Identity, my identity, our identity

Hello guys, sorry for being away for so long. I usually have this notion that people missed me because if I was to be separated from myself, i'm sure I would miss me. Anyway, we shall head on to more important stuff and don't mind the introduction, the bible says that you have to love others as you love yourself. i am therefore in order today when I lavish love upon myself.

Today I shall talk about love and the hard lessons I have learnt. Over the past three months, our band has been tackling a series on love and it has not been easy. Talking about love is one thing but putting it into practice is another whole issue. Putting love into action is what counts most as a christian. we can all speak in tongues, cast out devils, move in miracles and wonders and do all that, but yet if we lack love, its all futile. 

In the gospel, Jesus points out what how a christian is identified. Now, an identity in spiritual terms is not fashioned by names and titles and the like, but fashioned by our actions. Remember by the way, all truth is parallel. For example, you cannot verify a person as a doctor until you see the person in action in a hospital or clinic or something like that. a person saying that he is a doctor is one thing, I could also go and get a labcoat and claim to be one too, but when a sick person is brought to me, the truth will emerge.

Now still on a doctor, some of us usually believe that so and so is a qualified doctor, up until the medical practitioners board come to visit and inspect that person. If the person is for real, the board lets the person to continue carrying out his business as usual. However, if the person is a quack, such a day and event is called, his day of reckoning. (hehehe). A whitewashed tomb, or in Kenyan terms, a member of parliament. *hides*

Jesus in his word says, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Jesus expressly states the mark of identity that defines a christian. That is how the world will know that we are his disciples. Its not by walking in talents, gifts and abilities, for those also can be inspired by the devil, but by walking in love.

God is love. Love is sum-total of God's attributes. We were all created in God's image and therefore, it is inherent in us to love one another. However, to have a revelation of the true nature of love, as God is, is what gives the christian his/her foundation in the spiritual walk that is Christianity. People say that christianity is a relationship with God, and that is correct. However, we cannot claim to have a relationship with God if we cannot relate with our fellow brothers in love. 1 John 4:20 "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen"

To love God is easy, since God is all good to us, He provides, He sustains and forgives and does all those good things we thank Him for. However, loving that annoying conductor who refused with your change is a task. loving a friend who annoyed you is a task. That chic who stole your boyfriend, that dude who did not keep his word, loving them is easy, isn't it??? That is the standard that Christ has called us to as Christians. That is the identity that we have been called to. Matthew 5:46-48

⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

 Galatians 6:14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

If we will not love as Christians, then we have no identity yet. Loving God, loving yourself, loving others. That is the hope that is found on the cross. Everything from the beginning to the end of the bible is about how God loves us and how we should love one another. Even if we fail in everything else, let us not fail in love.

What is worship and who is a worshipper?

Sunday evening I decided to listen to a switchfoot album (Hello Hurricane to be specific), though not deliberately, it was just along the way on my playlist. It was just for the purposes of passing time as I wrote a certain proposal. In fact, I was convinced that listening to that music would just interfere with my connection with the divine but I went on anyway.

Then the words of the songs started sinking in slowly, of course the very nice melodies captured me first. Then as I went  on I realised how much the words talk to the very being of a man, the very struggles of a man and the like etc. as usual with CCM music, no words like Jesus, God and Christ were used. Then in my heart I was like, these guys are so carnal, can’t they be more spiritual? Why are they being so escapist?

Then as I went on, I realised that their lyrics made so much sense if you choose to open your heart to listen to more than the words. They may not be sing-alongs like praise and worship music but they are effective in their own capacity. Then the question was why? Why does it convict a man like me, who is supposedly very spiritual?

Then God started speaking about the heart and ministry. At the end of the day, ministry is about the transaction that you have had with God, not so much about the transaction that you have had with men. We tend to grade the success of our ministry with the effectiveness it has on capturing people’s attention rather than the transformation it should have on our lives. We see people get delivered of devils, guys breaking before God, people being healed but we come out the same, maybe happier because of the demonstration of God in that event and probably being passed by God in the midst of all that immense glory and power present at the moment. 

   1.  vessels

One notion we have is that when God checks in during our service and ministry, that we as His vessels have a right standing with God. This however is not a correct biblical position as demonstrated in Isaiah 45. This particular chapter talks about King Cyrus being God’s servant even though Cyrus did not know God.

(Isa 45:5) I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

It is for God to determine how He will use a person to his own glory and honour of his name. As a human being, we tend to have our own plans, whether they are in the direction that God has ordained or not. However, at the end of the day, that does very little to change the intents of God at the end of the day. It is really practical, how many times do we at the end of a day sit down and say the day went exactly as we had planned? We do not determine fully how we will be fully used to the glory of God but it is for the Lord to determine what kind of tool we will be used as. Even if a spade wants to be a spoon, cried, and threw a tantrum about it, you would still definitely at the end of the day, not use it as a spade, but instead go to the garden and make proper use of it.

The same goes with how God will use us. We can never use the demonstration of how God uses our service to determined where our relationship with God lies. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus describes how the goats and sheep will be separated, not on the basis of service but on the basis of where their hearts lay in God. 

The bible says in (1Co 10:12)  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

If you are a servant of God, that is not an assurance of whether you will qualify to step into heaven on the day of judgement. God does not desire our service as much as he desires our hearts. Where do our hearts lie? Where are our treasures kept? Is it in Christ himself or is it in doing works that are considered to be Christ-like? Aren’t we all just mere vessels before God?

Where does the difference come in?

Follow this for part two and the rest

Immortality

Today the focus of my post will be on life and the important things in life. a call to a renewed form of thinking, for the word implores us to be transformed by the renewal of our minds.

The focus of every human being in today's society is to leave a legacy and leaving a legacy, as we have been taught, is the most important thing in life. To leave a name and all this even goes to the very fabric of the society. Let us examine deeply at why we work hard as Kenyans and human beings at large, and struggle to reach the top of the food chain. We want to be the number one in our national examinations, the best in our endeavors. At our workplace we struggle to reach the top, and even in ministry we struggle to outshine other ministers of the word. If we are careful and honest enough to examine our own motives, especially as Christians, we will discover that our motivation is just to leave a name for ourselves, a trophy in the minds of people.

The world today has instilled a perception in our minds  that we have to leave an image, to venerate our names, our very being and in that manner we will gain a false perception of immortality. However, Jesus Christ stated in the book of Matthew 16:25 that "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." What will it gain us to do our works for the very fear of death and yet at the end of it lose it altogether. 

In Psalms 49, David talks about death and the vanity of human attempts at immortality.

 ¹² People, despite their wealth, do not endure;

   they are like the beasts that perish.

Our attempts to venerate ourselves will only end up in death. People talk about leaving a rich heritage, one that will last on ends. However, none of these will last. David in verse 13 declares their fate, the one that they have sealed for themselves. 

  ¹³ This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,

   and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^[d]

¹⁴ They are like sheep and are destined to die;

   death will be their shepherd

   (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).

Their forms will decay in the grave,

   far from their princely mansions.

The only eternal heritage that will be of the greatest value to the coming generations, will be the knowledge of Christ, the King of kings whose love and reign will endure forever. 

Immortality is not achieved by the veneration of our works, legacies or ideals, but by salvation that was found on a cross.Let us trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of our souls and eternal life for He himself is eternal life.