Friends, Relationships and Identity (pt.2)

How you spend your time and who you spend it with can reveal your identity. Are you confused about your identity? Are you lower class, middle class, high class, or filthy rich? Are you a natural-born or naturalized citizen? What color is your skin? Do you speak with an accent? Do you wear an American flag on your lapel? How many languages do you speak? Are you embarrassed of your last name? What kind of music do you like? What kind of foods do you like? Who do you "hang out" with? Do you have a favorite movie, book or story. I will answer these questions myself. No, I am not confused about my identity. I belong to Jesus. He is my heavenly Father, Lord and Saviour. I am a child of God, my Father is King of kings.The color of my skin? Unimportant. My sins were as scarlet, now they are white as snow. I don't speak with an accent when I'm speaking in tongues. A flag? His banner over me is love. Languages? I spoke in tongues when I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and I speak in devotional tongues for edification. I have a scriptural right to have this experience. Please check Mark 16:17, Acts 2:4, and I Cor. 14:1-40. My last name? It is not as important as the name I am baptized in, which is the name of Jesus Christ. Music? Music is big business. Some people use it as a means to identify themselves as part of a certain class or ethnicity. It does bring pleasure to many, but only temporarily. I use it to praise my Lord and Saviour. His name is Jesus, He is the power of God, He has pleasures for evermore (not just temporarily) Please check Psalm 16:11. Foods? "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." "Hang out"? Jesus did hang on a cross for me. Therefore I will "hang tough" for Him no matter who I am with. My favorite story? It has no ending. It is the story of my eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God. In the days of His flesh He was a Jew. Which one of those two identities is more important?

Friends, Relationships and Identity (pt.1)

Everyone needs friends. If friendship is not available, one turns to family or social groups. One turns to activities, hobbies, pastimes, religion, politics, clubs, sports or gangs. One becomes a participant or observer. One meets people, and perhaps makes friends. Acquaintances and friends inhibit or influence our thoughts, words, actions and attitudes. Friends help us determine who we are. They give us feedback. They identify with us, and we with them. They also help us identify who we are not. One's identity is important. What defines it? Citizenship, gender, age, race/ethnicity, class, education, wealth and income, political party, religion (or lack thereof) tastes, profession, and how one spends his/her time. How one spends his time can easily explain his identity. Has anyone ever told you that he/she has a problem with relationships. Nobody has ever told me of a problem he/ she had with relationships in general. It has not been necessary. Their lives have revealed it. I think some people would like to be hermits but they do not want to deal with the stigma of possibly being labeled a "loser." Perhaps they associate being a hermit not necessarily with being a "private person," but with homelessness and being labeled as excessively weird. (to be continued)

Jealousy

"Jealousy is the rage of a man." (Prov.6:34) Jealousy and envy are the same thing. Do great things. Be a kind person. Be helpful. Be giving. Have nice things. Go on great vacations. Get a raise at work. Get a promotion. Have money, talent, good looks, a good education, good health and a pleasing personality. Have a pretty girlfriend, or handsome boyfriend. Be a great athlete, singer, writer, or actor. Be intelligent and have people like you. Get complimented. Excel on the job. Be in demand. Just remember; you will probably need to pay a special tax. "Envy is the tax all distinction must pay." (RW Emerson) Envy is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. It is cruel, cunning and merciless. It harms the innocent. The envious punish success. Much has been written about envy: "Envy is stronger than greed." (French) " Where there is envy, there is malice." (Greek) "Virtue conquers envy." (Latin) "Never be jealous of anyone," is a saying I had on the wall of my classroom when I taught school. Jealousy causes crime. It causes destruction of property; including vandalism, arson and graffiti. Jealousy causes disrespect for others. It is a cause of much crime, suffering, and mental illness. It is indeed the "rage of a man." What does God think of envy? "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's." (Exodus 20:17) I think He makes Himself clear. Never be envious of anyone. Ask God to help you. He will.

On Patience

Patience is an interesting virtue. It seems everyone wants "everybody else" to practice it, yet many cannot practice it because they do not have any , or they have never been taught to practice it. Please realize that I have seen patience in action. It is beautiful. It is a dire necessity in this world and in this country. It must be taught to the young, and it must be practiced by adults. Does patience come naturally to some people? Maybe, maybe not. I know this; you cannot buy it at the store, but you need it at the store. You need it on the road, in parking lots, with your family, friends, neighbors and strangers. You need it in discussions, on the job and in most business transactions. Patience is available, it is free, but it is not cheap. You may not buy it with anything except your will. The true practice of patience is a joy. It is a joy because it is a gift from God. It is a treasure because "In your patience possess ye your souls." (Luke 21:19) Is there something more valuable than your soul? According to Jesus Christ; your soul is worth more than all the treasure on earth. Somewhere, every single day of the week, someone loses his or her life due to the lack of patience. Practice patience. Seek the giver of patience. It is called a "fruit." It is one of the fruit of the Spirit. Patience is a choice, but it is a choice that God is more than willing to assist us with. It is God's will that we practice patience. "In your patience possess ye your souls."

The Law of the Flesh

The flesh cannot please God. The flesh has it's own rules and wants. The main rule of the flesh is: "Give me what I want." The flesh demands air, food, water, pleasures, safety, and honor. And then, it proceeds to demand more. This is a problem. But it has a solution. In the final analysis, it is simple: "Walk ye in the Spirit and satisfy not the lusts of the flesh." God knows our flesh has needs. It is His will to take care of those needs. Just let Him do it His way ; through us. We must be involved, we must let Him operate through us. First: give Him your heart, repent. Next, be baptized in His name. Next, be filled with His Spirit. Next, Walk in the Spirit. How does one do that? Good question. It demands an answer. It has an 8 part answer. 1) Love Him
2) Worship Him 3) Talk to Him (pray) 4) Study His word. 5) Obey His word. 6) Serve Him 7)Fellowship with His people. 8) Fellowship with Him. Go for it. The flesh cannot please God. Do you really want to spend your whole life not pleasing God? I am sure you do not.