BE WHO GOD CREATED YOU TO BE

“Train up a child in the way he should go:  and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”   (Proverbs 22: 6)     Such a beautiful charge on our lives as caregivers that if we diligently pursue this path, then we can reasonably expect, and certainly look forward to the day when our children mature and say,  “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:  but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”   (1 Corinthians 13: 11)    Of course it doesn’t always happen like it should, but we can still faithfully and eagerly anticipate it because the Lord has blessed us to plant the seeds of wisdom in our children that will always be accessible to them if they truly desire it.   So never give up on them, even if that seed seems to lie dormant, because God's Word always retains the ability to germinate, burst forth and eventually blossom into a fruitful vine.

We know that scriptural education has always been a very important part of our relationship with God, therefore, our duty as parents is to teach our children godly things as God our Father has taught us.    Looking back in the Old Testament, among the many godly things that were taught, the instructions that the Lord gave to His people even got down to what kind of clothes to wear.    “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment:   for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”   (Deuteronomy 22: 5)     

Now I know that today’s fashion industry has a unisex component that is very popular, but beware.   There are just some things that pertain to a woman that a man has no business wearing and vice versa.   The world wants to teach us to become comfortable doing things that are contrary to God’s Word.   This attitude is encouraged and aroused by satanic temptation designed to lure you into participating in behaviors forbidden by God.    Don’t get drawn into the world’s attempt to normalize ungodly issues.

So how are we supposed to know what to do?    As stated in the first paragraph, we have to be taught.  Of course God is the ultimate teacher and He has taught us how to teach.   And of those who are taught, who is supposed to teach who?   Generally speaking, can a snake teach a horse how to run?   Can a crab teach a sparrow how to fly?   Can a fish teach a spider how to weave a web?   And though you may find some humor in these examples, I think you get my point.   The best teachers are usually those who are just like you and have experienced, or will experience the same things you have.   This is exactly what Jesus did when He became human just like us, to live in the same space we live, to suffer everything we have suffered, to be confronted with everything we have been confronted with and to take on our sin and die in our place as if He committed our crimes.   “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;  that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”   (2 Corinthians 5: 21)       

Because of this Jesus has become the perfect, most effective advocate and teacher we could ever have.   He intimately knows about the difficulties we all go through but also understands the necessity of godly instruction, not so much to learn about yourself,  but to learn about Him and how to be yourself in Him.   “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;   for I am meek and lowly in heart:   and ye shall find rest unto your souls.   For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”   (Matthew 11: 29-30)      And through our learning of Him, He has taught us how to teach each other.     Proverbs 27: 17  refers to this concept of teaching each other as    “Iron sharpeneth iron….”    I love this principle because it tells me that you don’t have to dull one instrument in order to improve another, but both should be made better by the process.   This is what Jesus has taught us to do. To edify one another.

So, it is no surprise that when we read the Bible we see examples, not 100% always but again generally speaking, of who is teaching who.   For instance, in 1 Samuel 4: 9 it says,  “Be strong, and quit yourselves (act) like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you:  quit yourselves (act) like men, and fight.”      Now you may say, but that was the Philistines talking to each other about the Israelites. Well, let's see what the Apostle Paule wrote to his Corinthian brothers-in-Christ about this same principle.  “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you (act) like men, be strong.”   (1 Corinthians 16: 13) Men teaching men to be men.   

And so, after hearing these things, who do you think would probably be the best person to teach a woman to be a woman?   As it is written in Titus 2: 3-5,  “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;   That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,   To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”  Women teaching women to be women.

This is not to indicate that the two genders can’t teach anything to the other.  That would just be silly.    But just like the example given in Deuteronomy about wearing apparel, there are some things that are best taught to women by women and certain things that are best taught to men by men.    But because of our failure as humans, we have not always followed God’s prescription for order.    Throughout history, women have been forced in certain instances, for whatever reason, to take the role of men in teaching young men to be men, and men have been forced in certain instances, for whatever reason, to take the role of women in teaching young women to be women.  

But as we have tried to illustrate, this is probably not the best way. But, glory to God, He can still intervene in our human failures and pump productive power into any predicament.    With that being said, we have to give honor to all of the dedicated souls, both women and men, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to stand in the gap and take responsibility for nurturing, protecting, providing and instructing the precious children God has blessed us with, regardless of others who may flee accountability.   And no matter what anyone says, children are a blessing and should be cherished.    “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.   As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.   Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them…”   (Psalm 127: 3-5)     

Not that they can’t be a challenge, and Lord knows they certainly can be. But as God loves us, He loves them too.   And He is a much better parent than us.    For you Fathers,   “…what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?   Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?   If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?”   (Matthew 7: 9-11)    And for you Mothers,  “Can a woman forget her sucking (nursing) child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?   yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”   (Isaiah 49: 15)     Again, as God never gives up on us, never give up on them.   Never stop praying for them.   Never stop teaching them. Never stop being good examples for them.

