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST ...
We all have an identity towards others, and how we relate to them.
But do we realise our spiritual role . that inner estimation of ourselves . that
makes us tick over, that affects our relationships with all we meet . family and
friends, workmates, strangers . each and every connection on this earth, daily,
continually ?

OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST .. God planned, blood bought at so great a cost
Calvary changed everything . and our view of ourselves ... our self esteem !
IN CHRIST, towards GOD. we are / I am . Elected 1Peter 1:2
Chosen John 15:16
Repented, Reconciled, Redeemed, Regenerated, Restored
Purchased, Bought with a price, Forgiven .... absolutely, Cleansed .... totally
Born Again .... from above
A Child of the Most High GOD
A Child of FAITH
Called with a Holy calling, Chosen, Sanctified,
An Over-comer, over each and every obstacle
A Conqueror in ALL the various aspects of life, and its situations
A King & Priest to our God,
A follower of the W ay ..... the Lamb
Possessor of a Blessed Hope, and Eternal Life began within
Assured of salvation,
Salt of the Earth Matthew 5:13
A Light to the World Matthew 5:14-16
A Witness to those around,
Relating to Brothers In Christ, Brethren, Fellow Pilgrims,
An Ambassador for Christ,
Sometimes despised & scorned, disregarded, ignored, rejected ...... (so what !)
Fellow sufferer with Him, Following in His steps
Spirit filled & endowed, Fruit bearing, Anointed,
Forward looking, Past forgetting,

HIS & only HIS ............... till Eternity comes
Jesus knew who he was, and for this reason He could humble Himself to become a servant and take the role of a lowly servant .... on his last night on earth !
Jesus KNOW ING that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God, rose from supper, took off his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with his apron John 13 : 3-5

The full realisation of our spiritual identity comes to us at an individual time and
season of each ones life. And this is inner life " attitude" changing .... totally !
One day 'the penny drops' .... we get an inner realisation of our self worth, of
exactly who we are IN CHRIST and towards GOD, of why he visited this planet,
took on human form, and purchased our redemption.
And that our estimation of ourselves is not dependent on what others see us as, but on what we are spiritually within, and how we see ourselves, and value ourselves.

And then importantly, we can handle criticism ..... and REJECTION ..... even betrayal...... whatever and whenever such occurs .... our confidence in God maintains us through it all !
Also, it lets others 'win' .... we are willing to yield to others in difficult situations ....
preferring to let God sort out and straighten crooked corners and attitudes.
We let Him become our vindicator, our justifier, our judge !

We can more easily take the role of a servant as Jesus did, and more readily forgive and excuse others, and tolerate their 'weaknesses'
We can now 'RELAX' in that we don't have to continually need to prove ourselves ... to others or ourselves.
We don't have to compete with others.
We can be ourselves .... KNOWING who we truly are
And with this realisation comes another benefit â€" we see ourselves truly â€" not as another clone within a religious denomination or church group, but an individual
accountable to God first and foremost and ultimately, free to seek Gods guidance
personally, free to exercise his gifting in whatever door he opens .... free to be Holy
Spirit led .... (free to write this Blog) etc .... as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (children) of God Romans 8:14

Just to read the Book of Acts again .... this is the account, not of the Acts of the
Apostles, but of the Holy Spirit active within the disciples ... bringing to them
either riots or revival !

So, my thought is .... if you have this realisation of your true spiritual IDENTITY ... treasure it, foster it, exercise it, believe it, appreciate it, hold on to it but if not ..... then SEEK IT earnestly, and the company of those who do have it !
It's wondrous ..... and God glorifying ...... as He intended !