Let Me Tell You About Yourself

Ps 139:13 – 14 NIV — For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

The title of today’s message is, “Let Me Tell You About Yourself”.

“I Am – Somebody”. This was a poem written in the 1950s by Reverend William Holmes Borders, Sr., the former senior pastor of Wheat Street Baptist Church where he served from 1937 to 1988.

Rev. Borders was also a civil rights activist in the fight for equality right here in Atlanta, GA. The full poem goes like this…

I Am

Somebody

I Am

Somebody

I May Be Poor

But I Am

Somebody

I May Be Young

But I Am

Somebody

I May Be On Welfare

But I Am

Somebody

I May Be Small

But I Am

Somebody

I May Make A Mistake

But I Am

Somebody

My Clothes Are Different

My Face Is Different

My Hair Is Different

But I Am

Somebody

I Am Black

Brown

White

I Speak A Different Language

But I Must Be Respected

Protected

Never Rejected

I Am

God's Child

I Am

Somebody

Rev. Jessie Jackson often recited the poem and used it in his PUSH-Excel program. A program used to motivate Black students.

I am – somebody. That is a wonderful mantra to have and a wonderful thing to know and we can shout it from the roof tops – I am – somebody!

But can I ask you a question? Ok, you are somebody, who are you? What does that mean? If someone asked you the question; who are you? Could you give them an answer?

Because everybody is somebody; but, what makes you different, better, more deserving of a blessing, more qualified for a job, more worthy of a raise?

Who’s asking the question shouldn’t matter. You should always be able to answer the question – who are you? And not only answer it – but answer it with confidence and self-assurance.

Who are you? See there are all kinds of ways that question can be answered. There will always be others who will try to tell you who you are. Some good, some bad.

You can speak about yourself in terms of

where you came from,

where you are right now

or where you’re going.

Many times you’ll hear Christians say, I’m not what I used to be, but praise God, I’m not what I’m going to be.

You can define yourself by what you do, or by what you have.

One thing for certain, two things for sure, we should always be in a state of learning, growing, improving. No one knows everything and there will always be more to learn as we enter the various phases and stages of our lives. Certain situations require us to acquire new information, information we didn’t think we needed before. But God’s plan said differently.

Anyone ever have someone try to give you a lot of information you felt you didn’t need? Maybe you did need it and just didn’t know it at the time. Listen, there may be things you throw away, but there may be some information you file away for another time.

You may find yourself in the opposite position; you’re trying to get information and you don’t know where to go to get it. Or the person who has it, is being stingy about giving it to you in an attempt to hinder your progress or success. Go over, under, around, or through them to get the information you need.

Don’t let a no stop you from reaching your destiny. When Angel was with Barbizon they always told us, take a no and change it to next opportunity.

We should be in a constant state of development, developing into the person God has called us to be. Developing into the person who can walk worthy of the vocation or calling you have received from God.

Other people may attempt to tell you who you are; you may try to convince yourself about who you are; but there is One who truly knows you better than anybody else including you – and that’s God.

What does God have to say? Who does God say you are? Don’t you think His opinion is important, after all He is the one who made you, put the gifts, talents, and abilities inside you and in due season he will allow them to manifest so they may be used to build the Kingdom of God. After all you do know that’s why you have them—right?

In the first verses of this 139th division of the Psalms David let’s us know God knows us inside and out. We stand naked before him so he knows our hearts, our thoughts and our intentions.

You’ve heard people say, “God knows my heart”, well he certainly does and that’s not always a good thing for some people, because what’s in you is going to come out.

That negative attitude you have,

that lazy spirit of not wanting to help others,

that overbearing spirit that wants to take over, not so you can help, but so you can embarrass the other person or usurp authority or just plain get in the way

that unrepentant heart that won’t apologize even when you know you’re wrong

God sees that heart too.

David said God has searched him and knows everything about him; He knows everything about you too and you should be able to take comfort in that, because even though God knows everything about you, he still loves you.

His love is unconditional and it’s intentional. There is nothing you can do that will cause God to not love you, so you can relax and just be who you are with God.

