IDENTITY CRISIS: WHICH JESUS DO YOU FOLLOW? [MONDAY MANNA 31]

Dear Friends,

The church of Jesus Christ that calls itself His is in deep weeds.

Many, many years ago in 1989, I was given a taped message by Bruce Wilkerson when he was still President at Walk Thru The Bible in Atlanta. I had met him personally at a conference that year and was thrilled he would actually speak to me, a nobody.

In that message, he boldly proclaimed that the church was “in the ditch” even way back then.  I submit to you for your consideration that it has not gotten any better but has gotten immeasurably worse.  And we need to start dealing with it before the return of Jesus and His accounting for all of our deeds in the flesh, whether good or bad (2nd Corinthians 5:10).

Instead of deep repentance for the lack of true and sustaining biblical fruit that invades our culture in America and other affluent cultures worldwide, most leadership is more enthralled by their books, messages, and conferences that continue to spawn a lot of smoke but little fire.  And this leadership that says it represents Jesus Christ Himself is intent on congratulating itself while consistent and deep personal holiness goes lacking in much of the body.

When admonishment is attempted to present them complete in Christ (Col. 1.18), they boldly stonewall the messenger under the guise of protecting the flock. A next step usually ensues that produces either the infamous phrase “let’s just agree to disagree” or outright ignoring the message.  And often accompanied by trashing the messenger’s honor. The Bible calls it quenching the Holy Spirit.

I, for one, am tired of it, angry about it, and am embarrassed to call myself a Christian for what the term now represents in modern culture.  If you take issue with this proclamation, I point you toward David Kinnaman’s book Unchristian and the scathing rebuke that pagans place upon the thing that calls itself the Church of Jesus Christ in America.

But I digress.

If I remember correctly, it was in the 1960s when I first saw the little green alligator show up unannounced in America. As a young man in my teens fighting raging hormones and the arrival of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, it was another onslaught to the senses trying to figure out what life is all about.

Prior to this time, clothing was nondescript and other than a certain style or color, it could be anybody’s guess what you were wearing.  But a French company created by René Lacoste would invade the American consciousness by putting (get this) green alligators on clothing.  The first one I saw, if I remember correctly, was on a short sleeve polo shirt quickly followed by another green alligator on a cardigan sweater.

Weird, I thought.  Who in their right mind would want to have anything on their clothing, let alone an animal.  And at that, a reptile known for its ferociousness and living in swamp water?!  Is there no limit to what human beings will do in the realm of silliness?

Apparently not.  And once again, my marketing savvy proved to be faulty as Izod clothing became a rage.

Why would human beings do something like this, and actually crave this association?  It wasn’t until a few years ago that the Holy Spirit instructed me into some of the cultural aspects of human nature when it lives in the flesh.

“Marc,” the Spirit stated, “all of life is about identity.  You must realize, my child, that your identity is in Me and in nothing else.  I jealously desire all of your affection and devotion and will accept nothing less if you really say you love Me.”

Wow.  What a bombshell.  And what truth.  It struck to the heart of the issue of whose kingdom are we living in and whose kingdom are we serving.  The kingdom of darkness and Satan?  Or the kingdom of God the Father through Jesus?

So, let’s ask each other the same question today.  Who are you identifying with?  If I was to follow you around for several months, what would I see you doing and speaking about that captures your attention?

In school we remember studying the native American Indian and their totem poles.  A totem is something of great value that the creator would first generate, then worship.  They’re what we, and God, would call an idol.  And what were the images that they identified with?  Animals, right?  Like the bear, eagle, cougar, etc. Here in Florida, perhaps the Seminole Indians would’ve carved a totem that also included the gator I presume.

And what about us?  Are we identifying with any of these animals in life? Animals?

Let’s assume it’s in the fall of the year.  Most Christians I know are fans (fanatics) of football.  And what are the totems of that gladiator sport where grown men pump their bodies up to gargantuan size?  So they can put on protective clothing and gear and crash into each other while trying to steal an inflated object made I suppose from pigs?  How weird is that?  What must God think about all this when He asks us to be fully devoted to Him and not His creation?

Seems pretty silly like putting an alligator on a sweater, doesn’t it?  And what football totems are you following these days?  Here in Florida, Christians routinely watch and decorate their vehicles with Seminole Indians, gators and some sort of a mean spirited bird that identifies the Miami Hurricanes.

A low point was the audacity of so-called Christian men in Orlando years ago raising millions of dollars to create a pro basketball team. And what, of all things, did they decide to call it? The Magic. Satan must be having a field day. Instead of burning our magic paraphernalia like the Ephesians, we pay top dollar for the right to view the games and place their insignia on our vehicles and homes. God help us…

I personally have been demeaned, written off, and have lost ministry subscribers for pointing out the taunting, bloodshed, and hatred toward opponents by none other than Tim Tebow.  Love your enemies, anyone?  Or do we identify with hyper competition in putting our pagan enemies on their backs as we run over them and enter their end zone all the while celebrating their demise on national television?  And with unsaved pagans watching us looking for clues as to who Jesus may actually be?

What would Jesus do?  Certainly not that, I can assure you with all certainty.  He was too busy with kingdom work and preaching that one should repent or perish.  Healing the sick, raising the dead (yes, the dead), casting out demons.  Full-time, 24-7.  Not that one should tailgate and be fanatical about some animal totem.  Read about Sports & Christians?  here:  /sports

And what of the other football animal totems mentioned above?  The Chicago Bears?  The Philadelphia Eagles?  The Detroit Lions?  You get the idea.  And so does Satan.  His main scheme is distraction and to put our energy into things that have no eternal value in God’s kingdom.  He is a roaring lion and is a master at his craft.  And yet many Christians think he’s an easily defeated enemy and go on their merry way to engage in cultural fornication.

