True Identity

Chapter 39

True Identity!

We have all possessed something that we are proud of and love to show it off. To have something new that others don't have makes us feel special. We get a lot of our worth from what we own. I remember in school popular kids were identified by their athletic ability, nice car, style of clothes, huge home, etc. The character of a person was not really the big deal.

In Luke 12:13-34 Jesus explaines where our identity should come from. Someone from the crowd called out to Jesus to tell his brother to divide their father's estate with him, Jesus was like this is not my problem, it's yours. Jesus is not going to help us when behind our need is a wrong motive. These two brothers had a greed problem. Jesus says in verse 15 "life is not measured by how much you own." 

He then told them the story about the Rich Fool. He made it clear how foolish it is to focus life on storing up earthly wealth so one can take it easy someday when all will eventually perish.  God made us with a desire to having a rich relationship with Him and it alone is what will truly satisfy us.

Very few ever arrive where life becomes easy where they just sit back and enjoy the ride.  So when you strive for something that you cannot attain it brings stress and anxiety for you never have enough.  Jesus teaches in verse 22-30 that life is more than this and that when you know God you know that He will take care of you.  When you seek the Kingdom of God, which means allowing the King to have dominion, living for His will - not one's own, then everything one needs is given.  (vs.31)

What we can't let go of is what identifies us.

If Jesus is Lord then everything we own is His and therefore can be given away. Freedom defined is when nothing owns us but our Lord. So if we our not free we must ask ourselves who and what owns me?

Satan is the ultimate Identity theft, he has deceived us in being whom we are not. Our true identity is not in people and things it is hidden in Christ and only through a growing relationship with Him can who we are be found in the treasure of who we are in Him.

Modern Day Pharisees

Chapter 38

Modern Day Pharisees 

(Luke 12:1-12)

Have you ever been around individuals who are intimidating? I have been around many great leaders some are warm and humble but many are cold and proud, it's usually not just by what they say, you can just feel it in the atmosphere. I could say it is my own insecurities but I believe there is a reason certain thoughts form in my head.  Using intimidation can be expected around worldly leaders yet I have found the same amongst Christian leaders. 

In Luke 12:1 as a great crowd gathered Jesus warns the disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees-their hypocrisy. 

What does He mean here? 

Well, influential people will usually have no regard for us until we begin to make an influence ourselves. Jesus was drawing crowds, his ministry was now becoming greater than their own. They led through fear by intimidation while Jesus led through faith by love, a total contradiction and therefore threat to their own religious establishment. Christ righteousness was exposing their wickedness, His truth was exposing their lies. So Jesus was warning the disciples that things were going to heat up, great conflict was developing, but they should not fear those whom can only harm them temporarily but fear God who has the power over their eternal destination. 

Pharisees are those whom use God for their own personal gain. They take advantage of those whom are weak, unlearned, poor, and insecure, using their titles and accomplishments to Lord over them.  Most of us come to the Lord in our weakness so we are prime candidates for deception from these wolves dressed in sheep's clothing. They appear to be something they are not and try ever so subtly to lead us to deny the Lord and blaspheme the Holy Spirit. 

Yet, our battle is not with flesh and blood, so we must respond with love to everyone including those whom seem to want to do us harm.  Many are ignorant of their ways, bound to traditions, deceived, they even believe what they are doing is right.  God saved Saul who became Paul and can save anyone, so we must pray for all leaders, yet, make sure we are not taken advantage of and led astray the same.  

The word says if we follow Christ we will suffer persecution.  Jesus main persecution was with the religious elect, and so we cannot expect anything but the same, and as it says in Luke 12:12 the Holy Spirit will teach us in the midst of it how to respond.

Being Played!

Chapter 37

BEING PLAYED!

(Luke 11:27-54)

We have all been played before! Being played means when someone uses you for their own gain through manipulation, lies, exaggerations, etc, to make you believe something until they get what they want. 

In our materialistic society where every product has many companies selling basically the same thing, it takes good promotional schemes to sell. Hopefully most of us have learned the game and don't just buy something because of what a advertisement says but research it diligently before purchasing. 

Also many ladies get taken advantage of time and time again from players just because the words they speak and actions they give make them feel good. How many times being hurt does it take before one sees through another?

We can expect this in the business marketing arena and the players club but why does it seem the church community operates with the same gimmicks and phonies as the world? 

The children of Israel had experienced nothing but phonies in regards to their religious leaders the Pharisees. So the attitude of the people here in Luke 11:29-54 were not easy to reach. They were like many of us today, we are not going to buy into anything until is it proven before our eyes.  

Jesus gave the example of unlikely people including the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba who received God while Israel rejected Him. Today we have the United States turning away from the Lord, behaving religiously like the Pharisees but not truly responding to the Lord, while many in unlikely places like Iran and China have thousands getting saved daily.

Christianity is accepted as okay in our society as long as it remains a private affair, once it becomes open and public then it becomes an issue.  If we would just remain silent and let the world go ahead with whatever agenda they want, we would be fine, free from persecution.  But, as it says in vs. 33 "No one lights a lamp, then hides it in a drawer.  It's put on a lamp stand so those entering the room have light to see where they're going."  

True Christianity cannot be hidden.  We are the light to the world it is impossible to be light and those in the dark not see.  That is why people in the underground church in China can only stay hidden for so long, because of the light, people become suspicious and eventually find them out, and persecution follows.  We don't have to say a thing but a difference will yet be seen, light exposes darkness, so those in the dark begin to see.  As it explains in vs. 34 "our eye is the lamp, lighting up the whole body." As long as your in the Sun you will radiate light, if we are in Christ, His presence will be felt.  So to remain in the light is to be transparent having nothing to hide.  

Those who confess to believe and yet are no different than the world are Frauds who have not yet received Christ for they have hidden sins yet confessed, hurts and pains yet healed.  We cannot receive Christ until we confess our sins and open our heart to be healed.  It is a process but if it has not yet begun salvation has not yet occurred.

Jesus in Luke 11:37-54 now gives an example of a religious fraud.  He reveals that their primary focus is the outside of an individual rather than the inside.  Someone can pretend to be something outwardly from a distance but once one get's to know them personally they are able to see through and discover they are not whom they pretend to be.  That is why many leaders are not close to those they lead for of fear of being exposed.  They use intimidation to keep distance.  We must not be intimidated but be willing to get close to those whom God wants to expose as religious frauds for they misrepresent Him and  are the enemies device to draw people into deeper darkness.