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http://www.thelivingtruthfellowship.org/tltf/TET_Seminar.html
In August of this year, I returned to my hometown of Gary, Indiana to celebrate the 50th anniversary of my high school graduation. I recall learning to appreciate the rich beauty of the English language, as I excelled in the English classes that I took. Upon graduation I enrolled as a pharmacy student at Purdue University in the first class of a newly initiated 5-year program which allowed me to broaden my academic horizons through taking additional courses in English and speech. I continued to develop my writing skills after graduating and working as a pharmacist. When I joined the Way Corps in 1971, I remember being asked to produce a writing sample at the beginning of my first year in the Second Corps, and I wrote a brief commentary on 1 Corinthians 1:10:
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Since that time, more than 30 years ago, I have come to appreciate the same verse in the Amplified Bible that renders a more precise definition of the word “judgment.”
But I urge and entreat you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in perfect harmony and full agreement in what you say, and that there be no dissensions or factions or divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your common understanding and in your opinions and judgments.
Someone has said that opinions are like noses—everybody has one. Even so, believers are encouraged to hold the same opinion regarding who we are in Christ. The verse from 1 Corinthians also came to mind in response to this statement by Nate Clements: “Don’t let someone else’s opinion become your reality.”
As we continue on our lifelong journey of discovery of who we are, many times we encounter varying opinions, as our identity unfolds through the changing seasons of life. Recently conversations with various individuals have centered on the issue of identity, as everyone struggles to find and maintain his or her “true identity” Among of the principal challenges of the whole of humanity is to find the answer to two of life’s fundamental questions: “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?” For the believer, God, our Father, the Creator of Life, provides the answers to those questions and every other question anyone may seek to find answers to in the Word of God which becomes the mirror in which we see ourselves clearly revealed. Recently I looked at some of the poems that I had written that relate to “identity” and I put them together and added some music to comprise this blog which I call “My True Identity Kit.”
As a believer, the essence of who I am is grounded in God’s opinion of me and not any individual’s assessment of who I am. Israel Houghton and New Breed express this truth in the song “Identity.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAbcjO-O_Dg&feature=related
In August of 2003, I attended the Apostolic School of Ministry in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa where I wrote seven poems inspired by the series of teachings that I heard during that time. One, in particular, relates to who I am and how I see myself:
My True Identity
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
II Corinthians 3:18
I look in the mirror of God’s Word and I see,
Not the man I am but the man I shall become,
Reflected in my eyes, my true identity.
Released from shackles of a slave mentality,
The bondage of Egypt I have now overcome.
I look in the mirror of God’s Word and I see.
I smile as I keep singing of “A Brand New Me.”
In my heart I have prepared for God a new home,
Reflected in my eyes, my true identity.
“I am what I am” is my new reality:
A first-born son, model of the Father’s Kingdom.
I look in the mirror of God’s Word and I see.
God’s blessings in double measure overtake me,
Flowing by the spirit in knowledge and wisdom,
Reflected in my eyes, my true identity.
I live to fulfill my prophetic destiny,
As joys unfold with even greater joys to come.
I look in the mirror of God’s Word and I see
Reflected in my eyes, my true identity.
One of the lines alludes to a popular song composed and performed by Dusty Springfield “A Brand New Me.” This selection, however, is by Jerry Butler, who croons as only “The Ice Man” can:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvJqDXjqq8g
Another poem opens with a statement by Dr. Paula Price, whose words inspired this poetic work of identity:
The Real Me
“Apostles are called to giants, heroes and winners.”
Dr. Paula Price
I am a man on a mission: I seek to find
The man I really am, my true identity.
Not by the outward but inner I am defined,
Renewed in faith, day by day, all for God’s glory.
I see the real me: a giant, a hero, a winner.
I want to see for myself and never be blind
To the reality of all God called me to be.
I don’t conform to the world’s mold but renew my mind.
A banquet table is ever set before me.
I feast on God’s Word for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I focus on God’s will and seek to be aligned.
Like a rose, the love of God unfolds before me.
I am a new creation in Christ, one of a kind.
