March 21, 2022
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Our friends were expecting their baby in about six weeks. But the baby didn't get the message. No. They had flown in from Denver to attend a convention in Chicago and we were all at the same convention. Since I was living in Chicago at the time, I said, "Hey, baby happens, call me. I'll get you to the hospital in plenty of time. It's my city. You don't have anything to worry about." We were all laughing. I wasn't laughing at 6:00 A.M. the next morning when I got a phone call in my hotel room saying, "She's in labor!" Of course, I'm going crazy. I've got to get them to the hospital.
I ran down to the garage after throwing on some clothes, and in the parking garage there at the hotel I said, "Lady, I need my car. Bring up my car." And she said, "You must have your ticket validated." I said, "Lady, there's somebody about to have a baby! I don't have time to go up and get my ticket and go to the desk and have my parking ticket validated." She said, "You must have your ticket validated." I said, "Ma'am, there is going to be a lady having a baby right here in the parking garage." She said, "I'm sorry. You must have your ticket validated."
Well, the good news is we finally did get to the hospital and even though there was quite an adventure just getting there, the baby was fine. But no thanks to the parking lot lady. No. Now, that situation isn't usually that dramatic in a parking lot, but the rules are pretty consistent. You are not going anywhere until you get your ticket validated.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Who Validates Your Ticket?"
Our word for today from the Word of God; Galatians 3:26. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek" - in other words racial identities aren't really the issue - "slave nor free" - okay, it's not your class identity that really matters - "male nor female" - gender isn't really the basis of your identity - "for you are all one in Christ Jesus." He said, "you've been clothed with Christ." There's only one thing that matters, "I belong to Jesus Christ." There's only one solid basis for identity and security - who I am in Christ.
For most people, their validation comes from someone else. We spend a lot of time and effort trying to get other people to punch our ticket; to make us feel good about ourselves. The problem is that no one on earth can give you a secure identity. Is your validation like your company? If the company says you're okay, is that it? If you have a husband or wife, do you think you're okay? A friend of yours, all the people we try to get approval from. Well, you can be on your first step to freedom if you understand that the source of our identity is the One who gave you your life in the first place.
Ephesians 2:10 says Jesus gave you your worth before you were born. "You are" it says, "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do." See, you are created by God, you're purchased by God when He died on the cross to pay for your sins. You're loved by God. He's prepared works for you that only you can do. That's all you need to know. What can anybody else give you to add to that worth?
See, you got your worth the day you were born. No one on earth gave you your worth, and no one on earth can take it away. So any validation you get from someone on earth is a bonus, because all earth approval is written in pencil. God's OK is stamped on your life in indelible ink. It all starts the day you ask Him to remove from your heart and your life and His record the sin of a lifetime. How can you even ask Him to do that? Because Jesus died for it. He walked out of His grave. He's alive today. And when you give yourself to Him, you are home in the identity and the security and the love that you were made for and you can't lose.
If you've never begun that relationship, would you tell Him today, "Jesus, I'm yours." Join me at our website ANewStory.com. You'll find out all you need to know about belonging to Him. You won't need to have your identity validated in so many other ways. Not if you have the OK of Jesus. He's all you need.