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Your identity has
great value not only to you, but also to
the thief who wants your name and credit
card to run up a stack of bills. Some of
us will go to great lengths to try and
gain an identity we think will make us
more acceptable to a certain group; like
wearing designer clothes or driving a
certain car. Some think it's in their
looks and opt for plastic surgery. Some
identify themselves by their profession
or trade. Maybe you've heard about the
man who went to the psychiatrist with a
severe identity crisis, saying, 'Doctor,
I'm convinced I'm a dog.' When the
psychiatrist asked how long he had this
problem, he blurted out, 'Ever since I
was a puppy!' Too many of us are
confused or basically uninformed about
our true identity as redeemed children
of God. This leads to false growth, or
no growth. Paul bottom-lined his
identity like this: '...Christ lives in
me...' Then he added: 'I can do all
things through Him who strengthens me'
(Philippians 4:13 NAS). With the fingers
of Mozart there's no musical piece you
couldn't play. With the brain of
Einstein there's no mathematical formula
you couldn't unravel. With the life of
Christ within you there's no victory you
cannot win. Your new identity in Christ
solves the problem of acceptance. When
you understand who you are in Christ you
realize that you've already been
accepted by God - and no one can improve
on that! So who are you? You're a
totally forgiven, fully accepted, deeply
loved, daily-empowered child of God.
Once you fully grasp that, you'll have
joy you've never known and grow like
you've never grown. |