We spend most of our days being what others expect us to be.

Someone’s wife or husband

mother or father

grandmother, grandfather

employee,

boss,

friend,

sounding board,

pastor

and the list goes on.

When can we just be who we are and not feel bad about it? In this world of people looking out for themselves and getting all they can for themselves, when can those who do have a servant’s heart just be who they are?

When do they get to say I just need a minute and not feel bad about it? I’ll tell you when. When you talk to God.

There’s a song that says, now let us have a little talk with Jesus, tell him all about our troubles, he will hear our faintest cry, and he will answer by and by, just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

David goes on to say God knows when you stand up or sit down, he knows your thoughts wherever you are. He sees you when you’re traveling and when you’re resting at home.

No matter where you are, God is there. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide from God, He knows everything you do. And he even knows what you’re going to say before you say it. Remember, what’s in you is going to come out.

What are you putting in you? Are you filling your spirit with bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior or are you filling your spirit with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?

Have you put some forgiveness in your spirit? Check what’s coming out of you, check out the thoughts that are coming to your mind. Would you be embarrassed to let your fellow Christians know what came to your mind when someone upset you or would your thoughts bless someone? Would they make them say, wow—I want to be like them.

Sometimes we need to pray, “Dear Lord, give me a clean heart, so I may serve thee”.

When we are tuned in; John told us to stay connected to the vine and when we do that God goes before us and follows us, so our path is straight and we don’t have to worry about the enemy sneaking up on us from behind, because God’s got your back. He has sent goodness and mercy to follow you all the days of your life.

Not only does He have your back, he has placed his hand of blessing on your head. When a father was blessing his son, he placed his hand on his head and bestowed the blessing upon him.

Paul tells Timothy not to neglect the gifts given to him through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the elders.

God has blessings in his hand and he wants to place his hand on your head and impart those blessings to you. Will you let him? Or are you too busy?

We all need to stop and listen for God’s instruction, we all need to just take a breath and see what’s next.

Sometimes you don’t have the whole plan, not because God didn’t want to give you the whole plan, sometimes you don’t have it, because you didn’t stop long enough to receive it.

God starts to give you something and you get so excited you move before He’s given you all of your instructions.

Be attentive, listen, pray, study, meditate and then ask God, ok, do I go now or is there more you need to tell me.

It may be that He needs to move someone out of the way for you to come in and do what he told you to do.

It may be there is more preparation for you to do.

It may be he has to prepare someone else to receive you.

We don’t know why God does what He does, the way He does it, when he does it, and it’s not important that we do.

David said it in verse six – such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand. You see, there are some things we will never understand until we see God face to face and then it won’t even matter.

All we really need to know is everything is working for our good, like it or not, know it or not, understand it or not. Can you get with that?

I’m getting to who God says you are. You see you have to know what God put in you first. You have to know what God knows about you to understand who He says you are. We get so caught up in what we see with our physical eyes that we won’t think it’s possible for God to be talking about us. So when I tell who He says you are you won’t have to look around you to see who I’m talking about; you’ll know I’m talking about you.

The fact that God could know all about us and still say what he’s about to say? Come on now, it’s just too wonderful for me.

You have to know you cannot escape from God’s Spirit, you can’t get away from his presence. David said, “If I go up to heaven, you’re there; if I go down to the grave, you’re there; if I ride the wings of the morning or dwell by the farthest oceans God’s hand will even guide me there”.

It should be comforting to know that no matter where you are you can’t get away from God’s mighty hand; His mighty hand of protection.

God’s hand of protection on you also means the enemy can’t get to you. When you belong to God, there is nothing the enemy can do to you that has not been approved by God. This means God has seen the plan; the trial; the tribulation and he has determined that you’re strong enough to handle it.

He knows

that you’ll remember you’re an overcomer in Christ,

you’ll remember that God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble,

he knows that you’ll recall God will supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He knows you’ll continue walking through the storm

He knows you’ll mount up with wings as an eagle and soar above the storm.

