Grounded in Christ

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.' Matthew 3:13-17 (NIV)

It is fair to say that the identity crisis is common to all human beings.

Many people ground their identity in their looks, their work or worse still what others think.  Others have been “named” or “labeled” by parents, experiences or society often in negative ways like “stupid”, “no good” and worse.

Who are you?  And to what degree is your identity rooted in your relationship with Jesus Christ?

Trials, tests and temptations reveal the anchor of our soul.  Crisis reveals character, values and true beliefs.  But it is also through these things that God wants us to hear his voice.

I love the passage of Scripture above because it is a reminder that in Christ, the Father says to us, “you are my son, chosen and marked by my grace, I delight in you.”

Jesus the Christ receives a direct message from God the Father about who he is and how God sees him right before being tested.

The key to pass any test and overcoming any crisis is what we believe about God and what we believe about ourselves.

It is critical to know that when we are tested, tempted or when we fall that the Father loves us.  It is important to remind ourselves that we belong to God.

Our identity is what the Enemy is going to try to steal and what the world will ridicule.

But our identity, our true selves, is what the Father wants to affirm and develop in us by the Spirit and the Word.

In the midst of the storm, the trial and the noise, can you say, “I know who I am”?  Can you hear the Father say, “You are mine”?

Our identity is both a gift and a journey of renewal with God through Christ.

Heavenly Father, help us to know you, so that we might know ourselves.

Please post your thoughts below.

Your brother,

Minister Onorio

The Beauty of Respect

Respect is a beautiful thing.  Respect is foundational for any healthy, long-term relationship.  Especially marriage.

Respect is synonymous with being honored or esteemed. 

Husbands and wives need to honor and esteem each other in very unique ways.

When a husband honors his wife he can see all the women in a room but his eyes are on his wife.  A wife needs to be esteemed as unique by her husband.  A woman’s uniqueness is one reason why God always intended marriage to be monogamous.

Even single men need to know that a wife who respects them is better than marrying a supermodel.  That supermodel is going to look really ugly when she cuts you up with her words or acts disrespectfully.  The way to a man’s heart is to honor him: to make him feel like he is ten feet tall. 

To bring the beauty out of your marriage, husbands should honor their wives by:

Being consistent.  Honor your wife by making sure that your actions match your words.

Being decisive.  But talk about and plan family budgets, decisions and dreams together.  Honor your wife’s views, opinions and dream together so you won’t grow apart.

Being her one and only.  Make sure that your wife knows that you cherish her.  Honor your wife in your private prayers, in your thought life and in your actions with tenderness. 

So tell me brothers, what truths about respect do you wish more women understood?

And tell us, what advice would you share with men about the value of respecting women?

Please post your thoughts below.

Your brother,

Minister Onorio