Authentic
I AM: God is truth and light and forever authentic. His nature is never changing. God has told us Who and what He is through His Word. In the Old Testament, when Moses asked what they should call Him, God called himself the I AM. “Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.” — Exodus 3:13–15. Furthermore, when Jesus spoke He also confirms that He is the I AM. “Before Abraham was born, I am.” — John 8:58. “I am the Bread of Life” — John 6:35. “I am the Light of the world he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” — John 8:20. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” — John 10:7–9. Not only does Jesus speak of His authenticity as the I AM, but he also indicates that others who are true worshipers will be sought by God. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” — John 4:23–26. The I AM (God) seeks worshippers who are true and authentic. He is not looking for those who have the appearance to act holy, but He seeks the authentic and true worshiper.
Improvement: Being authentic doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement in your life. Sometimes people falsely believe that being authentic gives them the right to do whatever they want. Wrong. God abhors those who rebel against His commands and continue in sin. Yes, the Lord forgives and will accept you always, but if you break from the path of righteousness you are rebelling against God. Authenticity means living according to the Word and not blindly following the world and its ways. Unfortunately, there is a prevailing thought amongst Christians today that God is not bothered by the blatant rejection of His commandments. This is not only erroneous, but it also results in people going their own way without concern for the consequences. One example of this is found in Genesis 3 when Satan deceived Eve into eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and she rebelled against God’s command. Eve did not have the foresight that she was about to partake in an act that would destroy her relationship with God; nor did she realize what this would mean to humankind as a result. Despite being warned not to eat the forbidden fruit, both Adam and Eve followed Satan’s temptation and disobeyed God. The end result was that humanity was subjected to physical pain, suffering, and death. This is a good example of how one moment of disobedience can have rippling effects. That’s why authenticity is not a one-time event. Authentic people are constant seekers of God’s wisdom by the study of His Word as well as spending time with Him in prayer. In addition, they also seek wise counsel from those mature in the Lord who help teach and encourage them to walk in the right path. To be an authentic person, you must also be willing to admit your shortcomings and learn from them. No one is a perfect Christian, we are all a work in progress. By humbly admitting to our weaknesses and seeking the Lord’s guidance we can avoid making the same mistakes over and over again.
Authentic Life: We all want to live free and achieve what the Lord has put us on this earth to do. However, we must realize that there are forces set against us to distract and weigh us down in life. We are told to live according to the plan the world has set forth for us and in doing so we lose sight of our real purpose as children of God. Many people lose years thinking a change will come, but sadly it never does. Life then becomes a treadmill that never stops and we end up becoming jaded. This is where authenticity comes in. Authentic people rise up and take action. They say in their hearts that it is better to follow God than conform to a worldly life. They strip away the shackles and follow the narrow path that is illuminated by the Word of God (Matthew 7:13–14). It is far better to live with less and enjoy the fruits of an authentic life than to live with plenty and be cloaked in sadness and regret. This authentic life is one of great adventure, filled with hardships, challenges, and stunning victories. It is a life of being genuine, and not pretending to be something you aren’t. We can all be authentic by living according to the plan of God. It is when we deviate from this plan that things become complicated and false. For example, being authentic should never be confused with the lust of the flesh. For in each person, there are desires that are self-destructive and lead you astray. Sin is not your authentic spirit, but rather your fallen nature. This is where listening to your spirit and meditating upon the Word of God will give you clear and decisive directions. Living authentically is not easy; it requires changing our outlook on the things that we think will make us happy. It requires the stripping away of desires, ambitions, possessions and activities that keep us from growing closer to God. It is a life of humility, service and obedience. Once you embark on the journey it becomes easier to see the changes that are needed to achieve God’s plan for your life. You begin to see life as it is and not as you want it to be. You become content in the present moment and are not consumed with thoughts of what could or should have been. When we are authentic, it brings peace and joy into our lives. It is the way that the Lord desires for us and we are able to share with others. We can give more of ourselves because we know it is not for us, but for God’s glory. When we are authentic, it shows the world that we are on a different path, a path in which we are looking for the new heaven and new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13). The authentic person is not a quitter because they know that God is with them through everything, for He will not fail us and has the best in store for us; He is the answer to all our troubles. When we are authentic, it is clear that we have been changed by the Lord and no one can tear us down. We are truly created in his image and bring others to know Him through His grace, mercy and love. It is the greatest privilege to live a life that is authentic and to share it with those around us. In short, being authentic is showing the world that the Spirit of God lives inside of you.
In Him,
Tim and Will