That you’ll ride the currents and see the test and then laugh in the devil’s face.

He knows hat you’ll be able to say ha ha, no you don’t devil, you won’t get me like that, I’ve been delivered from that and I’ve got a testimony.

I don’t need a do over in that area of my life, God is taking me to another level and He’ll be waiting when I get there, not only will he be waiting for me there, he will escort me there.

There is no temptation Satan can put before you that God has not already provided a way of escape. I don’t care what it is, God has already provided a way out.

There is no,

you just don’t understand,

that’s my weakness

or I just couldn’t say no.

You need to carry in your spirit, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

You need to practice, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Put the devil on the run, don’t you retreat, go on the offensive with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

But let me tell you this, you’d better put on all your armor before you step out there and take some back up with you if you need to. One can put a thousand demons to flight, two can put ten thousand. I’m trying to tell you who God says you are.

You can’t even ask the darkness to hide you from God because He is light. Night and day is the same to God, so don’t think you can sneak off somewhere and do some dirt and God won’t see you. He sees all, he knows all and is with you all the time.

God knows you better than you know yourself. You see we can lie to ourselves, we can try and justify our sin or convince ourselves that we are something we really aren’t or that we’re not something we really are.

But God, He made us.

He put us together in our mother’s womb. So before you were you, before you were born, God was there molding, and shaping, and sowing into you.

He knew how you’d look, how tall you’d be, while you were forming he was placing your gifts in you.

While you were forming, he was giving you your personality, and your mannerisms.

Not only did He make us, he equipped us, he gave us what we’d need to do what he called us to do

not only did he equip us, he predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, before the world was formed, he had marked the time for us to come forth.

not only did he predestine us, he called us,

not only did he call us he justified us and

not only did he justify us, he glorified us before the foundation of the world.

Don’t you say the devil made you do anything, because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.

And now David says, “thank you”. He says, “I praise you; because I am fearfully and wonderfully made:”

It’s a wonderful and powerful thing when you know who you are. You see, when you know who you are, you’re not going to allow people or situations, or circumstances to define you.

You’re not going to bend with every wind of doctrine.

You’re not going to run here and there with itching ears to find someone who’ll tell you what you want to hear, instead of what you need to hear.

You’re not going to leave when something is done you don’t like.

When you know who you are, you’re going to listen to what God tells you, you’re going to stay where God put you, and you’re going to do what God told you to do. Even when it gets uncomfortable.

David continues in his praise saying, “…your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Man has been trying for years to create life and cannot touch what God has created. Man is still trying to figure out so many things about the human body and still has countless unanswered questions.

That’s why God is the Great Physician, who better to ask about our body than the person who made it. Who better to trust to take care of and heal our bodies than the One who made it?

You have to know who you are, so you don’t live beneath who God has created you to be. If you know you are marvelous, why would you let man treat you any other way? So you need to thank and praise God for who He made you to be. And who is that? Let me tell you about yourself…

In Ps 17:8 – you are the apple of His eye

In Deut 7:6 – you are His treasured possession

In Matt 5:13 – you are the salt of the earth

In Matt 5:14 – you are the light of the world

In John 1:12 – you are a child of God

In John 15:5 – you are a friend of Jesus

In 1 Cor 6:19 – you are the temple of God

In 2 Cor 5:21 – you are the righteousness of God

In Eph 1:4 – you are chosen, holy and blameless before God

In Eph 1:7 – you are redeemed and forgiven

n Eph 2:10 – you are God’s workmanship, created to produce good works

In Col 2:10 – you are complete in Him who is the Head of all principality and power.

In 1 Pet 2:9 – you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, peculiar people, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

In James 1:22 – you are a doer of the Word and not a hearer only and because of that

James 1:25 says you are blessed by your actions

In Rom 8:17 – you are a joint heir with Christ

In Rom 8:37 – You are more than a conqueror through Christ

In Rev 12:11 – you are an overcomer

Do you know who you are yet? When you say I am somebody, even if it’s to yourself, can you express who that somebody is?