With enlightened eyes of understanding I see
That the real man within grows fatter, not thinner.
I move to the front of the race; I won’t be left behind,
For I know who I am and move into my destiny.
My life reveals the purpose for which I have been designed.
I am released from all bondage; I have been set free
By the Kinsman Redeemer. No longer a sinner,
I see the real me: a giant, a hero, a winner.
The contemporary black gospel song by Marvin Sapp reminds us of whose opinion is the only one that really matters. Despite the fact that others saw the worst in me, God saw only the best in me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgwt-UhPhhs
Earlier this year, Pastor Michael Bivens of Equip U Ministries, delivered a powerful life-changing message related to our identity, as revealed in the Word of God. At the end of the message he encouraged the congregation to make a list of qualities or attributes that the Bible declares us to be. I personalized the assignment and composed a list of metaphors which opened with the phrase “I am.” Upon completion of the poem, I went on to finish another poem “Moreover, I am” with a corresponding list, each line of which ends with the phrase “I am.”
I AM says “I am” and all that I AM says “I am”
“I am. . ."
I am light, the light of the world, sent forth to shine.
I am salt, the salt of the earth, full of savor.
I am alive in Christ; eternal life is mine.
I am blessed: in the midst of famine is favor.
I am trusting in the Lord; I am not afraid.
I am made whole in Christ; by His stripes I am healed.
I am so fearfully and wonderfully made.
I am redeemed, and by the Spirit I am sealed.
I am a sweet savor, a living sacrifice.
I am ever before Him, always on His mind.
I am clothed in righteousness, bought with a price.
I am His beloved, the one He runs to find.
I am cleansed and made whole by the blood of the Lamb.
I am, by the grace of God, what He says I am.
Moreover, I am
Moreover, the word of the Lord
came to me, saying,
Ezekiel 7:1
Called out of darkness into the great light, I am.
Living by faith in the power of His Word, I am.
Walled in by sin but now free in the Lord, I am.
Giving my life that I might walk upright, I am.
Where death once reigned, now grace abounds; therefore, I am.
Moving by the Spirit and not the flesh, I am.
There is no condemnation; alive in Christ I am.
Proving what is the perfect will of God, I am
Enduring in patience until the end, I
All creation groans and travails until I am
Maturing in Christ unto the perfect man I am.
This generation shall make known all that I am.
Until the trumpet blast from the horn of the ram,
Be still and abide in peace and know that I AM.
The phrase “I am” brought to mind another powerful reminder from Israel Houghton and New Breed: “I Know Who I Am”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3UOCVkYWIY&NR=1
It seems as if I am continually trying to convince myself and others as to who I really am. Often I respond to those who attempt to portray me in an unflattering light, as a man of small stature and insignificance, as a villain or a loser, in contrast to the man in the mirror of God’s Word where “I see the real me: a giant, a hero, a winner.” In response to those who see me as a villain, I wrote this piece:
A Hero Plays the Villain
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
Christopher Reeve
Though a hero, I will play the villain.
I will partake of the bread of self-sacrifice.
Others depart to save face, but I will remain.
Though it may cost me my life, I will pay the price.
If I die, the Lord will raise me up again.
The victor is winner by any other name;
He gives unselfishly and will never restrain,
Though at times victor and victim are both the same.
Type-cast to serve in this seemingly menial role,
I follow Christ who poured out his life, even to death.
Proving that running to serve is life’s highest goal,
He whispered “Father, forgive them” with his last breath.
This drama may not unfold as I thought it would,
But I know that all things work together for the good.
In one of the composition and literature classes that I taught at Otterbein College (now called Otterbein University) I recall engaging my class in lively discussions regarding “Heroes, Super-Heroes, and Real Heroes.” One of the poems that I shared was this original work which is actually a heroic sonnet:
Real Heroes
Like a herald, history sounds the names,
The roll call sung from the chronicler’s page,
The champions of life’s heroic games,
Whose flame still flames for years beyond their age.
Are they real heroes as history claims
Or mere cowards lauded as saint or sage?