Nonetheless, God’s orderly separation of the genders and construction of the family unit is not designed to indicate the inferiority or superiority of either man or woman.  In fact, both now and throughout biblical history, men and women are shown to be equally capable of doing anything, whether right or wrong.   And in a spiritual sense, there is no difference between men and women.   “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:  for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”   (Galatians 3: 28)     But in a physical sense, God has purposely made a distinct difference between the two.   And the purpose of that difference is for us to cooperatively operate within the decent and orderly framework He has established for His glory.

So, let’s explore that separation a bit.   Of course, the best place to start is at the beginning.   So in Genesis, the book of beginnings, we are privileged to see the breath-taking and artistic ingenuity of God on full display.    It spectacularly illustrates how, after creating the heaven and earth and illuminating it with light, God divided the waters from the dry land.   He then caused grass and fruit trees to spring forth and populated the universe with planets and stars.   Next, He produced sea life and flying fowl before making all manner of animals and insects.   

Finally, the Lord of All Holiness and Glory culminated His majestic creative project by skillfully fashioning His greatest masterpiece which was humankind.   “And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness:  and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.   So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him;  male and female created He them.”   (Genesis 1: 26-27)   “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;  and man became a living soul.”   (Genesis 2: 7)

Looking deeper, God’s Word then tells us how He separated the human species into 2 distinct genders.    “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone;  I will make him an help meet for him.   And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept:  and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;   And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.   And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:  she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”  (Genesis 2: 18 & 22-23)     And God wasn’t confused one little bit about what He did.

 And though they were created at different times,   “For Adam was first formed, then Eve.”  (1 Timothy 2: 13),  they were created and given authority to work together under the direction of God to rule this planet that He had entrusted to their care.   “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:  and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”   (Genesis 1: 28) And this stewardship applies whether you're married like Aquila and Priscilla, or if you're single like Jeremiah or John the Baptist.

But the enemy wants to mess up everything God has ordained.   He is the opposite of God and wants to confuse everyone on everything God says.   Even down to the subject of gender.   The devil doesn’t want you to follow God’s plan or comply with His instructions for order and stability.   He doesn’t want you to exercise godly authority over God’s own assets.  He doesn’t even want you to believe there is a difference between a man and a woman, even though the Bible plainly shows us that it is.   You see, Satan is what they call an OG.   That is, he’s an Original Gaslighter.   And a gaslighter is basically a liar so that makes him the father of gaslighters.   And his lies to encourage everyone to be a bender of one's gender is typical gaslighting of the worst kind.      

So I say to all men out there not to be confused as to who you are. As previously stated in Genesis 2, it says, "woman was taken out of man," so there is no woman in you.   Likewise, I say to all women out there not to be confused about who you are because God created you to be different than a man, and man had nothing to do with it.   That confusion comes from Satan, not God.   “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.  (1 Corinthians 14: 33)    Don’t be fooled by demonic forces that want to sneak in a spirit of fear, misunderstanding and uncertainty because that is not from God either.   “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  (2 Timothy 1: 7)    

Now I know that I am treading into some very sensitive territory, but these are perilous times, and time is getting short. These are current issues that God’s people are confronted with daily and we need clarity from God’s Word so that we don’t get mired down and entangled in worldly social issues or anyone's self-declared status of autonomous existence. We need to continue to march forward in the truth, keeping our eye and affection on things above.    And so, I say that God created us and there is absolutely nothing wrong with masculinity in men and femininity in women.   In fact, there is everything right with it because, though God has made them different, He also made both equally capable of not only strength and courage, but tenderness and compassion as well.   But don’t think that just because they share these traits that they themselves are fluid and interchangeable.    An airplane and an eagle both fly but they serve different functions in accomplishing the same goal.      

So how did things get all messed up?   We know that God sent His Son Jesus into this world in human form to redeem us from the mess we got ourselves into, and by faith to access His amazing grace which facilitates our return to fellowship with Him.   But we allow Satan to inject us and infect us with a  “faith dissolvent,”   which influences us to believe his lies which lead to our destruction.   Again, the devil is out to do everything contrary to God, so we must be determined to fight the good fight of faith so that we may lay hold on to eternal life.    As scripture says,  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.   For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith : as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;   Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;  for God hath shewed it unto them.   For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead;  so that they are without excuse…”   (Romans 1: 16-20)

Wow!  Did you get that?   They are without excuse!   That's because all excuses have been nailed to the cross of Christ. I don’t care if you grew up in bad circumstances, in a bad neighborhood, had bad role models or even had a bad sandwich for lunch. I don't care if you lived with the indigenous people in the jungles of North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal having no contact with the outside world. There is no place you can go or anything that you can experience where God is unable to connect with you.  God is a Spirit, a Holy Spirit, and He communicates with us on a spiritual level where man has no access, and that is in the soul.    Therefore, there is no justification to not believing in God because He has already shown Himself to everyone He has created.   And He is so glorious, so spectacular and so powerful, even animals, birds, fish, insects, mountains, rocks, clouds, oceans, lightning and everything else He created knows Who He is.   Let me say it out loud.   Everyone and everything knows who He is and the awesomeness of His glory, whether they admit it or not.

