Rise Up Finish Well: A Call to Arise From Spiritual Slumber

By Donna Hogan

If you're drawing breath, then this little book is for you! Whether you're an accomplished adult, an aspirational young person, or even a retiree, there's thought-provoking material on every page. Originally written with the intent to challenge God-fearing folks to gain a more heavenly perspective of their earthly journey, it also aims to awaken the modern-day church from complacency. The urgency of the times demand we part with division and denominational thinking. May we embrace what was intended by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, demonstrating to the world with God-given power and authority what heaven on Earth looks like!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781543991260

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Introduction

If you’re still drawing breath, then this little book is for you! Whether you’re an accomplished adult, an aspiring young person, or a retiree, there’s thought-provoking print on every page. The original intent of this book was to challenge God-fearing folks to gain a more heavenly perspective of their earthly journey. It then occurred to me that every living soul has a desire to love and be loved, valued and fully accepted by their Creator. So, without preference to any spiritual state or religious affiliation, Rise Up, Finish Well, was written.

Many published works have been written to encourage the downtrodden, enlighten the lost or confused, or promote success. Rise Up, Finish Well, was written to evoke a passion for life in those who may have become complacent. Some of the content may challenge preconceived notions. That’s OK! We all have mindsets and strongholds that could use a little shaking, particularly if they don’t serve us well. For the complacent, shake off any notion that your current comfort zone is your End Zone or final destination. You were designed for impacting the world around you, no matter how large or small your sphere of influence. For those struggling to see victory in certain areas of life, be encouraged. We all need to discover more of who we really are and what we can possibly be. Regardless of your past or current circumstances, as well as season or status in life, your life’s purpose may be bigger and better than you’ve EVER imagined!

As the chapters of this book unfold, the topics of spiritual identity, inheritance and God’s original intent will be explored. For some, these may be very controversial topics. Nonetheless, they need to be addressed. Let’s allow scripture to uncover who we really are, what we were called to do and how to get it done. In the final chapter, I’ll disclose part of my journey in hopes that you’ll be encouraged. May we all rise up and finish well!

Chapter 1

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3: 26-28 NIV).

Who Are We, Anyway?

An Earthly Heritage

Greetings, Reader! I would like to think of us as family, brothers and sisters, together in this life. At the very least, we are all descendants of the first parents, Adam and Eve. Certainly, we are of the same human family. Nonetheless, in a cultural sense, we are not family. We were born into different immediate or extended families. If we accept the popular notion that every person on earth is a child of God, then everyone would be spiritually related as brothers and sisters, members of the same spiritual family. Is it possible that this popular notion could be true?

It’s an undisputed fact that I’m the child of my mother and father, just as you are the child of your parents. If you are a parent, you know the children born to you or adopted into your household. I’ll surmise you don’t claim legal responsibility for children not of your household. What about God? As a Father, would He claim as His own those whom He has neither fathered nor adopted? If not, then it cannot be assumed that everyone is a child of God. Is it possible that only those whom God has fathered can rightfully refer to themselves as children of God? This is an important question, as the answer to this question impacts identity, as well as eternity.

Thus far, we have approached the question of Who are we, anyway? from the perspective of family. We know we are loosely identified as being part of the human family. Further distinction is derived from identification with our immediate and extended families. We inherit certain characteristics by way of our family lineage. We might even be known in our community according to our family’s heritage and its history.

Everyone wants to be remembered well. We spend our lives investing in what matters most to us in hopes of gaining a good reputation. Our reputation is part of our identity or who we believe we have become. It is not uncommon to respond with who we are by what vocation we have chosen. After all, much of who we are is manifested by what we do. This is at least true in a natural sense. What becomes of our identity if limited to either what we have produced or our family lineage? If we lack spiritual identity, we can only identify with things that are temporal (temporary). Eventually, in the natural sense, we may all cease to exist. Without the promise of eternity, we can only hope to ‘remain alive’ in someone’s memory.

What about our identity in eternity? To have an identity in eternity requires the presence of the Holy Spirit. Spirit is created and cannot be destroyed. The presence of the Holy Spirit created within a person provides them with a spiritual identity in eternity. This promise of eternal life with a spiritual identity can only come forth from a spiritual birth. This spiritual birth is what the Bible refers to as the New Birth, being Born Again or Born from Above. Without a spiritual birth, everyone born into the earthly realm possesses only body and soul. As wondrous as every living soul may be, it is still incomplete without also receiving the New Birth.

Recent history may have altered the definition of family, but seed is still required to bring forth a child. This concept applies to earthly, natural families, as well as a spiritual family. You were conceived as a child by your flesh and blood parents. Your life started as a seed conceived in your mother’s womb. The seed that provided life to you in the womb was provided by your father. In a similar fashion, birth into a spiritual family requires a seed. Alternatively, a child can become a legal member of a family by way of adoption. The relevance of these truths becomes evident when discussing the New Birth, as well as the birth of the Only Begotten Son of God.

The Book of Genesis records the beginning of earthly families. According to scripture, God formed the first man, Adam, from the dust of the ground. Adam’s lifeless body became a living soul when God breathed into him the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). Eve, his female companion, was made from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:21, 22; I Timothy 2:13). Woman, meaning taken out of man, was accurately described by Adam as bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh (Genesis 2:23). Adam and Eve were not birthed from seed; they were formed by God from the elements of the earth. When they replenished the earth, they did so from Adam’s seed, according to everything after its kind (Genesis 1:24).

The first spiritual birth is recorded in The Gospels of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Gospels present fulfilled prophecy regarding the birth of the Son of God. According to scripture, the Holy Spirit overshadowed a virgin causing her to conceive and bring forth a son (Luke 1:35). This child, Jesus, became God’s Only Begotten Son (John 3:16). The seed Mary conceived was not of Adam’s bloodline, it was from God. The life blood that came forth from God’s seed was pure and without sin. Therefore, the blood that pulsed through the veins of Jesus was also