Life’s truest heroes we always ignore,
To mold giants of legend and folklore.
Real heroes never swell the ranks among
Annals of recorded time. History
Omits the common folk; yet their unsung
Legacies speak to those with eyes to see.
Heroic lives inspire old and young
To become all our hearts have yearned to be.
We search for gold in those whom we live with
And seek real heroes, not image nor myth.
Life’s real heroes still dwell with us today,
To pioneer a new and living way.
When I think of a musical composition that embodies the essence of “real heroes,” I think of Mariah Carey’s “Hero”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLFfXTwdVbY
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says unto the churches. To him that overcomes
I will give to eat of the hidden manna,
and will give him a white stone, and in the stone
a new name written, which no man knows
except him that receives it.
Revelation 2:17
a sobriquet attached
to the bridal bouquet,
a new name to change
or not, hyphenate,
ignore, keep, or discard
like outdated his and her towels;
how to handle this essence of being,
my new identity.
Like the trickster,
who tried to run his game
and get over on Jehovah
when he wrestled out a blessing
from the evening till the break of day,
I woke up one morning
with a new name and a gimp leg
to remind me of that all-night-face-to-face encounter
when I sang
“I told Jesus, be all right if He changed my name.”
From Stone upon Stone: Psalms of Remembrance.
The last line of the poem refers to a spiritual of the same title, performed here by Jennifer Bynum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFZ2xGfJD3s&feature=related
The Scriptures remind us that God makes all things new, as we excel, going from faith to faith, victory to victory and glory to glory. When a believer assumes a new identity, he or she closes out a previous chapter and moves forth in newness of life, as God begins to write a new chapter. The final poem of this collection describes what occurs as we seek “To Bring Closure”:
To Bring Closure
for Cheryl Lois Thompsonmy blessed and highly favored
sister and friend
“Your life is a book and everyday is a page.”
Elijah Pierce
In the eyes of God, each life is an open book,
Inscribed in first person, where nothing is hidden,
But to really see, we must take a closer look
To discern between each line as it is written.
Past pages reveal both the shame and the glory,
As we craft chronicles from confusion and strife,
Ongoing sagas of our personal history:
Tragic lines composed in the comedy of life.
We strive to bring closure to another chapter
And break free from the bondage of each past mistake,
To apply the painful lessons and grow thereafter
In fleeting years of heartbreak and exquisite laughter.
This real life drama transcends
the game of “Let’s Pretend,”
As each scene unfolds,
moving toward our perfected end.
“Aint Got Time to Die,” one of my favorite spirituals, is a fitting song to bring closure to this blog.
Since I have been involved in a number of projects and teaching assignments and other activities, I have not been able to respond to any of the comments posted to my initial blog regarding Pentecost as the birthday of the Church. Certainly I have read them and reflected upon the various views expressed. In light of the controversy that my comments generated, I wanted to respond more extensively, and so I’m posting another blog which includes some additional images and a YouTube video at the end.
I must admit that I should qualify and modify my statement to indicate that the Day of Pentecost is in reality “a birthday of the Church, not the birthday of the Church.” “So, Pentecost being the original outpouring and the new birth daily it looks to me like every day is a birthday in the church of the body.” I heartily concur with Michael’s comment.
