Changing Locations and the Source of Our Identity - Purity 1417

Welcome to the MT for Christ 247 podcast. I am M.t. Clark and this is today's photo. To see today's photo, go to mtforchrist.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter, or, uh, watch us on YouTube. Uh, good morning. Uh, today's photo of an idyllic misty morning pastoral sunrise comes to us from Sean Quackenbush, who shared this scene on social media yesterday announcing his intentions to be northbound and down for a long weekend away to parts unnamed, but he checked in later to reveal that he made it to the top of Hogback today, putting him somewhere in Vermont country. Well, it's Friday, and although I won't be heading to Vermont this weekend, as far as I know, I too will be northbound and down, as I plan on reuniting with my wife Tammy Lynn in my countryside home in the Great White North of Washington County later today. We often get a large sense of our identity from the places we grow up or where we lay our heads, but I've learned that it is far better to base our identity on our relationship to God than from being a member of a certain neighborhood and geographical area, area code— coming at you from the 518, y'all— uh, or zip code, because even though— even those, uh, who have remained rock steady to stay in their hometowns for the length of their lives will tell you how things have changed over the years. When I roll back through my old hometown of Hudson, New York, I notice how things have changed since I last left. I only get down that way a few times a year, but even I notice when new businesses or homes spring up or when things shut down or are taken away. The Hudson, New York I grew up in during the '70s, '80s, '90s is not the same, is not the same place. And while people would disagree over whether that, that is a good thing or a bad thing, they would all admit that things are vastly different there today. So if I was going to base my identity on my hometown, I might have some explaining to do about which Hudson, New York I'm talking about. Associating ourselves with the things of this world is difficult because they are subject to change. But the good news is there is one who, who we can trust and draw our identity from, who doesn't change— God. God is good. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present, and eternal. God will never leave us or forsake us, and he will never pass away. He is the creator of everything that is and will direct the destinies of everything that ever will be. Uh, we can't live without God, and where our lives go from here will be based on our relationship with him. So it should be no surprise that those who trust in him and base their identity on— of themselves on their relationship with him are said to experience peace that goes beyond understanding. Uh, we need not worry when we have peace with God and allow him to guide our lives. The reason I encourage my life coaching clients and everyone who listen to develop a daily spiritual practice involving Bible study, prayer, and having a conversational relationship with the Lord is so that they will renew their minds to the truth of their new identity in Christ and experience the joy, peace, goodness, and love that comes from being certain of their acceptance, security, and significance with God. Today's In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotional touches on this subject, and I felt moved to share it today, uh, as the good departed doctor seeks to teach us of the source of our identity. Dr. Charles Stanley writes, the source of our identity. How often do we evaluate ourselves based on feelings instead of what God says. The problem is our feelings are constantly changing. Maybe today is one of those days. The car didn't start, your boss has been breathing down your neck, the mortgage payment is due, and money is short. Remember, Satan will do whatever he can to divert your attention from the Lord. When we direct our focus towards circumstances instead of God, we can easily miss what he is telling us. Take a look at what the scriptures say about believers. Today's passage, 1 Peter 2:9-10, tells us, or calls us, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and God's own possession. And our purpose is to proclaim the excellencies of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. How encouraging it is to know that we've been called into God's marvelous light. Yeah, unless we have help, we're unable to escape the darkness of our troubles. When circumstances seem unbearable, remember that you've been bought with a price. 1 Corinthians 6:20. Wake up each morning with the knowledge that you're valuable to your Father. Trust in his word, not your feelings, and allow the Holy Spirit to change your self-perception. Yeah, when we wake up and reflect on our identity in Christ and our value as members of God's royal family and kingdom, we can have that peace that goes beyond our understanding and be able to navigate through the changing circumstances of our lives with confidence. Because we are related to the one who never changes, the one who will be with us forever and will guide all things together for our good. So as much as we may enjoy or be disappointed by the things of the world that are constantly changing, we can find rest for our souls knowing that God is with us always and that he is the one who establishes us as his chosen people forever. Today's Bible verses come to us from the Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John G. Cruis. This morning's meditation verses come from the section on fear, and today's verses are from Psalm 56, verses 3 and 4. The word of God says, when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God whose word I praise, in God I trust, I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Today's verses are the first of two passages of scripture that fall under the fourth point of our Counseling Reference Guide resource section on fear. And that fourth point is: Trust in God, cast out fear. Today's verses give us the antidote for our fears: trusting in God. Feeling afraid? Trust in God to be with you through the fire and to be on the other side if this is the end of your— our walk on earth. Whoa. Yeah, we work in worst-case scenarios here, and the reason why we can get past our fears and quote unquote do it afraid is because we trust in God to help us, protect us, and guide us come what may. When we accept the eventuality that we may die today knowing that we will live all the same because we know the resurrection and the life, Jesus Christ, uh, we can operate and do what we have