Growing up in Chicago, I used to follow religiously the Chicago Bears, not to mention the Chicago Cubs, and the Chicago Blackhawks (more native Indians), or the Chicago White Sox (yes, that’s right: sox one wears on their feet), etc. etc. etc.  Then came none other than the Chicago Bulls (based on the once famous Chicago stockyards) and his highness, MJ.

But I remember the day well when I was watching an NBA finals game with Michael Jordan as he attempted to vanquish his foes in one of his last championships.  Early in the first quarter, a beer commercial came on with an ultra-seductive and scantily clad woman.  I was single at the time and was fighting with the urge to have mental sex with her, or maybe worse.  I can’t remember if I was successful or not.  But one thing I know, I didn’t want to be involved in actual or mental fornication any longer.  I wanted to serve God and Jesus and I wanted him to be pleased with me and everything that I did.

So I walked over, reached out my hand, and turned the TV set off.  And that was the last sports game I’ve watched with the intent of cheering on my team to vanquish my chosen enemy.  I believe that was about 20 years ago.

That is just one example of identity and the cultural gravity upon us.

God commands us to identify with things in His kingdom and not those of the world.  If we love the world or the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in us.  The Bible makes it crystal clear of where our affections and devotions are to be placed and that talk is cheap.  We recall the Word states in a clarion call that we’re to be doers of His commands.

Jesus grades us on every thought and action as a believer following Him.  And if we are involved in the worldly culture in mimicking what they do and how they act and what they identify with, it may be a good indication that we don’t even know Jesus as He is meant to be known.

What are some other examples of mistaken identity?

Well, let’s draw a picture of what most Christians I meet in the American church act like as representatives who called themselves His believers.

They truly believe Jesus would be (like them?) wealthy, healthy, very politically active as Republicans, very nationalistic in defense of America, very competitive in business (which is really no different than Darwin’s theory of evolution carried out in the marketplace), very involved in really pointing out voraciously only three pagan sins which are abortion, homosexuality and evolution, etc. The ‘below-the-belt-only’ sins.

So, in short, we make Jesus to look a lot like us in this case. We venerate a God who is not there. He doesn’t exist. Are we actually worshiping ourselves, then?

Yes…

And what is that called?

Idolatry…

I distinctly remember in the late ‘80’s Tony Campolo preaching a rousing message called “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s ‘Acomin.” In it he speaks to a national convention of youth leaders about the false Jesus they teach to their youth. You could hear a pin drop when he proclaimed that what was really happening was little more than their training the youth to be pimps for the system…listen here if you dare:   /friday

Now then. What will we identify with to help rectify the current Indentify Crisis where we’re planted by God?

Our life is Jesus by decree of our Father. Not the successful American way of life. He is our Inheritance. He is our Peace. He is our all in all. He is building up all those in His kingdom who the demonic world ignorantly calls losers. Kids who never would be good at any sport, but redirect their considerable energy to the love and furtherance of God’s real kingdom…

We identify with the Jesus in group, not the world’s popular pastimes nor the people participating and trapped in them, or the systems they create to draw God’s human beings away from His grand design and purpose. Which is the consummation of the ages in the finality of the kingdom in His Son…His perfectly pure beloved Son. What amazing love and grace.

Being now a member of Jesus’ in group promises persecution and severe hatred of all types and styles. Family rejection. Friend rejection. Church rejection. Church leader rejection. Not a pretty picture. Not a nice situation.

Lots of enemies. And quite possibly death…yes, that too is coming soon to the so-called safe confines of the West.

But what is the reward? Jesus in His fullness, a safe and peace filled Guide, a real Person who loves us deeply and sacrificially…even now as a Spirit filled and joy filled follower looking through a glass darkly amid lamentation. But soon…flawless perfection forever..with King Jesus.

But now? Joy amid the tribulation! Rejoicing and leaping for joy for so they persecuted the prophets that were before you who also insisted on calling the wayward troops to real righteousness.

What will it be for you? You know, with this whole Identity thing.

I have a photo in my collection of a vehicle that had all the following stickers and signs on it: Semper Fi (Marines), Orlando Magic (basketball), W’04 (our Decider-in-Chief who admitted publicly never was any WMD)…and last, but not least, a pretty small (compared to the other prominent displays) Christian fish symbol stuck on the trunk. Who do they identify with? Who will their kids and grandkids follow? What do their lost, eternally condemned, hell-bound neighbors think about Jesus as portrayed in all this? Or are we more like them than like our Jesus?

As for me and my household, with all the grace and mercy of Christ that He will muster for us, we’ll serve the pure Jesus…the One who we, and we dare say others, can clearly identify. He’s in the Bible. And in our hearts to lead if we will truly listen and obey. As we should be to really get to KNOW Him.

To love Him is to identify with Him. To take up our Cross daily as a condemned criminal to the world, and follow up that hill never again to return to the old life. Resurrection and true truth follows.

Fernando Ortega sings the most wonderful ballad, Give Me Jesus. I urge you to click the link and listen as you cry your way through.

Here’s the link to the music video on the Walk Worthy YouTube channel: GIVE ME JESUS – MUSIC VIDEO

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus.

When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone, give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus.

When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die, give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus…

Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,

Marc

+++

Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!

You may view our Archives here: MONDAY MANNA – ARCHIVES;   Complete Archives; feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion. May our Father richly bless you with His grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in order to walk worthy of His name.

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.