I am a child of God! I am a new creation! Jesus Christ is my friend! My name is written in Heaven! I am in the Kingdom of God!
So
here are some things that I have been told over the years. These things
are wonderful and definitely build me up. I went through a period of
time in my life when I constantly questioned salvation. Was I truly
saved? I said all the things I thought that needed to be said, and I
tried to live a life honoring to God.
here are some things that I have been told over the years. These things
are wonderful and definitely build me up. I went through a period of
time in my life when I constantly questioned salvation. Was I truly
saved? I said all the things I thought that needed to be said, and I
tried to live a life honoring to God.
I tried to be the Christian that “church” told me that I had to
be. I tried so hard to stay out of trouble in my life. Sure I
experimented with alcohol when I was younger, but even then compared to
the standards of my “partying” friends, it was nothing. And so I had
tried to be something so that it would determine who I was!
be. I tried so hard to stay out of trouble in my life. Sure I
experimented with alcohol when I was younger, but even then compared to
the standards of my “partying” friends, it was nothing. And so I had
tried to be something so that it would determine who I was!
March 2004, on the summit of Volcan de Acatenango in Guatemala.
Even as far as work, I’ve tried so hard to serve God in all I do as
well as have some fun. I’ve tried to make my identity in what I did as
a job and a ministry. I was an Outdoor Ed. Director, I was a Youth
Pastor, I was a mentor, and this was where I found my value. This is
where I found my identity! I was basing my identity on what the world
said I was. When I was encouraged and praised, I held onto those
things. When I was discouraged or told that I was no good at things, I
separated myself from those things.
well as have some fun. I’ve tried to make my identity in what I did as
a job and a ministry. I was an Outdoor Ed. Director, I was a Youth
Pastor, I was a mentor, and this was where I found my value. This is
where I found my identity! I was basing my identity on what the world
said I was. When I was encouraged and praised, I held onto those
things. When I was discouraged or told that I was no good at things, I
separated myself from those things.
Well friends, I’ve had another reality check in my life. I’m finally
grasping the TRUTHS that have been said about me. I’ve struggled with
identity ever since the first time I was told that I couldn’t do
something, ever since the first time I failed at something. I’ve
condemned myself for things that I’ve done or didn’t do in my past. I
was basing my identity on my works and not on the truths. God has been working in this part of my life ever since I boarded that plane on January 6th…….I
literally left the old behind. God has been showing me who I truly am.
But in order to do that, he has had to show me who I am not……
grasping the TRUTHS that have been said about me. I’ve struggled with
identity ever since the first time I was told that I couldn’t do
something, ever since the first time I failed at something. I’ve
condemned myself for things that I’ve done or didn’t do in my past. I
was basing my identity on my works and not on the truths. God has been working in this part of my life ever since I boarded that plane on January 6th…….I
literally left the old behind. God has been showing me who I truly am.
But in order to do that, he has had to show me who I am not……
June 2007 on Malloy Lake, Manitoba, Canada.
My name is Matt Peters; this is what I’m called but NOT WHO I AM!
My nationality is Canada; this is where I’m from but NOT WHO I AM!
My job is youth ministry; this is what I do NOT WHO I AM!
I have been looking in the flesh
way too long. I see my name, where I’m from and what I do as my
identity, but that’s only the flesh. I’ve been shown through spiritual
eyes who I am. And that is: love, patience, kindness, humility, and
peace.
way too long. I see my name, where I’m from and what I do as my
identity, but that’s only the flesh. I’ve been shown through spiritual
eyes who I am. And that is: love, patience, kindness, humility, and
peace.
I now understand that my sin has
been paid for. My life of sin and death has been paid for through the
blood of Christ. Jesus, who having no sin became sin so that I, having
sin would be saved. Through Christ God reconciled us to himself.
In his Word, God says: Matt Peters is my child ( John 1:12, 13). Matt was bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20a). Matt is a friend of Jesus (John 15:15). I set Matt free from sin and death through the law of the Spirit (Romans 8:1,2). I have placed my seal of ownership on Matt (2 Cor. 1:21, 22). Matt is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). In faith, Matt approaches me with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3:12). Matt has been wiped clean when he draws near to me with a sincere heart (Hebrews 10:22).
July 2008 in rural Malawi, Africa.
That means that I AM A NEW CREATION. I AM FREE from the bondage of sin. I CANNOT BE CONDEMNED in the name of Christ.
For way too long I have lived a
life in a false identity because I didn’t know who I was. And when I
thought I knew who I was it was a false self. We all want to be
somebody. We all want to leave our mark on this world. We all want to
be known. The TRUTH is that we all do have an identity. But we must
look into the spiritual to see it. We need to understand that we are in
Christ and Christ alone. Our identity comes from Christ and Christ
alone.
life in a false identity because I didn’t know who I was. And when I
thought I knew who I was it was a false self. We all want to be
somebody. We all want to leave our mark on this world. We all want to
be known. The TRUTH is that we all do have an identity. But we must
look into the spiritual to see it. We need to understand that we are in
Christ and Christ alone. Our identity comes from Christ and Christ
alone.
September 2008 in northern Thailand.
If you struggle with who you
are, I sincerely encourage you to search your Bibles. There is so much
more written about who you are that I haven’t mentioned. When we accept
Jesus Christ as our Lord over our lives and Saviour from our sins, we
enter into the Kingdom of God.
are, I sincerely encourage you to search your Bibles. There is so much
more written about who you are that I haven’t mentioned. When we accept
Jesus Christ as our Lord over our lives and Saviour from our sins, we
enter into the Kingdom of God.
You’ll never act like you’re in
the kingdom unless you KNOW you’re in the kingdom. It’s not about what
you do that determines who you are, it’s who you are that determines
what you do!!