Just as every year we celebrate another year of life on the date that we were born, but who we have become each year is vastly different from who were on the day of our birth. So is the Church remarkably different than it was on the Day of Pentecost, which as it turned out was another period of progression in its unfolding to become all that God had in mind when He first “conceived” the idea of this glorious masterpiece of creation. Perhaps we could say that the idea of the Church was first birthed when God “thought” of it and implemented His plan to bring it to pass in the fullness of time. Of course, the Church is one aspect of God’s plan for the redemption of humanity after the Fall. As I think about it, this whole idea is “too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain unto it.” Who has known the mind of God, for His ways are not our ways. Romans 11:33-34 puts it this way:
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”
A most enlightening book regarding the Church is Kevin J. Conner’s The Church in the New Testament which reveals that the Church was unfolding throughout the Old Testament. Last year, I coordinated a small group discussion of this remarkable treatise, lasting several weeks. I could by no means do the work justice in this response. Among the many notable distinctions regarding the Church as it unfolds throughout the Bible is that the Church is a reflection of “the pattern and the glory of God.” God has a pattern, a divine design for the local as well as the universal church. When all has been built according to the pattern, the glory of God descends to seal or establish the pattern. From Noah’s ark through the Tabernacle of Moses through the Tabernacle of David and Solomon’s Temple on through the Book of Acts and the New Testament Church of which we are presently members, in whom dwells the spirit of the Living God whereby we recognize that “it is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
That familiar expression, of course, relates to the riches of the glory of this mystery, which I believe was in evidence before the fullness of God’s intent was revealed to Paul years after his conversion. I, hence, disagree with Karl (respectfully, as well) that the mystery was not known in the Book of Acts. The mystery was foreshadowed and made know in the Acts 13 in Antioch where followers of the Way were first called “Christians,” a derogatory descriptive label that has stuck over centuries of time. What did the citizens of Antioch see in Saul (not yet called Paul), Barnabas, a Cypriot, Simeon called Niger (whom I along with others believe to be Simon of Cyrene, the “brother” who bore Christ’s cross), Lucius of Cyrene (“another brother of another mother”) and Manaen, the foster-brother of Herod the Tetrarch)? What caused those who saw this culturally and ethnically diverse group interacting together to speak of them as “those ‘Christ-in them’ folk?” Jesus had declared earlier, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another.” Years ago I did a teaching centered on Acts 13, and I believe I entitled it “The Mystery Movers”, as I made the point that the principles of the Great Mystery were alive and well and demonstrated in Antioch. I may have included this discussion in the New Testament History classes I taught at The Way College of Emporia way back in the day. So you see, Karl, why I respectfully disagree…Hey, that rhymes. Indeed, I have been known to wax poetic, as I pen a poem or two. In fact, I wanted to close my comments with a poem that relates to Church of the 21st Century of which I am a part and so are we all.
A couple of years ago my wife and I visited family and friends, some of whom were former followers of The Way International, in San Francisco and Los Angeles. During our stay in the City by the Bay, we enjoyed a most enlightening experience at the Asian Museum where we saw a special exhibit from the Ming Dynasty. One of the pieces on display was a stationery box which is similar to this one.
Although the final product reveals what the designer had in mind, we do not see how the object looked at the various stages of development. So it is with the Church which is still a work in progress, but I believe that God is putting “the finishing touches on His crowning achievement.” No, technically the Church of the One Body was not born or did not start on the Day of Pentecost, but what transpired there was of great significance in its unfolding. Without a doubt Pentecost was a watershed moment whereby the world was forever changed. This poem “Exquisite Exhibit” conveys in part my thoughts regarding the Church and my part in this amazing masterpiece of God’s creation.
Exquisite Exhibit
Viewing a Ryoshi-bako (stationery box)
Power and Glory: Court Arts of China’s Ming Dynasty
Asian Museum--San Francisco, California
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew
in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things
he planned for us long ago
Ephesians 2:10
God's purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety
to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.
They will see this when Jews and Gentiles
are joined together in his church.
Ephesians 3:10
Sublime thoughts never diminish, only increase,
As I marvel at this ancient masterpiece.
The designer sees the end long before he starts
And envisions intricate details of the parts
And fashions a wood box inlaid with jade and gold,
Lacquered vessel for deepest thoughts the mind can hold.
Beyond all that I see, God formed and fashioned me
With precise measure of each scroll and filigree.
Displayed by the skillful hands of the Master craftsman,
Beyond the finest design of any artisan,
The Church, exquisite exhibit now on display,
Treasures from the hand of God take one’s breath away.
With the eyes of our heart now opened, we find
We are the masterpiece Jehovah had in mind.
Lonnell E. Johnson
August 27, 2008
Here is a sweet treat to end on a glorious note of possibility, as we listen to powerful lyrics to “Let the Church Rise” in the video performed by Jonathan Stockstill below:
