Taking Off Your Mask - Embracing Your Identity With Jesus

My Utmost For His Highest

 

I have been crucified with Christ… —Galatians 2:20

 

“To become one with Jesus Christ, a person must be willing not only to give up sin, but also to surrender his whole way of looking at things. Being born again by the Spirit of God means that we must first be willing to let go before we can grasp something else. The first thing we must surrender is all of our pretense or deceit. What our Lord wants us to present to Him is not our goodness, honesty, or our efforts to do better, but real solid sin. Actually, that is all He can take from us. And what He gives us in exchange for our sin is real solid righteousness. But we must surrender all pretense that we are anything, and give up all our claims of even being worthy of God’s consideration.” CHAMBERS

 

Many, many years ago, actors on stage would wear masks to play different characters.  That is much the same that many Christians do today.  We are one person at work.  One person with our family.  Perhaps yet another person at church.  Maybe another person with our unsaved friends.  Like chameleons, we try to blend in,  find acceptance.  All the while forgetting that we have been crucified with Christ.  We have a new life in Him.  Our true identity is found in Him and Him alone.  Once you can accept the truth that there is no other opinion more important than the Lord’s, you don’t need the masks anymore.  Why?  Because you are accepted by the Creator God in Christ Jesus.  That is an eternal truth.  When you embrace that truth, you will no longer need to be what you think other people want you to be.  You will no longer crave their praise.  The need for acceptance drives people to make poor choices and to do things that ought not be done.  Turn to Jesus.  Who you are in Christ is your identity.  Embrace that.  Rest in that.  Find peace in that. ELGIN

 

“No, Not One!” Johnson Oatman, Jr

 

There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one! None else could heal all our soul’s diseases, No, not one! No, not one!

 

Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done; There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!

 

No friend like Him is so high and holy, No, not one! No, not one! And yet no friend is so meek and lowly, No, not one! No, not one!

 

There’s not an hour that He is not near us, No, not one! No, not one! No night so dark but His love can cheer us, No, not one! No, not one!

 

Did ever saint find this Friend forsake him? No, not one! No, not one! Or sinner find that He would not take him? No, not one! No, not one!

 

Was e’er a gift like the Savior given? No, not one! No, not one! Will He refuse us a home in heaven? No, not one! No, not one!

 

Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done; There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!

 

Charley Elgin