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May 5,
2006
I gave a presentation this week on “What’s keeping me from
being a Seventh-day Adventist and what am I doing about it?” An
interesting topic. Really nothing but myself can ‘keep’
me from living my identity. But there are pressures that make it more
or less difficult.
I shared my perspective with a group of local pastors from town at our
monthly ministerial meeting. I talked about Sabbath rest and our bodies
being God’s temple. I talked about the conflicting pressures exerted
by the world, other denominations and my own sinful nature.
They listened and better understood as a result. I shared the value
of Christian education in addressing these pressures. I shared the shortcomings
of education in emphasizing rules more than principle at times. I’ve
observed that without personally internalizing Biblical principle, we
eventually cave to external pressure– most every time.
I shared how I take some of my biggest identity hits from other Christians.
They make it very difficult to clearly communicate my identity because
of the way they misrepresent who I believe God has called me to be.
Now I’ve moved more into my presentation than I had intended.
And for some of you I will not have been near as specific and detailed
as you wish either. But this may very well develop into a sermon, so
just wait.
My point in bringing this illustration this week, is that I made an
honest effort to share with friends and colleagues my experience as
a Seventh-day Adventist. They not only listened, but they understood
and appreciated and identified with the specific challenges I confront
as I live (and lead) my faith.
This was a good exercise for me – to look at the core of my identity
and identify those aspects of society that challenge my identity and
what I’m doing about it. What is your identity? Where do you take
the biggest hits to who you choose to be? What are you doing about it
to protect yourself?
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated
you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because
you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore
the world hates you. John 15:18-19
Be at peace,
Pastor Steve
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