identity – PAOLOPUNZALAN.COM

WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?

Jesus was with His disciples in Caesarea Philippi when He asked them a question, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13) The disciples dished out several names that people thought Jesus was – John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Then Jesus looked at each of them and asked a poignant, forthright and candid question, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?”

We can breeze through reading this question Jesus asked but if we look into it deeper, we realize that how we see Him directly affects how we live our lives before Him.

If He is merely a good teacher, we will appreciate the lessons, maybe even post it on our socials and get a few likes.
If He is just a good example, then we will always applaud His modeling but always feel we can never live up to it.

But if He is Lord, Messiah and King, then we know that salvation alone comes from Him and that the rest of our lives will be lived in subservience to His will.

Who is He to you? Because how you answer this question will spell the difference on how you will live your life the rest of your days.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST

I am accepted . . .

I am God’s child. (John 1:12)
I have been bought with a price. I belong to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)
I am a saint. (Ephesians 1:1)
I have been adopted as God’s child. (Ephesians 1:5)
I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. (Colossians 1:14)
I have been filled in Christ and I am complete in Him. (Colossians 2:10)

I am secure . . .

I am free forever from condemnation. (Romans 8:1,2)
I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Romans 8:35)
I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be completed. (Philippians 1:6)
I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)
I can receive mercy and find grace in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)

I am significant . . .

I am Christ’s witness wherever I go. (Acts 1:8)
I am God’s temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
I am a minister of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18)
I am God’s co-worker. (2 Corinthians 6:1)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6)
I am God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

WHO I AM IN CHRIST

Knowing who we are in Christ is so critical. Many of us still think, speak and act as if we were living in “Egypt.” But the Bible says that we have been set free in Christ. If anyone is in Christ, he in a new creation; the old is gone and the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Below is a list of who we are in Christ.

Special thanks to Freedom in Christ Ministries for this list.

WHEN SACRIFICE IS NOT A SACRIFICE

Sacrifice is only a sacrifice if you don’t know what you’re trading it for.

I heard the story of Migz a few weeks ago and it utterly inspired me. He live a life that was separated from God and disobedient to His will. Recently, he went through Victory Weekend after a series of meeting with one who walked him through his faith in Christ. After surrendering everything to Jesus and understanding all that the gospel provides and redeems, he made a 180 degree turn.

His friends and people close to him asked him why. It was a sacrifice to give up all that he used to do and all for what? Faith in Christ? Won’t Jesus understand? After all, we’re merely humans, right? Prone to sin. Inclined to give in.

But speaking to him after 6pm service one Sunday, he said something that hit me hard.
“Sacrifice is only a sacrifice if you don’t know what you’re trading it for.”

Jesus sacrificed His all so that I can have life and life to the full.
I owed a debt I couldn’t pay. He paid a debt He did not owe.
Because of that, I am forever grateful.

Written below is part of the story of Migz. I pray that it will bless you, inspire you and challenge you to continue to look to Jesus both as Savior and Lord.

“I’ve spent a lot of time “finding myself” and ended up in the same place as before because I was too busy searching rather than being.

Religion has always been an identity crisis for me, I knew it was part of me, I just couldn’t figure it out then. I tried being dutiful, attending church, saying prayers – though sometimes not even knowing what I was saying.

It reminds me everyday why I choose to be Christian and live in a world of organized religion and follow the path that has been set out for me. I have never in my life been this close to religion, God and Jesus. I grew up saying prayers I never even understood until just recently. I always wondered where the “Our Father” came from only to realize it was from the book of Matthew.

I believe this was all part of His plan. If I was meant to learn it then I would have.
“His timing is perfect, and his presence is constant. He is always with you!” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

He gives you struggles to overcome – not struggles to accept as part of your identity, but to shape you to be the person He created you to be.

I choose to be Christian because I now have the lens to see the better side of me, the knowledge to be better and the strength that every struggle provides blessings that I may not even know I need.

I choose to be Christian because it has helped me see my purpose; my ability to help and lead people as I have in my work, to inspire people as I do with my students and bring it to a whole new level by helping carry out His word.

I don’t believe to be perfect nor do I think I ever will be, but being Christian gives me the strength to try to be, the courage to pick up from failure and try again, to repent, to be me- the person He created me to be. This all paves way to a better life.

I choose to be Christian because He Saved me. And He always will.

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PHOTO CREDIT: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36590684@N05/

WHO ARE YOU?

When we don’t know who we have been designed to be,
we end up attempting to be someone we’re not.

I know because I’ve tried.

From peer pressure to aspiring to be someone, this pierces through the vein of every man, woman, teen and even child, desiring to be someone or achieve something.

Jesus was in the wilderness, tempted by the devil to be who He wasn’t supposed to be. Satan tempted him by starting his statements with “if you really are the Son of God, then…”

It was interesting that this event came right after His Heavenly Father just confirmed His identity and pleasure towards Him as His Son. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) God declared this before Jesus’ ministry started, way before He’s done anything to please His Father.

It’s not much different with you and me.

When we don’t know who we are in Christ, we end up trying to please God by earning His favor through self-effort and sheer performance. Consequently, we end up doing things we weren’t designed to become.

It’s like seeing…

* A princess feeding from the dumpster
* A prince living like a pauper
* A free man living like a slave
* A child trying to prove Himself to his father
* An heir working for his inheritance he already received.

Translating this to current reality…

* Women looking for love, seeking to find it from one relationship to the next, not realizing that genuine, unconditional and unending love can only be found from our Heavenly Father.
* Men seeking for satisfaction through porn because they’ve settled for a cheap and temporary substitute.
* Students burning hours/days trying to finish an iPad game instead of accomplishing what’s on their plate at this time.
* Entertainers selling their dignity whether live or onscreen “for the sake of art.”
* Public servants who are serving no one else but themselves.
* Business people who have sold everything including their character to achieve financial success.

How do I know? I’ve done it…so many times. It may not have been in these terms but in so many words, I’ve traded Christ’s identity for something unintended for me because I’ve forgotten who He’s made me to be and called me to become.

Thankfully, we are reminded daily by His Word .

I am God’s child. (John 1:12)
I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)
I have been justified. (Romans 5:1)
I belong to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)
I have been adopted as God’s child. (Ephesians 1:5)
I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. (Colossians 1:14)
I am complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
I am free forever from condemnation. (Romans 8:1,2)
I am assured that all things work together for good. (Romans 8:28)
I am free from any condemning charges against me. (Romans 8:31)
I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Romans 8:35)
I have been established, anointed,
and sealed by God. (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)
I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me
will be perfected. (Philippians 1:6)
I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)
I am significant. I am the salt and light of the earth. (Matthew 5:13,14)
I am God’s temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 2:6)
I am God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

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PHOTO CREDIT: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzylittlemanpeach/

DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?

“Who are you?” can be a silly question.

But it can also be an important question to answer.

Superficially, you may respond by giving your first name or your job function.

But the the more significant reply would be your identity from the One who designed you.

Wayne Alcorn, pastor of Hope Centre in Australia and president of Australian Christian Centre, shared a powerful message at the Every Nation World Conference.

As a ministry, we are called to be a missional organization. Missions is both down the street and around the world.

We are called not only to bring salvation but also transformation. We are missionaries to the city God has put us in.

But if we want to see city wide transformation, it starts with a personal transformation.

And transformation doesn’t happen by me trying hard to love God but by realizing how much I am loved by Him.

Luke 3:22 narrates to us the story of Jesus’ baptism. It is where God makes a statement. He says, “this is my Son, whom I love, of whom I am well pleased.”

Two things: “I love you and I am proud of you.” This is what God told His Son.

When we know how God sees us, then it doesn’t matter what people may say.
When I call him father, it identifies him as my dad and it identifies me as his son.

God wants us to discover who we are on the basis of what He says not on what others say.

When you know who you are, then you are unshakeable.
When you don’t know who you are, you will be flattered by praise and flattened by criticism.

When I don’t know who I am, I tend to damage relationships.
Insecure people interpret disagreements as rejection.
Insecurity makes leaders control freaks. They live life with self-entitlement.

How can we transform our world if we haven’t been transformed by His love?

Do you know who you are in Christ?

PACQUIAO’S REAL FIGHT

I’m not a boxing analyst so this is really not an evaluation of the fight.

But reading the tweets after the Pacquiao-Marquez fight has been interesting to say the least.

Some cheer Manny on saying that they still believe in him while others predict the end of his career.

The most interesting ones are those that credit his loss to his faith in God.
That one, I don’t understand.

Unfortunately, God gets the blame in the process.
People will crucify you for your faith. If I remember correctly, that’s what was done to Jesus.

But the other thought I had was this:
Faith is tested both in the winning and in the losing.

It is fun to win. No doubt about that.
Equally true is the difficulty in accepting defeat. At least, I know I do.

But fact remains,
“It’s not what happens to you that is important but how you respond to what happens to you.”

You can win and end up losing.
Conversely, you can lose and end up winning.

(Great blog by my friend, Dennis Sy, found here by the way.)

Looks to me that Manny’s responding well which is a test of character and a test of faith. It surely is a difficult one to swallow and a tough one to accept, but this is where the rubber meets the road.

I believe Manny will surpass this test.
His identity and security is no longer in the championship belt but on the Champion Himself.

For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3, NLT)

WHEN A RELATIONSHIP BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE

My wife, Jenn, was reading a book by Leslie Vernick, entitled “The Emotionally Destructive Relationship.“

Leslie Vernick is a licensed clinical social worker with a private counseling practice. She received her master’s degree at the University of Illinois and has completed postgraduate work in biblical counseling and cognitive therapy.

She shared with me a few thoughts and I thought of sharing it with you.

When we believe we always need a particular someone, we put that person in God’s position in our lives. Replacing God with a person will destroy us. It is possible to put others in God’s position by giving them the power to determine your worth and value. – Leslie Vernick