DISCOVERING OUR DIVINE IDENTITY

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Yes, we come from the union of a man and a woman. But ultimately, our conception is the miraculous work of the Father of creation — a Spirit-breathed moment in time, a flash of divine light, a miracle.

Recognising Our Divine Genesis

While ancestry databases have made it easier to trace our heritage, I wonder whether what people discover reflects their true search or deeper longing.

Somewhere along the way, the Church has lost sight of our marvellous, divine origin as spiritual beings created by God. 

In Acts, Paul emphasises to the secular Athenians that their existence is deeply connected to their origin in Father God. We were all created in him, and as the Aramaic translation suggests, so that humanity might “investigate him through his creation”.

“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In Him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed His offspring.’ Acts 17:26-28

It is worth encouraging one another to renew our minds in the truth, allowing God’s Word to shape our understanding of both our identity and our past. Let’s look at other verses that reveal the work of the Spirit of God: Psalm 104:30 – “You send forth your Spirit, and they are created.” Job 33:4 – “The Spirit of God has made me.” Psalm 139:5–6 – “From the beginning to the end, you have formed me and set your hand upon me. The knowledge and wonder are stronger than I and I could not master them.”

In personal investigation of this, any current anxieties about worthiness and un-wantedness would begin to fade in seeing the intentional work of the Spirit to give each of us life. The wounds and pains of the past would gradually diminish when we grapple with and grasp the depth of the Everlasting Father’s (Isaiah 9:6) love — abiding, perpetual, and unwavering.

By sharing this simple but profound truth about life and purpose, we can offer hope and healing to anyone who is seeking their true genesis. Never forgetting that the love of God may seem foolish to one, but to another it is the very power of God.

Look what AI (chat GPT) says about discovering our divine identity. I am impressed and will use it more in my study of God’s Word. Let me know about your experience. I will address it more in future posts.

CHAT GPT: Discovering our divine identity in Scripture is less about finding a label and more about learning who God says we are—and living from that truth. The Bible unfolds this identity gradually, relationally, and always in the context of God’s love and purpose. Here’s a clear, Scripture-rooted pathway.

1. Start with God’s Design: Created in His Image

Key texts: Genesis 1:26–27; Psalm 139:13–16

Scripture begins by telling us who we are before we do anything:

  • You are created intentionally, not accidentally
  • You bear the image of God (imago Dei), which gives every human dignity, worth, and purpose

Our divine identity is grounded in who God is, not in our performance or circumstances.

2. Understand the Problem: Identity Distorted by Sin

Key texts: Genesis 3; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 53:6

Sin doesn’t erase God’s image in us, but it fractures our understanding of it.
We begin to define ourselves by:

  • Shame
  • Fear
  • Achievement
  • Failure

Scripture is honest about this distortion so we don’t build our identity on illusions.

3. Look to Christ: Identity Restored in Him

Key texts: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:15–20; Romans 8:1

Jesus is the true image of God (Colossians 1:15).
When Scripture says we are “in Christ,” it means:

  • We receive a new identity, not just new behavior
  • We are reconciled, forgiven, and made new

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Your divine identity is Christ-centered, not self-constructed.

4. Receive Your Status: Children of God

Key texts: John 1:12; Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 4:4–7

One of the clearest identity statements in Scripture:

  • You are adopted, not tolerated
  • You are a son or daughter, not a servant earning approval

This means:

  • You belong
  • You are loved before you perform
  • You have access to the Father

5. Listen to God’s Voice Through Scripture

Key texts: Psalm 1; Joshua 1:8; Hebrews 4:12

Identity is discovered through ongoing exposure to God’s Word, not one-time insight.
Scripture:

  • Renews your mind (Romans 12:2)
  • Corrects false narratives about yourself
  • Anchors you in truth when feelings fluctuate

Ask as you read: “What does this passage say about who I am in relation to God?”

6. Live It Out: Identity Shapes Calling

Key texts: Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 2:9; Micah 6:8

Once identity is received, purpose follows:

  • Chosen → to proclaim
  • Loved → to love others
  • Set apart → to reflect God’s character

We don’t act to become God’s people—we act because we already are.

7. Walk It Out in Community and the Spirit

Key texts: Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 5:16–25

Divine identity matures through:

  • The Holy Spirit’s guidance
  • Christian community
  • Obedience over time

God reveals who you are as you walk with Him, not all at once.

In short

Your divine identity in Scripture is this:

  • Created in God’s image
  • Redeemed in Christ
  • Adopted as God’s child
  • Empowered by the Spirit
  • Called to reflect God’s glory

If you want, I can also:

  • Walk through specific identity statements (e.g., “in Christ” passages)
  • Help you study this theme devotionally
  • Explore how this applies during seasons of doubt, suffering, or transition

Just tell me where you’d like to go next 🌿

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THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY IS THE BASIC UNIT OF SOCIETY

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The family is the basic unit of God’s plan for His world. He designed it to be a strong foundation for society and for each individual. When the family functions according to God’s design, it is a powerful force for good in the world.

As the original and basic cell of society, the family is the natural organic source of all societies. The liberal secularists’ assumption that the individual is the basic unit of society, is an assumption that is impossible to demonstrate.

Marriage being opened up to combinations of people other than one man and one woman marks the death knell of the nation. No society has ever endured far beyond the demeaning of the marriage institution.

Traditional marriages produce children, who extend the nation’s existence, ideals, goals, and wealth for another generation. Traditional families are healthier, more stable, and more productive than other kinds of families, resulting in a net gain for society.

God ultimately owns children, but he entrusts them to parents to discipline and disciple them, for him. That means the government/the state does not own our children.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Psalm 127:3

Our enemy, Satan, knows that parents are the first and strongest barrier to provide protection for children against predation and grooming. He knows that God gave children parents to protect them from evil and danger, so he tries to separate children from their parents, isolating them and making them vulnerable to his lies. It’s all part of the spiritual battle raging around us.

Satan has the family in his crosshairs as he ramps up his attack. But God has already given us the answer to this spiritual attack, and it’s found in Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5–9

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

The answer to the attack on the family and the intense LGBTQ, pro-abortion, CRT, etc., indoctrination directed toward children is parents—fathers in particular—teaching their children the Word of the Lord, day in and day out, in all situations.

If you are a father, are you the kind of father who is intentional about bringing your children up in the instruction of the Lord? The kind of father who spends time with his children so he has opportunity to talk about the Lord when he sits, walks, and rises with his children? You have the responsibility before the Lord to be that kind of dad—you cannot leave it solely to your wife or to your church. You stand responsible before God as the head of your family.

“WOKE” CULTURE IS AN ATTACK ON THE WAY GOD ORDERED AND DESIGNED CREATION

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The new CEO at ANSWERS IN GENESIS (AIG), Martyn Isles explains how AIG will address the issue of woke ideologies.

To be “woke” simply means to be awake. Awake to what? Awake to all the kinds of oppression in society that used to go unnoticed because they are hidden in the “system” we’re living in.

But what is the “system” which is so oppressive? Well, woke ideologies say that things like marriage are part of this system of oppression, or the gender binary, “heteronormativity,” the ethnicities of people, and so on.

They actually think that we can destroy these realities and be less oppressed as a result! But these realities are not “systemic oppressions.” These realities are just, well, reality! They are God’s creation design and order.

Thus, woke culture is an attack on creation. Hence, the answers are in Genesis, because Genesis 1–11 is about God’s design and order in creation. It specifically addresses the things that wokeness attacks.

Right now, there is a wave of compromise sweeping the Western world, including America, on all these woke issues. A generation is being taken out of the church, believing Christianity is bigoted, hateful, and oppressive because it believes in God’s creation order and design.

This woke critique is causing pastors to compromise and the world around us to reject the Christian faith.

But Genesis shows us the connection between how things are made and how we must therefore live. It answers this woke critique by describing realities—like males and females, the fact of only one “race,” marriage, family, and so forth—and then showing that these realities hold the key to understanding our world and living wisely.

