Paul Tripp at Liberate Conference

Paul Tripp was last speaker for 2014 Liberate Conference.

His topic was "Who Am I? One Way Love and Personal Identity"

There is a plague that has infected the church of Jesus Christ. It has left us broken, discouraged, afraid.  It robs you of spiritual vitality, joy, & rest. It reduces you to timidity & doubt. We don't know we have it. It is identity amnesia.

You are in a constant conversation with yourself.  You are always assigning to yourself some kind of identity and potential. Who do you think you are?

Where will you look today for identity? In ministry, in relationships, in possessions, in achievements, 
What does that do for how you live your everyday lives?

Psalm 27-where our identity can be found. A psalm of trouble written by David during two possible times: hiding from Saul in cave or David fleeing his son, Absalom.

This psalm does not begin with trouble, but with theology. 

True rest is rooted in sound, scriptural theology. The Lord is my light, my salvation, & my stronghold.

Enough of abstract theology-Proper theology redefines who we are because of Christ.

The Lord is my salvation. I am saved. You hope in a Savior who justifies you. 
He took names to the cross. He is rest for self-salvation.  He is rest from approval seeking. 
Grace connnected me to this one who is salvation, light, & stronghold.
Your success in ministry is not about you, but about the character of God.
I am an Ephesians 5 failure.

We must connect truths in Scripture to life.  

One thing I like is the honesty of the Psalms and Scripture.  
Biblical faith will never require you to deny reality.

Here's what David knows. There is One that exists that is awesome and glorious and way more beautiful than any ugly thing you will face in this life and grace connects you to this beauty.

Run to His beauty!  
Enough of meditation on sin & brokenness & fallenness of the world, instead run to His beauty.

Homework:
     Gaze-sit with your Bible and do nothing but gaze on beauty of the Lord. Isaiah 40, Ephesians 1
     Remember-who I am in Christ, who God is
     Rest-because grace has connected you to the One who gives freedom
     After we have done this, go out & impact the world.
      

Comments

  1. Lori WildenbergFebruary 24, 2014 at 8:11 AM

    This is so important. We (our kids) are MORE than grades, successes, opinions of others. We are precious, bought with a price. Sharing over at our page www.facebook.com/1Corinthians13Parentiing

    ReplyDelete

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