I Am Who HE Says I Am

Who are you?

1 A Wretched Sinner.

I am who He says I am. Have you ever thought of yourself this way? We are not who we may think of ourselves. We may not be the "Me" we see in the Mirror. God sees us in a certain way. Since He is God and we are not, since He is the one that Created us, we are without a doubt who HE says we are. This is what we will be talking about coming up for the next few weeks.

First, are you a Good Person? I always thought of myself as a Good Person. If you ask, most will look at the question in an Earthly, Worldly sense. They would reason it out. "Let's see, I haven't been arrested. I love my Spouse and Kids. I give to Charity, go to Church on Sunday, I try to never speak ill of anyone. Yes. I would say I was a good person."

In a sense, if looking at it strictly in a World sense, you would be right. However, remember what Jesus said when Peter called him "Good Master" in Matthew 19:17

"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

Jesus, the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, the Lord himself, corrected it when he was called good. If Jesus did not consider himself as worthy to be called good. Then are you better than he?

Jesus was in the flesh, the same as we all are. Therefore the Temptations of the flesh were the same for Him. The Fruits of the flesh would have had the same result for Him if He had given in, as they would and do for all of us.

The Word declares the very distinct difference in walking in the Flesh and in the Spirit. According to Galatians 5:16-21

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."

So what are the Fruits or Works of the flesh?

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

All these things Mankind, Men, and Women do, on a Daily bases. We were and still are, by the way, Wretched, Vile, Disgusting, Evil, Creatures. Devising plans to do Evil Things. Walking in the Flesh and the things of the Flesh are Natural. They are Human Nature. The end result of them all is the same. Death. Oh, Society may, and has, become numb to some of them. It may even have become Acceptable. Or at least seen as "no big deal." Even some have become Praised and Protected. But none of that changes the Fact of what these things are. Most of these are Self-explanatory. The others?

Lascivious? Characterized as or by expressing lust. Tending to incite lust. Look at the TV? Look at Movies. Go to the Malls and see how our young Women are dressing? The Internet? You get the point.

Sedition? Stirring up rebellion.
Revellings? To rebel or take much Merry in oneself.
Effeminate? Characterized by weakness, or Self-indulgence.
Covetous? Excessively desirous or something. Greedy.
Emulations? To try to surpass or become equal to something greater than you.

These are all the Fruits, or Works, of the fresh. The Works we do in the Flesh. These are the normal desires of one walking in the Flesh. 1st Corinthians 6:9-11 says it this way.

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

So before you accept the Gift. Before you become a Child of God, you will do these things. Many of the Twelve did these things. These are the works of the Flesh. But wait? We are all God's Children. Right? Wrong. We are all God's Creation. Not all God's Children. Remember, Jesus makes this Statement about all. Everyone. John 3:16-18

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

You do not have to do anything. You do not have to Lie, Cheat, Steal, Murder, Dance Naked around a Fire and Worship the Devil. "Whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

In John 8, it tells the Story of how the Religious folks, those that thought they were holier than thou, asked Jesus why he said they were not of God. His answer may surprise some of you. Here it is. John 8:42-47

"Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."

Especially those "born" into Religion, thought that we are all God's Children. Those said to be the Chosen Ones of God, just took it for granted, that they were Children of God. Again, this is Jesus Himself talking. Needless to say, some became highly offended by this. How could this Man tell them they are not of God? He told them the truth. He even told them this...

"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

This is one of many things that Jesus told those who claimed to be God's Children and the Chosen Ones, that caused them to want to put him to death even the more. But Jesus is not concerned with what you are. He doesn't care where it is you come from. He doesn't care how much Money you have. He doesn't care what Man-Made Tradition, called Religion, you belong to. What he cares about is YOU. Who you are as a Person. What he cares about is a Personal Relationship with YOU.

Look at the people God chose? Noah got Drunk, David had an Affair and orchestrated a Murder, Moses was Disobedient, Miriam was a Gossip, Martha was a Worrier, Jonah ran from God, Peter was a Hot Head, Thomas was a Doubter, Matthew was a Tax Collector, but I think the best example is Paul.

The point is this. God is no respecter of persons. It doesn't matter what Religion you belong to. It does not matter what Social Class you belong to. It does not matter your Race. What matters is simple. What is your answer? What is your decision? Will you or won't you. Ephesians 2:8-9 declares:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

What God cares about is what you are Willing to do NOW. Not your Past. Not your Sin. But are you willing to accept His Gift? Are you willing to change your ways? His desire is for you to get to know Him. To seek out Him and His will for your life. He does not consider what we feel is good, bad or, indifferent. He cares about YOU. He cares if you are willing to hear Him.

Remember we are all born into Sin. We do not have to do anything to be deserving of Hell and Damnation. We are born this way. Even though we are all sinners. God loves us. He wants to save us from ourselves. He wants a relationship with us.

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." {Romans 5:6-8}

Those that are in the Flesh, cannot please God. There is nothing you can do to win Favor in God's Eyes if you are walking in the Flesh. There is nothing you can do to be saved. No amount of what we call Good, can overcome the Sin we live in, just by being Born. So how do you become a Child of God? His gift. Accepting The Christ Jesus. In John 1:25-26

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

That's it. That's all there is to it. In John 14:12-18 Jesus gives us this good news.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

Once you receive Jesus, He receives you. He sends you the Spirit of Adoption. THEN, and only then, is it that you become a Child of God. Then and only then, can you Walk, not according to the Flesh, but the Spirit that is now in you. Say this prayer, in your own words.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

Next time we will be discussing Who you are now.

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, Be Blessed, Be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord!