Who you are.

I am not even sure if that's proper English or not, but I thought 'Who are you?' was pretty cliche.

The question, 'Who are you?' has been rattling through my head for the last couple months. Through much life reflection, prayer, scripture reading, counsel, etc...I searched for this answer.

When you, yourself, think that question 'Who are you?' what comes to your mind?

Well, your name.
Your job, which is generally the first question you ask someone when you meet them the first time.
Maybe your age.
Where you live.
Family.
History.
Desires.
Faith/religion (or lack-thereof) .
Height.

And so on.

But you lose your job.

You are still you, that doesn't make you.

You move to another country.

You are still you, that doesn't make you.

No matter where you live, your job, your weight, your faith/religion, and on and on THAT doesn't decide WHO you are. We never really get to WHO we are by those elements. Gruesome thought is if you rip off someones arms and legs, they are but a torso, you are still you. Dig long enough, maybe you will find them? But probably not.

Dig, literally...gross.

This is a common question that we let the world, our history and our environment answer for us and I believe that many of us, present company included, spend a lot of time searching for that answer. Sometimes ignoring it with filling up our life. Sometimes going down multiple paths asking many non-pertinent questions looking for that answer. Sometimes putting up a front to cover up that insecurity.

Yes insecurity.

Because when we search for that identity, that self-verification in society, appearance, performance we always (ALWAYS) come up still not satisfied. Never.

So where do we find it.

In Jesus. More specifically His truths about who you are NOW, right now, not later, now. (That is if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and are faithfully living out a life following Him).

Yeah, what few readers I have may have turned some of you off.

"Oh, I get it, in order to find out who I am, I need Jesus...who I don't believe in."

Yes and He believes in you.

Here are some truths about you who are following Jesus (those who aren't followers, please read on and be open to these truths):

You are the salt of the earth. Matt 5:13
You are the light of the world. Matt 5:14
You are a child of God. John 1:12
You are a part of the true vine, a channel of Christ's life. John 15:1,5
You are Christ's friend. John 15:15
You are chose and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit. (John 15:16
You are a slave of righteousness. Rom. 6:18
You are enslaved to God. Rom. 6:22
You are a son of God; God is spiritually your Father. Rom 8:14,15; Gal 3:26; 4:6
You are a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him. Rom 8:17
You are a temple - a dwelling place - of God. His Spirit and His life dwells in you. 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19
You are united to the Lord and am one spirit with Him. 1 Cor. 6:17
You are a member of Christ's Body. 1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 5:30
You are a new creation. 2 Cor. 5:17
You are reconciled to God and a minister, of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5:18, 19
You are a son of God and one in Christ. Gal 3:26, 28
You are a heir of God since you are a son of God. Gal. 4:6, 7
You are a saint. Eph. 1:1, 1 Cor. 1:2; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2
You are God's workmanship - His handiwork - born anew in Christ to do His work. Eph. 2:10
You are a fellow citizen with the rest of God's family. Eph 2:19
You are a prison of Christ. Eph 3:1, 4:1
You are righteous and holy. Eph 4:24
You are a citizen of heaven, seated in heaven right now. Phil. 3:20, Eph 2:6
You are hidden with Christ in God. Col. 3:3
You are a expression of the life of Christ because He is your life. Col. 3:4
You are chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4
You are a son of light and not of darkness. 1 Thess. 5:5
You are a holy partaker of a heavenly calling. Heb. 3:1
You are a partaker of Christ; you share in His life. Heb 3:14
You are on of God's living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. 1 Pet. 2:5
You are a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. 1 Pet. 2:9, 10
You are an alien and stranger to this world in which you temporarily live. 1 Pet. 2:11
You are an enemy of the devil. 1 Pet 5:8
You are a child of God and you will resemble Christ when He returns. 1 John 3:1,2
You are born of God, and the evil one - the devil - cannot touch you. 1 John 5:18
You are NOT the great "I am" (Exod. 3:14; John 8:24,28,58), but by the grace of God, I am what I am. (1 Cor. 15:10)

That is just half my list.

JUST HALF.

For those of you that just scrolled through it, well, then I say don't. Read it. Believe it. (If you want the rest of them, let me know).

Those of you that are followers of Christ and question what your identity is, then read it and BELIEVE it. This is who you are RIGHT NOW. Copy these down, carry them around, and be firmly planted in truth.

Those of you who are not followers of Christ. There is a lot of 'Christianese' in there, but this is who you can be. This is who you are supposed to be. Know, please know, that it's not being a puppet of God, a robot, about a organized religion...but it's about freedom, a new beginning, a perfect ending and a perfect relationship.

This is not meant to be a pat on the back, that you can do this on your own, that you are the best thing since sliced bread...but this is saying this is WHO you are (or who you can be) because of the One who died for you.

We spend plenty of time in our life, believers and not, finding our identity in garbage, in things that WILL fail you. They will, that have and they will continue to do so. Jobs, money, power, fame, relationships. Find your identity in something that doesn't perish, that doesn't fail, that will not quit being for/with you. That will not walk away from you, will not be affected by the economy, that will never call you a failure, that will always say 'I love you.'

Matt 8 talks about a storm that hit the boat that the disciples and Jesus were in. The disciples started to freak out (paraphrased) and they thought they were going to drown though they had the Savior of the world in the bottom of the boat...sleeping. He came up and chastised them for their little faith and quieted the storms with His voice.

Those storms in your life will continue to come. I once read that you are either you just came out of a storm, are in the middle of a storm, or are entering one. It's not meant to be a pessimistic view point but to simply ask, "Where is your anchor?" When the storms come, and they will, what will you believe?

That you will never get a job?
You will never be loved?
That I am just fine?
I don't need a savior?
That I will always fail?

Or believe in His truth.

It will change your life.

I love you guys.

Please ask if you have any questions. For more regarding your identity and freedom please read the Bible....and check out Victory over the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson.