Sad, how quickly a man’s name got lost.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Good Old Boys)
“Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
–1 John 3:24 (NKJV)
———————————–
There used to be a television show where a panel of celebrities would try and guess “who” the person was. So my question is, who are you–really? I guess that is a question that is being asked by today’s woke society. Not only do people not know who they are, but they do not know what gender they are. My mercy…it doesn’t take a magnifying glass. But no matter what, no matter who they think they are, no matter what sex they are, no matter how wealthy they are–death comes to all. The rich will die just like the pauper. Oh, there may be some fanfare, but in the end it won’t matter. The clods will fall on both of them.
Mark Twain once said, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” However, there are those who chose to live in darkness whether spiritual or natural. They think darkness will cover their evil deeds. One of my favorite books is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a good man who goes about doing good for people, but there is something sinister deep inside him, Mr. Hyde. The more he allows Mr. Hyde to reveal himself the more Dr. Jekyll becomes like him. And notice, Mr. Hyde only appears in the darkness; he does his evil deeds at night. Finally there comes a day when Dr. Jekyll is no more for he has given himself over completely to become Mr. Hyde.
We must choose the right and shun the evil. But today, what is right and truth…what is false and evil? Confusion abounds…some of it purposely. There is a fight in every one of us–the war between the spirit and the flesh. Many have never tasted of the Spirit, they live only for the flesh. Even Christians find this fight to be hard and fierce at times. There is a war against the flesh, and a battle for the mind. I recall “Johara’s Window.” Man is shown to have four parts, the window. There is a part of what you know about yourself, there is a part that only others know about you, then there is the facade…the face or faces you show to others, and finally there is part of you which you do not know nor do others. You can add one more appendix to that part, the subconscious.
Many people live in the facade, not wanting to face up to who they are, and not wanting others to really see who they are. They put up a facade, a front. Many nonChristians rebuke believers saying that they are only hypocrites. I venture to say that they are the hypocrites. They do not want to remove the facade. They do not want to really see who they are. As believers in Jesus Christ we should rejoice in the fact that we are a new creature. Paul writes, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (Romans 6:6, NKJV) He continues in verse 11-12, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” (NKJV)
In other words, you no longer live on the dark side. Some key words: “slaves of sin,” and “do not let sin reign.” There is a vast difference between being a slave and being free, between failing and letting sin reign.
Friend, you must believe that you are a child of the King. His royal blood runs through your veins. Your helplessness now becomes filled with hope. Eternity will not blot out your name. Sing aloud, sing in your soul the old chorus written by C. Austin Miles and know who you are in the Kingdom of God.
“There’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
And the white-robed angels sing the story,
‘A sinner has come home.’
For there’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
With my sins forgiven I am bound for heaven,
Never more to roam.”
–1 John 3:24 (NKJV)
———————————–
There used to be a television show where a panel of celebrities would try and guess “who” the person was. So my question is, who are you–really? I guess that is a question that is being asked by today’s woke society. Not only do people not know who they are, but they do not know what gender they are. My mercy…it doesn’t take a magnifying glass. But no matter what, no matter who they think they are, no matter what sex they are, no matter how wealthy they are–death comes to all. The rich will die just like the pauper. Oh, there may be some fanfare, but in the end it won’t matter. The clods will fall on both of them.
Mark Twain once said, “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” However, there are those who chose to live in darkness whether spiritual or natural. They think darkness will cover their evil deeds. One of my favorite books is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a good man who goes about doing good for people, but there is something sinister deep inside him, Mr. Hyde. The more he allows Mr. Hyde to reveal himself the more Dr. Jekyll becomes like him. And notice, Mr. Hyde only appears in the darkness; he does his evil deeds at night. Finally there comes a day when Dr. Jekyll is no more for he has given himself over completely to become Mr. Hyde.
We must choose the right and shun the evil. But today, what is right and truth…what is false and evil? Confusion abounds…some of it purposely. There is a fight in every one of us–the war between the spirit and the flesh. Many have never tasted of the Spirit, they live only for the flesh. Even Christians find this fight to be hard and fierce at times. There is a war against the flesh, and a battle for the mind. I recall “Johara’s Window.” Man is shown to have four parts, the window. There is a part of what you know about yourself, there is a part that only others know about you, then there is the facade…the face or faces you show to others, and finally there is part of you which you do not know nor do others. You can add one more appendix to that part, the subconscious.
Many people live in the facade, not wanting to face up to who they are, and not wanting others to really see who they are. They put up a facade, a front. Many nonChristians rebuke believers saying that they are only hypocrites. I venture to say that they are the hypocrites. They do not want to remove the facade. They do not want to really see who they are. As believers in Jesus Christ we should rejoice in the fact that we are a new creature. Paul writes, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (Romans 6:6, NKJV) He continues in verse 11-12, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” (NKJV)
In other words, you no longer live on the dark side. Some key words: “slaves of sin,” and “do not let sin reign.” There is a vast difference between being a slave and being free, between failing and letting sin reign.
Friend, you must believe that you are a child of the King. His royal blood runs through your veins. Your helplessness now becomes filled with hope. Eternity will not blot out your name. Sing aloud, sing in your soul the old chorus written by C. Austin Miles and know who you are in the Kingdom of God.
“There’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
And the white-robed angels sing the story,
‘A sinner has come home.’
For there’s a new name written down in glory,
And it’s mine, O yes, it’s mine!
With my sins forgiven I am bound for heaven,
Never more to roam.”