On this very subject of being aware of the omnipotent, omnipresent nature of God, history records an interesting story of a woman named Helen Keller in the late 1800’s who, as the story goes, became blind, deaf and unable to communicate effectively when she was only 18 or 19 months old.   In a miraculous series of events, at 6 years old she began to be taught to understand things and communicate through various methods of touch and sign language by a woman named Anne Sullivan who herself had contracted a disease at 5 years old and was visually impaired.   Helen even learned to speak by feeling the vibrations and movements associated with speech.   And when introduced to the concept of Christianity it is reported that she said something to the effect of,  “I always knew He was there, but I didn't know His name."    Deaf, blind and unable to speak but still understood that God was real.  

Now back to why we as fully-functional human beings have denied the undeniable existence of God or have refused to submit to His authority, with the result being predictable.   “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful;   but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.   Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”  (Romans 1: 21-23)  

And there you go.  You either submit to God or you don’t.   You are either wise or foolish.    You either accept the truth or you don’t.   And this is not an accident because we choose to be in these positions.   “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:  therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.”   (Deuteronomy 30: 19)  Proverbs 3: 33 says, "The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but He blesseth the habitation of the just."

So when you choose to go against God’s commandments and His established order, this is what happens, and we see it happening all over the world:   “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:   Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever.    Amen.   For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections:  for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:   And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another;  men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”   (Romans 1: 24-27)

Devastating consequences because of succumbing to the temptation, lust and pleasures of our flesh.   And if we are to participate or support those things that God is against, we choose to eliminate His power over evil in our lives and this is what we become:   “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;  full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”   (Romans 1: 28-32)

The Lord is pleading with us to consider and acknowledge that living outside of the walls of His Kingdom will lead to the worst thing that could ever happen to us …… eternal separation from Him.    “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?   Be not deceived:  neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (sodomites),  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”   (1 Corinthians 6: 9-10)  

A very grim outlook indeed. But wait! Believe it or not, there is some good news in all of this.   You see, even though we don’t agree with, participate in or support sin, we don’t look down our nose at anyone or treat anyone disrespectfully for violating any of God’s commandments, even when their sin grieves us terribly, remembering that  “And such were some of you.”   (1 Corinthians 6: 11).     At one time or another we were all just as bad.   “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3: 23)    

But praise His holy name because Jesus Christ has come to reverse the curse. Due to His suffering, death and resurrection, we don't have to stay in the swamp.   We don’t have to continue being a slave to sin.    We can be miraculously transformed from unholy to holy by the power of Almighty God.    There is hope because,  “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.   But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”    (Romans 5: 6 & 8)      And if you will let Him, God is always available to change you into the sanctified servant He created you to be.   Where once we were blind, now we can see   “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 3: 23)            

And so, dear ones, be what God has created, called and chosen you to be.    Even in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation and the difficulties this life can sometimes afford, rejoice because He has sent His Son Jesus Christ  “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;  that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.”   (Isaiah 61: 3)

As long as this planet is in existence, as long as you’ve got air in your lungs, as long as God refrains from passing final judgement on this world, there is hope for us all.   So get on board, come on over and join on up with the consecrated in-crowd who are that great cloud of witnesses that trust, obey and glorify God.    Enter into His presence and humbly approach our sovereign God, sincerely acknowledging your sin, prompting Him to change your heart, attitude and behavior.   

Then, after that, even though you’ve done wrong in the past, I can emphatically proclaim,   “…but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”    (1 Corinthians 6: 11)   and   “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.”  (Psalm 103: 12)    Just as when Saul of Tarsus, you know him as the Apostle Paul, was converted on the Damascus road and God’s disciple Ananias was skeptical and concerned about his past abusive behavior towards Christians, but God told him not to worry because he's a different person. He prayeth now and he is a chosen vessel unto Me.

No greater honor has ever been granted or bestowed that even comes close to the exquisite gift of the divine anointing that we have received from the Father of Lights.   “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”  (James 1: 17)

Don’t try to change what God has done because He, unlike us, knows exactly what He is doing.   You are not what Satan says you are and what sin wants to defile and disfigure you to be.   You are who God says you are and what He has created you to be.  Remember, He is the Potter and we are the clay.  “But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father;  we are the clay, and Thou our Potter;  and we all are the work of Thy hand.”   (Isaiah 64: 8)

And so, may we all stay in the safety zone and continue to be all that God has created, called and chosen us to be because we were fearfully and wonderfully made in His awe-inspiring image, lovingly created to joyfully raise His grandeur, tenderly called to consistently represent His goodness and specially chosen to accurately reflect His glory.

He is God.   “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things:   to Whom be glory for ever.   Amen.”   (Romans 11: 36)