Numbers 16:7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the Lord doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

I’m a …., my father was a …., his father was a …., and my son will be a ….!

I don’t care what you fill the blanks in with. It could be farmer, mechanic, banker, lawyer, doctor, or even a priest. Do you find you identity in history? Perhaps you find your identity in what you believe. I’m a climatologist. I’m a naturalist. I’m a scientologist.

Moses was speaking to a generation of men who declared themselves holy. To be honest, I don’t believe that most men declare themselves to be holy because of their identity. Holiness might not even fit into a description of their lives. Holiness isn’t part of many conversations. I dare say it is not because of this one thing, God declares who is holy and who is not. It is declared, not earned.

I am chosen of God sounds like pride. There is no humility in that declaration. I am a sinner saved by grace sounds more suitable. It has the ring of humility which is both truth and easy to live with. If you were to ask me if I am holy, I’d have to answer, only because God declare it so. Once again, that sounds good and takes all the responsibility off of me.

1 Peter 1:13-16 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Finding your identity in Christ means destroying your former identity and the acts thereof.

Genesis 4:7 You know that if you do what is right, I will accept you. But if you don’t, sin is ready to attack you. That sin will want to control you, but you must control it. (ERV)

Ever wonder why God only has this conversation with Cain? If you say it is because the Lord had respect for Abel’s sacrifice you are half right. The Lord had respect unto Abel AND his offering. Verse 4

This is what I call transference. Yes the sacrifice is important. Yes the sacrifice was accepted. What good is any sacrifice if there is no transference of the act back to man? Did Abel know his sacrifice would be accepted? I don’t know. I do not have scripture that clearly indicates Abel’s motives and thoughts.

Cain went and talked to Abel after this conversation with God. Then Cain killed his brother. What did they say? I don’t know. Nothing in scriptures reveal what might have been said.

The only thing I do know is what is revealed to us by God as He is the One who controls the conversation. God reveals what is right, good and acceptable. Anything left to the imagination is vanity.

Now look to the world today and answer me this; “Who controls the conversation today?”

Sinners protest that the laws are unjust and the laws need to be changed. If the law can be changed then what they do will no longer be illegal and their lives will be legitimized. Do their actions change your conversations with God, or is God still in control of the conversation?

The horrors of war are imprinted drastically upon our minds through various forms of media. It is not just television and newspapers that influence our world view. Do their actions change your conversations with God, or is God still in control of the conversation?

Disasters abound and people I personally know have been displaced, endangered, and even killed. Do the events around me change my conversations with God or is God still in control of the conversation?

Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

I can only do that if God is in control of the conversation.