Your Identity in Jesus

YOUR IDENTITY IS IN JESUS
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:37-28

What is your identity? When you talk about yourself, what markers of personal identity come first? A new poll confirms that faith is no longer first in personal identity.

For most Americans, family is in the top spot (62 percent) followed by “being an American” (52 percent). “Religious faith” falls steeply to third place (38 percent) – if it’s mentioned at all, according to a survey released March 19 by The Barna Group. The California-based Christian research company found another 18 percent of those surveyed said faith had a little to do with idea of who they are and nearly 20 percent scored it at zero influence.

Surveys like this makes us wonder just how many who profess to be Christians are really practicing their faith or find Jesus to be a prime partner in life. The Bible tells us that once we profess Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are clothed with Him and we are all one.

Our profession of the Christian faith and salvation should be the number one identity marker in our lives. Ephesians says we are “God’s masterpiece.” The dictionary defines a “masterpiece” as “a person’s greatest work of art,” or a “consummate example of skill or excellence.”

Now, when God’s Word describes you as His masterpiece, what comes into your mind? Do you accept His assessment, or do you think? Well, I think He must be talking about someone else…if He really knew me, He wouldn’t think that!

God created you uniquely like no other person, as you are, where your and with a purpose for your life. He gave His Son that we might be clothed with righteousness and be complete in Jesus.

That is our identity, best summed up by that popular Christian song: In Christ alone my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song. My comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ I stand.

What does Jesus mean to you? What is your identity? The world gives all sorts on titles, accomplishments and positions to identify our identity, but for the Christian, we should be able to say here in the love of Christ I stand.

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
SENIOR HUMOR:

I was thinking about how a status symbol of today are those cell phones that everyone has clipped onto their belt or purse. I can’t afford one. So I’m wearing my garage door opener.

I was thinking about old age and decided that old age is when you still have something on the ball, but you are just too tired to bounce it.

I thought about making a fitness movie for folks my age and call it, “Pumping Rust”.

Employment application blanks always ask who is to be called in case of an emergency. I think you should write: “An ambulance”.

The older you get the tougher it is to lose weight because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Did you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are XL.

The sole purpose of a child’s middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble.

Did you ever notice: When you put the 2 words “The” and “IRS” together it spells ‘Theirs…’

Aging: Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it. But some people try to turn back their “odometers.” Not me. I want people to know ‘why’ I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved!

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
PATOR KEN WHITTEN ON FORGIVENESS:
• Grace received begins with grace extended.
• If you want forgiveness, the first move begins with you.
• Forgiveness absorbs the cost financially and socially.
• Whenever someone has wronged you, they have robbed you.
• Forgiveness is absorbing the pain rather than inflicting pain.
• Forgiveness is sacrificial.
• Hurt people hurt people.
• A requirement for forgiveness is to resist the superiority and release the liability, to revive the relationship.
• Forgiveness is when you stop thinking about thinking about what has been done to you and start thinking about what has been done for you.

Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:20

You may never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have.
Corrie ten Boom

Compassion is understanding the troubles of others, coupled with an urgent desire to help.

Character is who we really are. Strong character of service, integrity, humility, and excellence in all we do is a key to success. Our lives are always in process with pressures coming in many forms. Our challenge is to persevere.

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

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