May I see your ID?

ID, show your ID. Do you have your ID? Many of us are asked this each time we go to work. When we go to the bank, write a check or conduct just about any kind of business. Basically, our ID identifies our name, and sometimes shows our picture and other pertinent information related to identifying us.

How many times have you heard yourself, spouse, children or co-workers say “I am afraid I am losing my identity.” We are usually meaning individuality, personality, character, uniqueness, or ourselves in some way, we think and feel certain, that we know about ourselves. We even marry at times to make a sea of identity for ourselves. Our children whether it be good or bad will at times strike accord with others to believe and declare they have identified us, their parents. And, yes, even our Nation can at times identify us.
Another most interesting one is when we are mistakenly identified as someone else. Might be humorous or flattering if someone in just passing thinks and yells, AH, you look like some famous person and especially one that we might admire. But, that comment turns another raging color when it could cause us lots of legal or other bothersome problems.

One of the most baffling scriptures to me is when the seven sons of Sceva along with some itinerant Jewish exorcists decided to call the name of the Lord over one who had evil spirits. They had just heard and watched the Apostle Paul at work with his true identity. Paul spoke and laid hands on many and the sick were healed and the evil spirits went out of their bodies. The Jewish exorcists and Sceva’s sons finds when they used a fake ID copied from Paul, the evil spirit speaks to them and demands they show their true ID in order to enter the work zone. The man says, Jesus I know, Paul, I know, but WHO ARE YOU! In my mind this might just make one drop in the sea of identity. And it did. “The possessed man went berserk—jumped the exorcists, beat them up, and tore off their clothes. Naked and bloody, they got away as best they could.” (Matthew 19:11-16 Message)

A Sea of Identity! Just who are we? We really should know and show our true identity at all times.
1 Peter 2:9,10 NLT “You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, and God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.”

1 Peter 2:1-3 “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.”

A Sea of Identity! Our identity is like the sea so expansive it stretches beyond our own thoughts and imagination. You can see its beginning but not its end; for it sweeps across a span of space but yet it stops and the boundaries are set for one to identify. There are times when the sea rages with a personality unknown to the human heart like that of the recent Tsunami.

A Sea of Identity! As we pause and meditate on our identity in the resurrection, life after death, one might wonder, what will it be like? We reach back into our passage from I Peter…” Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.” God has given us an identity and the scripture is clear that God is love and that the identity He has given us will not be blotted out. Only our sins will be or have been blotted out, if we allow Him to blot them out. Isaiah 43:25 We believe by faith there is a connection between are identity today and our identity after death. Identity has a beginning but we cannot see the end.
Peter answers again for us. “…you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation.” Our identity, our self, our soul, continues to grow as we crave the pure spiritual milk. This will lead us into a maturity of true identity.

A Sea of Identity! My prayer is that we will seek truth, and let truth untwine our mixed emotions, bring forth a purity in heart, soul and spirit. May our ID make a way for peace in the world? May we have confidence in our hope in Christ Jesus and the identity He has put around our neck to wear and show love with gladness and singleness of heart to a world that will hopefully desire to identify with us as we identify with Him, our great Sea of Identity!

I hope that we will find, know, and show our ID today!

Tribute to the Daily Lilies by Rena @2012

A Lily stood straight and tall in a small garden patch viewed by the window of the world

The great I AM, the Lord God had dressed her for the occasion with an orange fragile blossom that when fully unfolded delighted everyone who passed by

Though its life was to be short lived on Earth, the Lily knew why she was created. Her MAJOR purpose was to exhibit God’s beauty of HIS SON, which the Lily was to pour forth from her heart to the world each day

And another purpose was to pray with folded petals to God for the world’s people and those around the Lily.

The Lily also raised its head in praise each day to the great I AM, the Lord God almighty for all He had done and would do that day in the life of the Lily and those whom she kept close to her Heart.

