Category Archives: The Believer’s Identity

Rivers of Living Water

“He who believes in me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being (koilias) shall flow rivers of living water.’” But this [Jesus] spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive. (John 7:38-39) Humans are like earthenware urns. The outside is dull, rough pottery with obvious imperfections—nothing special to look […]

Sons of Thunder

Thunderstorms form under special conditions. High convectional clouds with swirling updrafts and downdrafts cause water and ice droplets to collide. The collisions dislodge electrons and generate super-charged areas within the cloud. The energy is discharged in a flash of lightening followed by a crash of thunder. Circumstances sometimes do something analogous inside us. Faced with […]

The Man-God

Narahari is a Sanscrit word meaning “man-God”.1 It expresses well the nature of Jesus. Think about it. Jesus was God in human flesh, which of course means that Jesus was human flesh with God inside. Jesus did two basic things. He showed us what God is like when He puts on human flesh and lives […]

Real Identity

Sometimes we learn a lot when we think about the flip side of what Jesus said. Take the following conversation: The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents […]

The Emperor’s New Clothes

I have never cared much about what I wear. As long as I am comfortable, I am happy. Try to put me in a suit and tie and I will grumble. I buy very few new clothes; often I find great deals in thrift stores and that is enough. However, what our spiritual clothes are […]

My Identity Box

I like my box. It contains my life, defines who I am, gives me identity. There is nothing fancy about it. It has some flaws, dents and scratches, but it feels cozy and secure inside. It’s bigger than some of your boxes. And, yes, smaller than others (but we won’t talk about that). I’m working […]

Anger and Violence

What do you think? Are anger and violence expressions of power or of weakness? Moses explosive outburst against an Egyptian slave-driver was about as fruitful as an expensive firework. The loss of a taskmaster didn’t weaken pharaoh. The Hebrews sneered. Moses ran for his life. How counterproductive our self-efforts can be! Now it came about […]

Living a Kingdom Lifestyle

I sympathize with Christians who struggle to distinguish a kingdom lifestyle from the lifestyle of the world. When society grants religious freedom and holds many healthy values, the distinctions blur. The color contrasts fade with proximity. We grow up fully immersed in our native culture. Normal seems natural—and mostly good. Saintly unbelievers are commonplace, and […]

Christian Destiny

Some people enjoy the challenge of assembling items without instructions. I prefer using charts and explanations. Better still, I like to see what the finished product is supposed to look like. With guidelines, the process is quicker and things turn out better. When it comes to the question of our Christian destiny, we all need […]