Stolen Identity    

Identity – 1. The state of having unique identifying characteristics held by no other person or thing.  The individual characteristics by which a person or thing is recognized.  The state of being the same as a person or thing described or claimed.

The major strategy of Satan is to distort the character of God and the truth of who we are. He can't change God and he can't do anything to change our identity and position in Christ. If, however, he can get us to believe a lie, we will live as though our identity in Christ isn't true.  Neil T. Anderson

Have you ever had your identity stolen?  I am dealing with one of the credit reporting agencies right now on some things on my credit report that are not mine.  I guess you have figured out by now that I do a lot of thinking.  Today I started thinking about identity theft.  Maybe it was because I saw where several celebrities and famous people had their social security information posted online opening them up to identity theft.

I decided to look at this from the perspective of “would I want my identity stolen from God’s perspective?”  Your identity is what makes you unique or allows people to recognize and identify who you are. If my identity in Christ was stolen would the perpetrator be getting a good deal?  I mean, most people steal from someone else because they want whatever the other person has, so there would have to be some value in me for someone to want to steal it.  The thing is the value God places on us is not the same as what the world looks for or would want to steal.

Most of the time I don’t think they would be getting a good deal from a heavenly perspective.  So if we run through the list of pros and cons, what would I come up with about me that would make me a good steal?  I sin, I’ve lied, I don’t always stand up for God in worldly situations, I spend too much on myself sometimes, I often try to control situations instead of letting God be in control.  Man this isn’t sounding so good is it.  On the pro side, I love God, I pray often, I love others sometimes and I try to forgive others, I love my neighbors except those who irritate me.  This is getting worse and worse.

I think I need to go back and clean up some stuff on my credit report.  I don’t think my heavenly identity is worth stealing. The beauty if this credit report is that God does and will redeem. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I want an identity in Christ that is worth stealing.  If I become what you call me to be, others will come to know You.  That is the ultimate goal in the life I live on earth.  Please help me to correct some of the errors on my heavenly credit report. 

Scripture:  “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Matthew 24:36-44