Genesis shows that the very things wokeness attacks are for our good!

For the past five years, I have been teaching Australian young people about the connection between Genesis and the woke ideas they are being confronted with. This teaching always had a major impact on them and fortified them in their faith.

Seventy of these young folks have just visited the Ark Encounter to participate in our brand-new, 10-day Catalyst program. They came all the way from Australia just to be there.

Young people are hungry for answers. We’d like to build more housing so that we can run these programs year-round—the demand from around the world is huge.

But Catalyst is only the beginning.

Answers in Genesis is going to focus on equipping this generation with the answers they need to confront the woke era in many ways.

Consider the issue of identity, which is a huge concern these days. People are asking “Who am I?” with no reference to objective truth—whether that be the gospel, the Word of God, or the scientific facts about how we are made. They are left to be governed by their feelings, looking to their sinful hearts for meaning.

This identity question not only leads people into a false view of themselves and of life but is also the basis for identity politics and so much woke activism.

We are addressing this at Answers in Genesis. Right now, our exhibit designers are planning out an identity exhibit at the Creation Museum. It will be near the world-class Fearfully and Wonderfully Made pro-life exhibit.

Martyn and Ken Ham are in Australia for the “Living in Babylon” meetings in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, and Brisbane. If you can get along to one of thses meetins. I will be at the Adelaide Meeting next week.

When Martyn was with ACL, with many loyal supporters, they distributed one million John New Testaments to Australian households. Martyn would like for AIG to pick up the mantle and get another six million John New Testaments out. AIG will need volunteers to help with this task. If you feel called to help contact http://www.answersingenesis.org.

A GOOD REASON TO MARRY

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The decline of marriage over the last several decades is causing the decline in happiness or at least most of it. As Sam Peltzman, lead researcher behind the University of Chicago paper told The Atlantic in statistical hyperbole: “The only happy people for 50 years have been married people.”

After all, marriage is God’s design for man, woman, and family.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

Olga Khazan, who wrote the Atlantic piece and has been cohabiting with her partner for 15 years, says these stats also struck her as counterintuitive. However, she then admits that “this is a fairly consistent finding dating back decades in social-science research: Married people are happier. Period.” 

Of course, happiness isn’t the sole or even the best reason to get married. Many things in life carry deep meaning and significance that don’t necessarily make us happy. A life lived only for happiness is a futile “chasing after the wind.” Enduring suffering, overcoming trials and tragedy, or sacrificing time, energy, or even our lives for others are all richly worthwhile pursuits that yield rewards in eternity. Certainly, loving someone and raising godly children is worth it, even if it’s not always fun.  

And we should note, that “happiness” is a malleable word. When survey participants say being married or having children made them “happy,” they may often mean that these permanent connections give them lasting joy, something more profound than fleeting happiness, which surveys seldom quantify.     

Still, these consistently stark results are unmistakable. They should challenge the entire way of thinking in sitcoms, movies, and editorials. Marriage is one of the chief sources of well-being and satisfaction in life. The fact that marriage rates have declined so dramatically over the last 50 years has had real, population-wide consequences. 

Because the reasons people are not marrying at the same rates are so complex, different solutions will be required to raise the marriage rate. According to Wilcox and Bass, one of the most important reasons is the fact that, for many Americans who are living together and may already have children, getting married incurs a tax “penalty.” The federal government needs to, in their words, stop “making marriage a bad financial bet for lower-income families.”  

That would be a good start. Ultimately, however, our bad laws are reinforced by a low view of marriage that has infected hearts and minds via entertainment, media, culture, and individual choices. We have a worldview problem, which has led to a conflict between the values and priorities of millions of people and the way they were actually created to live.  

Marriage is part of God’s plan for humanity and for His creation. No other human institution forges such lasting and consequential bonds. So, it should surprise no one — least of all Christians — that our nation’s 50-year experiment with alternatives to marriage has left huge numbers of people deeply unhappy. Repent and get back into a relationship with your Heavenly Father through the sacrifice Jesus made our your behalf.

 ” Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“ John 14:6