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Print My wife and I had an unpleasant surprise that came in the mail a couple of months ago. It was from a collection agency that was attempting to collect a past due debt of nearly $800. The money was owed to an electric company in Madison, Wisconsin. I called the number immediately and told them there had to be some type of error. I never lived in Madison and I never had an account with their electric company. “Well, we have your name sir and we need you to start payments right away,” the voice replied from the other end. “Let me repeat myself,” I stated. “I believe there must be an error as I never have lived in Madison and I never had an account with their electric company.” To make a long story short, this went on for nearly two months and ended up on my credit report that stated I had a bad judgment against me. Now, I was starting to get a little irritated as my wife and I have worked hard to have excellent credit. I called once again as another envelope came in the mail. “Sir, you are going to have to go to the police department and file a report and mail us a copy, you will also need to contact the Madison Assessors Office to find out who lived at that address in January, 2002.” “Excuse me,” I said. “Did you say that this bill is from January of 2002 and I am just getting a notification now?” I asked. “Yes sir,” said the woman. “Why am I now receiving a notification for the first time if you have been trying to collect this bill for over three years?” was my reply. “Sir we have spoken to you on several occasions and you promised to make monthly installments and you never have.” Obviously, it wasn’t me who spoke with this woman so I went to the police department only to be sent to the Sheriff’s office. I waited in the foyer for nearly an hour before I was told that they were unable to file a report for a civil issue and it was out of state. That was the final straw. I went home and made another call to the collection office. “Did you get your police report filed?” the woman questioned. I explained to her that I spent half a day trying to get the matter resolved with no success and then I interrupted her and made the following statement. “Ma’am, I have done everything in my power to clear my name and I have cooperated with your company since my first notice in June. Check my records and you will see you have the wrong guy; if I owed you money, I would be more than happy to send the amount due.” After a lengthy conversation with the supervisor, they finally agreed they had the wrong guy and would drop my name out of their system. What an aggravation to go through and I feel sorry for those who have had their credit ruined from people who have stole their identity. Do you know the same holds true in the spiritual realm as well? Yes, my friend, the enemy of our soul is trying to steal our Christian identity every day. As Paul wrote, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men” (II Corinthians 3:2). We are an epistle. The word “Epistle” in the original Greek means a written letter. There is not so powerful a sermon in the world, as a consistent Christian life. The eye of the world takes in more than the ear. The life of a Christian is a living letter to the world of what God did and is currently doing in our lives. Satan would like our letter to be unattractive to the world because he knows if we are like everyone else, there will be no witness of what God has to offer them. It should make us all think about the way we conduct ourselves in our homes, our work places, and schools. Jesus gave us instruction time and time again about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We can only accomplish this when Christ can be seen in our daily life and when we have a close walk with Him. The world is sick and tired of religion. They don’t need to hear another message about a life changing God from someone who has never had a life changing experience. They don’t need to walk into a dead church and hear a message that they cannot relate to, and they definitely do not need to hear about a risen savior who is dead in the life of the person who is speaking about Him. The world needs to see it demonstrated in the life of a born again child of God. How do you identify with Jesus? Have you taken on some of His characteristics? No, we will never be perfect in this life; however, we should have attractive fruit hanging on our branches. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). This is the will of God for each of us. To be genuine, to allow the Holy Ghost to lead us, and to let the life of Christ be seen in the way we live. This is why the devil will try to steal our identity. The enemy of our soul rejoices when our heart is cold, when we allow sinful things in our life, and when people do not know you from anyone else. Oh sure, we can walk around with our “Jesus” T-shirts on, our fish decals on the car, and even a Bible in our hand, but if the world doesn’t see Jesus in our life somehow, our identity has been lost. Everything we do is a reflection of Christ. The world doesn’t need more Christians; they just need to see the real ones. Who are you identifying with today? May His name be upon your lips and in your heart, may His light shine forth from you, and may His anointing be upon your life. “Satan, I will not miss heaven for the world.”
ninetyandnine.com © 2005, Randy Bailey ------ Randy Bailey has been writing spiritual poems/devotions for the past five years. He resides in Wisconsin with his beautiful wife Peggy and their son Rod. Randy has recently had his book “Spiritual Snacks” published, and it is available at Amazon.com (plug). Randy loves to throw the seed through his writings. |
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