on April 7, 2008
Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
Introduction
Our identity may be the most important thing we have in life.
4 questions that have a lot to do with our identity:
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?
Who Am I?
What makes my identity?
Where does it come from?
We’re taught from childhood to think about what we want to be when we grow up.
Much of life is spent creating the I.D. we want or avoiding the I.D. someone else wants us to have.
Identity comes from:
Accomplishments
– What I’ve done
Age, Maturity
– stage of life,
Appearance
– physical features, presentation of fitness, clothing, makeup, hygiene, etc.
Associates
– people groups, partners and friends I choose to relate closely with
Attitudes
– temperament or personality displayed
Authority –
the people and things we have charge of and are subordinate to.
Beliefs
– trusted persuasions and convictions that are not compromised
Education
– enlightenment, training and instruction received
Experiences
– things I’ve done, places I’ve gone, people I’ve known
Failures
, Weaknesses, Shortcomings
Family
– the people I live with and I am related to
Finances
– wealth portfolio
Gender
– male or female, confused
Habits, Practices
– my customs, the way I tend to use my time, things I do, places I go…
Health
– wellness and vitality
Hobbies
– my favorite past time or spare time interests
Mission, Journey
– direction I take to the future
Name
– the title by which I’m known
Neighborhood, Town, Country
– where I’m from
Occupation, Vocation
– what I do
Passion
– what I feel deeply
Past
– where I’ve been
Politics
– my persuasions on government and rule of law
Principles
– fundamental rules that frame my integrity
Priorities
– the things I put first
Products
– fruit of my efforts and investments
Skills, Talents
– what I’m good at and trained for
Values, Treasures
– what I hold dear
A factor of our identity that’s often overlooked!
Our Creator
– the One who made us gives us identity
Isaiah 43:1
– But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
Does anyone recognize this guy?
Spicebush butterfly caterpillar
Maybe you know him better as…
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly
A Change of Identity
For Abraham:
At 99
A revelation of Almighty God
A call to walk blameless
A covenant relationship and promise of God
A new identity and a new name that is all about God!
Abram means "Exalted Father." (probably in reference to God as "Exalted Father.").
Abraham means "father of many."
Identity Change means a new mind
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
A New Way of Thinking!
Philippians 2:5
– "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" (KJV)
He didn’t come to be served…
He emptied Himself of all but love.
He took on the form of a lesser being.
He took the form of a servant.
In Christ We Are A New Person
2 Corinthians 5:16,17
– So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Being a new creation affects the way we view other people.
It affects the way we view life.
It affects the way we view our I.D.
Where we came from.
Why we’re here.
Where we are going.
Like Abraham…
At Age 99 – God can still give new I.D.
All it takes is a revelation of Almighty God!
New I.D. is a call to walk blameless.
New I.D. is a covenant relationship and promise of God.
We get a new identity and a new name that is all about God, all about His Son – we are Christian!
Conclusion:
Our identity may be the most important thing we have in life.
Don’t let it be stolen!
We don’t have to steal someone else’s I.D. to have a great change in life.
We are taught from childhood to think about what we want to become when we grow up.
4 questions that have a lot to do with our identity:
Who am I?
Where did I come from?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?
We’ll continue with "Where Did I Come From" next time.
Isaiah 43:1-3
– But now, this is what the LORD says– he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…