to do in courage and confidence and even find joy in the midst of our trials. Trust in God and you will not fear. Trust in God and you will praise his name and rejoice. As always, we invite all to go to mtforchrist.com where we always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament with Stephen F. Alford. And, uh, in Alford's devotional, he prompts us to read a chapter of scripture. Today's chapter is Philippians 2, and from Philippians 2, he shares a portion of 15 and 16. And, uh, the word of God says, you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life. And Stephen Alford writes, the Lord Jesus said when here upon earth, let your lights so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16. Here the apostle speaks of those lights as the word of life to shine. Therefore, the word of life must be practiced lived, then preached, practiced in the daily round and common task, being doers of the word. The Lord Jesus was prophet, mighty in deed first and word second. See Luke 24:19. Living the word and then preaching and teaching it. And then he wrote, preached to those who are in darkness and under the shadow of death. To those who are being blinded by the false and blinding teaching of today. And Alfred ends with praying, oh, make me shine, Lord. Amen. Amen. Yeah, we have to— I love the emphasis on, uh, practicing what we pre— you know, preach. And he— Alfred points out properly that Jesus lived the life, you know, he did 33 years of living on Earth before he went, you know, before he announced that his kingdom had come and it was time for him to minister and go out and tell the masses of the good news of the kingdom of God. And so prior to going, you know, prior to his baptism and to going out and preaching and doing good works, Jesus lived a life, a sinless life. And You know, if you live a sinless life, that's practicing, um, for sure. And, uh, so we are to practice, um, not just believe, not just preach. We are to live according to our faith. And that's where the power comes from, that's where the peace comes from, that's where the flow of the fruit of the Spirit comes in your life when you actually live according to your faith. And being able to do that is— really requires us to grab hold of our identity in Christ, to not be swayed by our feelings or our pasts to define us, but to, to listen to the source of our identity, God, who made us, and direct us into his light to be his ambassadors on the earth. To be a part of that royal priesthood, um, and to live according to it. And when we do that, we, we discover a different way, different way through this life, a way that's not based on dog-eat-dog, uh, performance-based strategies of the world. Um, we discover what's truly important, the things that last forever. And the work we do for the kingdom is the only thing that'll last forever. As the good works that we do will be remembered by God and rewarded by him. So that's our purpose, to share the life-giving spirit that the Lord has given us by sharing the gospel and allowing people to make a decision for Jesus, to receive the Holy Spirit and receive eternal life, to receive the new identity in Christ, and to find their purpose, uh, in Christ. And, uh, you know, that requires a full surrender to the Lord. And you can do it little by little or all at once. Uh, it's about— we're about progress, not perfection. And we'll have to surrender what we're ready to surrender when we're ready. And when the Lord calls us, he makes us ready. And it might be scary,, we can, we can do it afraid, as I, I once learned. Uh, you're worried about sharing your faith, you're worried about doing things or stepping out, maybe praying for somebody. Um, you know, I was taught by a, a saint from my old church to do it afraid. And you get past your fear, and when you do what's right, you, you're assured, you have no regrets, um, that you did what you're supposed to do. And so we think about who we are, you know, in Christ. We affirm our identity by reflecting on it, renewing our mind with the Word of God, and then we do something with it. We go out and we try to share the hope that we have. That's what this blog and podcast is all about. And one of the things I've been directed to do is I was called to lead a Christian Recovery and Discipleship group at Starpoint Church. And if you'd like to join us, Uh, we meet on Wednesday nights, uh, Starpoint Church in Clifton Park, New York. That's in the Capital District of New York, and, uh, it's open to the public. And if you'd like, you can give us a heads up that you want to come, uh, to our fellowship of recovery and discipleship by going to Starpoint Church's website, registering, uh, under support groups. Um, one of the other things we do encourage people to know their identity in Christ is to join the Freedom in Christ course, um, or one of the other discipleship courses that are available at Freedom in Christ Ministries. That's ficm.org where you can go and look for courses. There's a whole bunch of courses available currently for you to register for men, women, and for co-ed classes as well. I am leading a men's class on Tuesday evening starting September 3rd, and I encourage people to sign up. Uh, space is limited and my roster is slowly filling up, so we invite you to join us to learn about your identity in Christ and how you can overcome, um, those spiritual, those spiritual and personal conflicts that keep you from being who you were intended to be in Christ, to find your freedom. Yeah, so, well, that is all the announcements today, but we always ask the question, are you empty for Christ to Have you surrendered yourself to God's will for your life? Well, good. If so, keep walking and talking with God. If not, seek the Lord and, uh, you will find him, and he'll invite you to make room, um, by letting things— letting go of the things that don't matter and grabbing hold of the good things that God has for us. Um, so let's pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. Lord, we thank you so much that it's Friday. And, um, that will be with Tammy Lynn later today, um, Lord willing. So we, we just pray for you to direct us today, Lord. We also pray for anyone that's listening or reading today's message, that they'd be encouraged in their walk of faith and that you'd come alongside them in their prayer request, because we all need your help, Lord. And, um, you just want to do your will on the earth. So we're asking, uh, open our eyes to the things we want to see what you want us to see and lead us in the way we should go. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.