Who am I really? - notes from the Men's retreat I attended this past weekend

This weekend was our annual men's retreat, and unlike years past, it was held at the church instead of at a local camp. This had it's pluses and minuses, but that is not important now.

What I would like to do is to write down what we covered in our three (3) main sessions. These exercises in writing are mainly to help me review what the Holy Spirit had impressed upon my heart. As it has been said in a Chinese proverb...

Tell me and I'll forget;
show me and I may remember;
involve me and I'll understand.

I'm trying to get myself involved, and by do so, I hope to understand who I really am.

The theme for the weekend was "Who are you, really?". The three main sessions were:

• Confirming our Identity
• Maintaining our Identity
• Reclaiming our Identity

The retreat ended with a very powerful video called 'God's chisel' - Summary When God chisels the dead weight out of our lives it can be very painful. http://skitguys.com/store/detail/188/

Over the next several days/weeks my plan is to cover each sessions outline and journal my trip as God get's me involved in my real identity. I will personalize the notes...the speaker used 'we/our', but I will change that to 'I/my'. The Scripture verses come from the American Standard Version. I am using open source MacSword software, and the Scripture module has been downloaded from the Sword Project.  my notes in red

Session 1 "Confirming our Identity"

1. My Identity Begins with Jesus Christ

• I am in Christ -- Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

• I am a new creation -- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.

• I am chosen -- Ephesians 1:11 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; I have been chosen with intentionality and purpose.

• I belong to God -- Acts 27:23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve,  The words "WHOSE I AM" denotes the fact that as a Christian, I belong to God...the creator of heaven and earth. I am His; His possesion.
  

• My citizenship is in Heaven -- Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: