I usually don't care for church signs. The reason being that most of the time the messages are bad rip offs of some slogan or they are just plain cheesy. Not to offend any brothers or sisters who may attend a church that has had a sign like that. Every now and then I do see one that is a particularly good one.
I was on my way home and taking a side road when I passed a church who's sign said, "Remember Who You Are". That was it, no scripture, no pointing to Jesus as savior, no reference on going to heaven, just simply "Remember Who You Are".
I think that if there ever was a church sign that actually caused you to stop and think, it would be this one. The reason for that is, the question of who we are is often a big question that we keep seeking the answer for. Some of us think we know who we are and may to an extent. Here is what the Bible says.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Romans 8: 16,17 (KJV)
This verse first says that the Spirit, the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God, confirms or agrees with our spirit that we are children of God. You see when we are born again, saved, or receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our spirit comes alive to Christ and we are set in our place as a child of God. That verse also says that if we are children of God then we are heirs of God. That means we inherit the kingdom and blessings of God. We are brothers and sisters to Jesus and we are to walk/live in the same authority and confidence of that, just like Jesus did. That is who we are.
You may be thinking right now that this couldn't apply to you. You may be thinking that you are born again, but you have a sin problem. Number one, everyone has a sin problem. Sin is in this world and has been since the fall of Adam. Number two, your sin is not what defines who you are. God defines who you are. The word of God and who it says you are defines who you are. I heard a minister say it like this once. " I am a child of God, a minister of the gospel who walks in the power and authority of Jesus Christ, that is who I am, this addiction/sin is just an issue I am having to deal with". Did you get that? Not belittling the seriousness of addictions and sins, but they are not who you are. A drug addict is not who you are, a porn addict is not who you are, those are fleshly things you have to deal with and overcome. Who you are is on the inside of you, in your spirit. Remember when Paul said, " I do the things I don't want to do and don't do the things I want to do"? The things he wanted to do were the things of God the godly desires of his spirit. The things he didn't want to do were those things that his flesh desired to do. How many of us can say we have given in to an addiction or sin only to turn around and say, why did I do that? This may help that understanding.
Anyone who listens to the word and does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:23-25 (NIV)
We have to constantly keep the Word of God before us. I know there are times when I have to "recharge" with with the Word. I to can forget who I am and let the Word slip in my life. We can become like a man who is in a row boat rowing up stream against the flow of the water. He can stop rowing and keep going in the same direction for a bit because of the momentum he has built up, but gradually he will slow and be moving with the waters flow. He may still be facing the right direction, but he is traveling backward the entire time. We can be going against the flow of the world and society, but we can become lax in what we believe or begin to tolerate and allow certain things and not realize we have begun to flow with the world.
Folks, in case you haven't noticed, this world is sick. It's heading south faster and faster and taking people that Jesus died for with it. The Bible says that the world is in turmoil looking for the sons of God to appear. The sons' of God are us. We need to shake off the depression and oppression of the world and circumstances that are slowing us down and rise up and remember who we are and fight the good fight of faith. Here's your sign.
" Remember Who You Are "
In Christ,
Kevin
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Death Touched By Life
" Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? " John 11:25,26
I want to share with you a story that a friend of mine told me this morning about his daughter. His daughter is studying to be an RN and works at a local hospital. The young lady was given charge of an elderly woman who was expected to pass away at anytime. It was her job to take care of this elderly woman day to day. The elderly ladies vital signs had been slowly decreasing when she had a bowel movement.
This young lady, who is a christian, had gone in to clean the woman when she had the unction to say this to her. She told her that she knew she couldn't speak, but she felt that she needed to know that Jesus loved her and accepted her. She told her it didn't matter what she had done or didn't do and even though she couldn't speak that if she said in her mind that she believed in Jesus and received Him that He would accept her. The young lady said it seemed as though that after a few moments the elderly woman's countenance had changed to a peaceful state.
As the my friends daughter began to clean the woman and roll her on her side to do so, the elderly lady passed away. My friends daughter came home that evening saddened by the event of the woman passing as she was turning her. My friend explained to his daughter that she was seeing the event all wrong. He helped her see that the woman's death was not a result of her actions and that she had actually provided something the woman may not have had. Someone to love and care for her in her final moments and allow her to pass with dignity by cleaning her after she had gone.
The young lady had a chance during one of her student classes to relate the event to her teacher and classmates. None of them had a dry eye as she told the story. There the young lady gave her classmates and teacher a reminder of why they do what they do.
Last weekend my wife's grandmother had a stroke and it was thought she was not going to make it. My wife went to Mississippi to be with her grandmother and family. Her grandmother was brought home and put on hospice. My wife, having a hospitality gifting, wanted to stay for the week and take care of any needs her family may have and assist them with her grandmother. She got to spend time with family that we don't get to see often and can only spend a short time with when we visit. It meant a lot to my wife to be able to do this and by the time she had came home her grandmother's condition had improved a little. My wife said she wasn't for sure, but she thought that seeing all the family and everyone being around had done her grandmother some good.
We walk through this life with the knowledge that there is another life beyond our physical senses. There are those who have claimed to have "near death" experiences or visions and have seen glimpses of what is on the other side. Some good and some bad, but most of us for whatever reason have not. Yet, we don't realize how close we come that other side through other people. One young lady helped someone pass with peace and dignity. Another helped ease the possibility of a loved ones passing by bearing certain burdens.
We never know how many lives we are touching because we never see all the faces at once. Through each one of these people, the love of Jesus touched other people. The young lady touched an elderly woman's family and her fellow students who in turn will touch others with her story. My wife touched her family which allowed them to touch each other. Who will Jesus be able to touch through you?
In Christ,
Kevin
I want to share with you a story that a friend of mine told me this morning about his daughter. His daughter is studying to be an RN and works at a local hospital. The young lady was given charge of an elderly woman who was expected to pass away at anytime. It was her job to take care of this elderly woman day to day. The elderly ladies vital signs had been slowly decreasing when she had a bowel movement.
This young lady, who is a christian, had gone in to clean the woman when she had the unction to say this to her. She told her that she knew she couldn't speak, but she felt that she needed to know that Jesus loved her and accepted her. She told her it didn't matter what she had done or didn't do and even though she couldn't speak that if she said in her mind that she believed in Jesus and received Him that He would accept her. The young lady said it seemed as though that after a few moments the elderly woman's countenance had changed to a peaceful state.
As the my friends daughter began to clean the woman and roll her on her side to do so, the elderly lady passed away. My friends daughter came home that evening saddened by the event of the woman passing as she was turning her. My friend explained to his daughter that she was seeing the event all wrong. He helped her see that the woman's death was not a result of her actions and that she had actually provided something the woman may not have had. Someone to love and care for her in her final moments and allow her to pass with dignity by cleaning her after she had gone.
The young lady had a chance during one of her student classes to relate the event to her teacher and classmates. None of them had a dry eye as she told the story. There the young lady gave her classmates and teacher a reminder of why they do what they do.
Last weekend my wife's grandmother had a stroke and it was thought she was not going to make it. My wife went to Mississippi to be with her grandmother and family. Her grandmother was brought home and put on hospice. My wife, having a hospitality gifting, wanted to stay for the week and take care of any needs her family may have and assist them with her grandmother. She got to spend time with family that we don't get to see often and can only spend a short time with when we visit. It meant a lot to my wife to be able to do this and by the time she had came home her grandmother's condition had improved a little. My wife said she wasn't for sure, but she thought that seeing all the family and everyone being around had done her grandmother some good.
We walk through this life with the knowledge that there is another life beyond our physical senses. There are those who have claimed to have "near death" experiences or visions and have seen glimpses of what is on the other side. Some good and some bad, but most of us for whatever reason have not. Yet, we don't realize how close we come that other side through other people. One young lady helped someone pass with peace and dignity. Another helped ease the possibility of a loved ones passing by bearing certain burdens.
We never know how many lives we are touching because we never see all the faces at once. Through each one of these people, the love of Jesus touched other people. The young lady touched an elderly woman's family and her fellow students who in turn will touch others with her story. My wife touched her family which allowed them to touch each other. Who will Jesus be able to touch through you?
In Christ,
Kevin
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