A True Sense of Identity, Christian

Feb.02.07:Light for the Day "A True Sense of Identity" (<<) (>>)

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("Pray To Receive Christ")

-- 2 Corinthians 5:17
   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
   the old has gone, the new has come!

-- Galatians 5:22-24
22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives,
   He will produce this kind of fruit in us: Love, Joy, Peace,
   Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
23 Gentleness, and Self-control.
   Here there is no conflict with the law.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the
   passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross
   and crucified them there.
25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the
   Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
26 Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another,
   or be jealous of one another.

Never allow your sense of self to become associated with
your sense of job. If your job vanishes, your self doesn't.

Writing in Brown Book Magazine in 1904, Bessie
Anderson Stanley gave this eloquent definition of success:

"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed
often and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of pure
women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of
little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished
his task; who has left the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a
rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of
earth's beauty or failed to express it; who has always
looked for the best in others and given them the best
he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory
a benediction."

Our true sense of identity -- which gives our life meaning
and a genuine sense of success -- is not bound up in tasks,
deadlines, or projects. It lies in relationships --
the day-to-day associations we have at home, in our
community, and in church -- as well as our relationship
with our Heavenly Father. It is as we relate to people --
family, friends, colleagues --
that we develop a true sense of who we are.

-- GLDB

-- John 3:3; 15:5, 14-17
3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one
   can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches.
   If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;
   apart from Me you can do nothing.

15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does
   not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called
   you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father
   I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed
   you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last.
   Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.
17 This is My command: Love each other.

-- Romans 8:1-2; 14-16
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who
   are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh,
   but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has
   made me free from the law of sin and death.

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are
   Children of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to
   fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom
   we cry out, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that
   we are Children of God.

-- Ephesians 4:21-23
21 Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him in
   accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life,
   to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its
   deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God
   in true righteousness and holiness.

-- Colossians 1:9-11; 3:16-17
1:9 So we have continued praying for you ever since we
   first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete
   understanding of what He wants to do in your lives,
   and we ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.
10 Then the way you live will always honor and please
   the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things
   for others. All the while, you will learn to know God
   better and better.
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with His
   glorious power so that you will have all the patience
   and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy,
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to
   share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach
   and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you
   sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude
   in your hearts to God.
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
   Do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
   Giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

-- James 3:17
   But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;
   then peace-loving, considerate, submissive,
   full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

-- Psalms 51:10-13
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from Your presence
   or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
   and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
   and sinners will turn back to You.

-- Proverbs 3:3-7
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them
   around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name in
   the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
   and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge Him,
   and He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
   fear the LORD and shun evil.

-- Ecclesiastes 1-12

1:1 These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s
   son (Solomon), who ruled in Jerusalem.

2:13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
   just as light is better than darkness.
2:26 To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom,
   knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner He gives
   the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it
   over to the one who pleases God.
   This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

3:1 There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under heaven:
3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.
   He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
   yet they cannot fathom what God has done from
   beginning to end.
3:12 I know that there is nothing better for men than
   to be happy and do good while they live.
3:13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find
   satisfaction in all his toil -- this is the gift of God.
3:14 I know that everything God does will endure forever;
   nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.
   God does it so that men will revere Him.
3:15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be
   has been before; and God will call the past to account.
3:16 And I saw something else under the sun:
   In the place of judgment -- wickedness was there,
   in the place of justice -- wickedness was there.
3:17 I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment
   both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be
   a time for every activity, a time for every deed."

5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.
   Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools,
   who do not know that they do wrong.
5:2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in
   your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven
   and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

5:8 If you see a poor person being oppressed by the
   powerful and justice being miscarried throughout the land,
   don’t be surprised! For every official is under orders from
   higher up, and matters of justice only get lost in red tape
   and bureaucracy.

5:12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little
   or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him
   no sleep.

6:9 Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you
   don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is
   meaningless; it is like chasing the wind.
6:10 Everything has already been decided. It was known
   long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use
   arguing with God about your destiny.

7:5 It is better to be criticized by a wise person than
   to be praised by a fool!
7:6 Indeed, a fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns
   crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless.
7:7 Extortion turns wise people into fools,
   and bribes corrupt the heart.
7:8 Finishing is better than starting.
   Patience is better than pride.
7:9 Don’t be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools.
7:10 Don’t long for "the good old days," for you don’t know
   whether they were any better than today.
7:11 Being wise is as good as being rich;
   in fact, it is better.
7:12 Wisdom or money can get you almost anything, but it’s
   important to know that only wisdom can save your life.
7:13 Notice the way God does things; then fall into line.
   Don’t fight the ways of God, for who can straighten
   out what He has made crooked?
7:14 Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times
   strike, realize that both come from God. That way you
   will realize that nothing is certain in this life.
7:20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does
   what is right and never sins.

8:11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried
   out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to
   do wrong.
8:12 But even though a person sins a hundred times and
   still lives a long time, I know that those who fear
   God will be better off.
8:13 The wicked will never live long, good lives, for they
   do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like
   the evening shadows.
8:14 There is something else meaningless that occurs on
   earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve,
   and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve.
   This too, I say, is meaningless.

9:11 I have observed something else in this world of ours.
   The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the
   strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle.
   The wise are often poor, and the skillful are not necessarily
   wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead
   successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being at
   the right place at the right time.
9:12 People can never predict when hard times might
   come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are
   often caught by sudden tragedy.

11:1 Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later.
11:2 Divide your gifts among many, for you do not know
   what risks might lie ahead.

12:6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young,
   before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is
   broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the
   spring and the pulley is broken at the well.
12:7 For then the dust will return to the earth,
   and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

12:13 Here is my final conclusion:
   Fear God and obey His commands,
   for this is the duty of every person.
12:14 God will judge us for everything we do,
   including every secret thing, whether good or bad.