Our Identity - The Church

• 1 Peter 2:4 (NLT)

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How we see ourselves means everything? Do we see church as a building, an organization, or a people. If it is the former then it is location identity, if it is the latter then it is life identity. 

1 Peter 2:4-8 describe those in Christ as living stones whom are being built as God's Holy Temple. Those who obey God's Word's have accepted Christ as there life and therefore will be honored and never disgraced. Those who disobey God's Word's have rejected Christ and therefore will stumble and meet their fate.

Being a Church goer does not qualify someone as a Christian. A Christian is a follower of Christ and only those whom obey Him can follow Him. There is a clear difference between religious folks and disciples of Christ, the fruit speaks for itself.

1 Peter 2:9-12 describe the true identity of those whom see themselves through the eyes of Christ. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. We are God's display of His goodness and mercy.

The way we see ourselves will determine our behavior. When we proclaim who we are in Christ we separate ourselves from our sinful nature and righteous living becomes 2nd nature.

DON'T STOP DRINKING!

Having a bigger home comes with one huge problem, cleaning it.  I sometimes wish I could afford a full time house keeper.  Yet the biggest and toughest house to clean is our own lives.  There are habits that like certain stain's just don't disappear, they cannot wipe off, no matter the product or effort given.

We do have a house cleaner, His name is Jehovah God, our redeemer.  He has the ultimate purifier, the Holy Spirit.  He will not clean up though without our asking.  He is at the door knocking but we got to invite Him in.  Thanksgiving and Praise opens the door, and worship fills the room with His presence, as He shines His light the darkness is exposed and our surrender washes us clean.

The world's way of dealing with problems is to just drink it away.  Believers way to deal with problems should be to just drink as well, yet not alcohol but the presence of the living God.  The more we take God in the more we change.  Is is that easy, yes, but worship comes with a price, our lives laid down, and that is not easy, for our flesh will fight this until we die.

So let us go beyond having a taste of God to being like infants thirsty for breast milk crying out to God to consume us with His presence, fill us with His Word. This alone is the way to grow up and mature into the whole image of Christ our Lord.

1 Peter 1:1-3 (Message) So Clean house!  Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy, and hurtful talk.  You've had a taste of God.  Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God's pure kindness.  Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God.

A Call to Holiness

A Call To Holiness

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Rediscovering Simplicity
Do you ever find your mind clouded, full of different direction? We live in a complex society where culture often triumphs our faith. We allow the multi-choice environment around us to influence us. It becomes hard to focus for we have our hands in so many different things. Trying to do it all and wondering if anything is really getting done. Simplicity is so out of the picture for those who live the typical American lifestyle. I have lived the simple life but once it becomes complex it is so hard to re-discover. 

Where To Start?
Honest Evaluation of our heart! Asking ourselves why we do what we do and if God is really in it? Are we living in just the here and now; or have we learned to exercise self-control and say no to that which has no eternal value.

1 Peter 1:13 - So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

Keep Moving Forward
It is when we stop looking forward that we tend to fall back. Seeing the bigger picture helps paint the reality of the foolishness of sin. When in the dark we easily stumble but in the light obstacles are exposed. Why remain blind when we can now see. Since we now know better we have no excuse for living unholy lives. Worship is what keeps our eyes forward focused on what is ahead. When worship is a lifestyle we don't go in and out of the light but remain.

God Alone is Holy
People often use the excuse when I get my life right I'll serve God. Wrong! We cannot be holy, separate from God. Holiness comes when one humbles themselves before God then the Holy Spirit embodies their being, for one cannot experience holiness without Holy Spirit. (1 Peter 1:14-16) 

Do Not Judge
God shows no favorites to anyone by what they do or do not do. Serving God is not about works. We are saved by grace and it is simply the choice to acknowledge God that determines His working in and through us. It does no good to judge and point out the flaws in others bringing condemnation what helps is praying that each one will be drawn closer to God who alone can change what one does. (1 Peter 1:17)

Paid In Full
Eating out is not cheap. Sometimes I am like oh, no, what about my budget, I cannot really afford to eat here, but I'm too ashamed to say anything, yet many times I have been blessed as someone else paid the bill. 

Sin cannot be paid back, money cannot buy forgiveness, we are guilty and the only ransom is a sinless person taking our place. Thank God for Jesus, He lived a sinless life, paid the ransom that we could never afford by dying for our sin, and now through faith in Him, we are cleansed from sin, and no longer need to live in shame for we have been made holy. (1 Peter 1:18-22)

Holiness Test
If God's yoke is easy and His burden is light then whatever is hard and heavy is not of Him. Since holiness is not depending on works but found in Christ alone, then we need to judge what is holy by the filter of His presence. If we trust God we don't need to worry, so a way we can test if God is in something or not is whether we have anxiety or peace. What is of God lasts, what is not fades away. God's vision has provision, so if His Word directs our steps everything we need comes in walking by faith. (1 Peter 1:23)

Our minds become clouded when we cannot see beyond what is present, busying ourselves on trying to maintain that which cannot last. Those who walk by faith see eternal, co-laboring with God in fulfilling His will, establishing His Word which remains forever. (1 Peter 1:24-25)