Each day the Lily waits in the morning light for the sun to rise. Before it unfurls in the warmth of the Son’s embrace. Raising its head over the darkness of life Raising its head to show not all is darkness. She intends to shine as a light to the world. A Lily that need not check its appearance, Nor turn nor twist with worries galore For the Lord God has fully equipped this Lily. As He stands by her side this day and every day of her life, Holding her up with each ensuing storm of life. For the Lily is a light to others. Shining Lily of the Lord, shine! is the whisper of the Lord God, the great I AM.

The Lily does just that Shining for Jesus the Son, oh how she shines!

Ceppos Flies Free by Rena @2012

“Ouch!  Oops!  I can’t get off the ground!  What wrong with me.  Aren’t I a bird!  Aren’t these wings supposed to fly!  What this thing in my throat!  I’m choking on what, what is it!”  yelled Ceppos!

“Get over it Ceppos!  Its just a case of nerves,”  Momma bird said.

“A case of nerves, what do you mean?! How could nerves keep me from flying up, up away!”  Ceppos yelled with disbelief.

“No one can soar with unnecessary baggage, even if it is nerves!  Unload those cases of nerves  and try again my child.” Mom chirped trying to reassure Ceppos.

Ceppos pulled at his throat, he pulled at his wings and tried to straighten them out looking to see if he could see that they were all unfurled.  Yeah, they were.  Again he took his flying stance and swallowed hard.  He lifted his wings.   “Here I go Mom!”    He took off, but something happened and suddenly, splat he hit the ground.  What a disappointment.  Big tears fell from his eyes to the ground.  He stomped his little boney feet in disgust.

Ceppos tried and tried again.  As time went on his fear increased.  He tried to cover the fear up but with every attempted flight he failed to soar and his fear grew and grew.    He was beginning to think he would never fly.  The other birds thought that he was a misfit.  Ceppos also was beginning to feel that he was a misfit.

His mother took him to a counselo .  This was no ordinary counselor.  He was the counselor that all birds chose.  He was so mighty,  He was the creator of all the creatures in the Kingdom of  Aviate.

Ceppos hopped into I AM’s office.  “What is the problem young bird?”  I AM asked.

“Well you see I AM, I have a big problem.  You have given me these wings, but I don’t fly.  Are they made faulty or what.?”

“Oh Ceppos,  that isn’t possible.  I don’t make mistakes.”

“Well then, what is wrong with me?”

“ Your problem is that you have a lot of weights dangling from your hollow wings which I made for you to fly high and far with.”

“Well I’m so sorry I AM, but I don’t see any weights.  Am I also blind?”

“No your not physically blind, but perhaps spiritually blind. The weights you have started from the inside and came to effect your outside.  Your fear has added one weight after another to you.  Also your fear has really messed up your brain with twist and turns that cover up who you were made to be.  Come here Ceppos and let me unload the weights.  First let’s take off each one.”

“Wow!  I AM I can’t believe it.  I’m really feeling kind of feeling light already.  Keep taking all that stuff off of me.  Oh my,  this really, really feels so good!  Why couldn’t I get rid of the baggage by myself.”

“Because Ceppos, for one thing YOU never realized you had baggage so how would you know that you needed to have it removed.  Another thing you would never know me if you didn’t humble yourself and come to me with your problems.  And because you came to me and because you trust and have faith in me, I the great I AM am able to take the baggage away.  I would never go against your will to remove the baggage.  I work along with your will to remove the baggage.  I love you too much.  It does my heart good to see you being set free.

“Now Ceppos, I AM God and I am going to watch you take your first solo flight.  Walk with me and I will cheer you on as you fly free.”

Ceppos swallowed and turned to see the beaming IAM.  Ceppos unfurled his wings  and gradually lifted off.  His wings flapping in the wind caused him to soar.  He waved at the great I AM who leaped in the air with the excitement as He saw His child taking off and soaring where only He knew he could go.