You see when you don’t know who you are, you leave the door open for others to tell you who you are, where you’re supposed to be, and what you’re supposed to be doing.

When you don’t know who God says you are, you leave the door open for others to pigeon hole you into a category, a position, or a ministry, you allow others to put you in situations you should never have been in. So it’s important that you know who you are.

When you know who you are you can stand up for the right thing and stand out for the right reason.

When you know who you are you don’t have to back down from a fight, regardless of who you’re fighting. Just make sure it’s your battle to fight.

When you know who you are you don’t have to wait for anyone else to make a move, you can step out all on your own knowing God is standing with you.

When you know who you are, you know that if God is for you, He’s more than the whole world against you.

When you know who you are, you can walk in the newness of life – you can hold your head high in victory, not down in shame, knowing that you are a new creature, that old things have passed away.

When you know who you are you know that you’re worth it, that you were worth Jesus dying for. Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

It’s important you know who you are. And not just who you are but whose you are. You belong to God, the maker and ruler of everything. You are somebody.

We won’t reach perfection on this side of heaven, but we can certainly strive for it.

Be holy as Christ is holy, knowing that He’s there to catch you when you fall. So when you fall, don’t get so messed up that you don’t get back up and start again.

Tomorrow is another day and God’s mercies are new every morning so you don’t have to live off yesterday’s mercy, forgiveness or blessing; God has an unlimited supply.

Which is not to say you continue in sin because you know God will forgive. When asked the question, shall we continue in sin? Paul said God forbid, but just know that it’s available to all.

All who call upon the name of Jesus. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, go and sin no more, and that’s what he’s saying to you today.

When you know who you are, you can get yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again.

Jesus, knew who He was.

He was the Son of God.

He was the Son of man.

He was the Alpha and Omega

He was the beginning and the end

He was the first and the last.

He was the Savior of the world.

He was the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.

He was the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley

He was the bright and morning star

He was Jehovah Jireh – my provider

He was Jehovah Nissi – the one who reigns

Not only did He know who he was, he knew why he came. He came to save a lost and dying world.

A world where man’s deeds are continually evil.

A world that says if it feels good, do it?

A world that has itching ears that won’t listen to sound doctrine.

A world that will reject the truth and turn to myths.

A world that will be lovers of themselves.

A world that will be lovers of money.

A world that will be boastful, proud, abusive and disobedient to their parents.

A world that will be ungrateful, unholy, without love and unforgiving.

A world that will be without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good.

A world that will be treacherous, rash, conceited and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

A world that will have a form of godliness, yet denies its power

Not only did He know who he was, not only did he know why he came, he knew what would happen.

He knew one of the 12 he chose would betray him – so don't get messed up and lose your mind when someone you trust betrays you.

He knew he’d be falsely accused – so when you’re lied on remember how Jesus handled it, with silence

He knew he’s disciples, the men who had been walking with for three years, would abandon him and leave him alone

He knew they would whip him all night long

He knew they would spit in his face

He knew they would hang him on a cross

He knew the Father would not be able to look at him as he took on our sins

He knew they’d pierce him in his side

He knew they’d bury him in a borrowed tomb

He knew he’d defeat death, hell and the grave

He knew that on the third day he’d rise with all power in his hands

He knew he’d ascend back to the Father where He now sits making intercession for us.

And knowing all that—he still came.

Now, what do you know? I am somebody? But without Christ, we are nothing. Without Christ we are lost and without hope. You don’t have to be without hope any longer. This is too important to wait for someone else.

If you’re watching this online and you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, this thing is personal, repeat this prayer after me.

Father, I confess I’m a sinner, please forgive me. Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. I give you my heart, I give you my life, please dwell in me Holy Spirit. Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and I thank you. In your name I pray. Amen.

God bless you and please share this message. If you feel so led, please support this ministry by giving a financial gift of any amount. Make it a recurring gift. It will help support our Food Pantry Ministry.

If you’re here in the sanctuary and you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and you would like to receive him today raise your hand right where you are.

Christian experience

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