God loves us even while we are still sinners, but He calls
us to walk away from our sinful thoughts, words and deeds. Any goodness we
attain by our human effort does not impress Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). We are a new person only
because of Jesus’ work on Calvary ’s cross (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We only have two choices. We either believe for salvation or we fail to believe
and condemn our self to Hell (John 3:18).
God’s Spirit conforms us through sanctification into the
image of Christ (Romans
8:29). He exchanges our humanity for God’s divine nature and His
spiritual fruit (2
Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:22-23). We are an extension of the ministry of
Christ on this earth. His sinless perfection enables us to live freely from sin
and Satan’s temptations, as we depend on Him for our perfection.
God walks with us through life and sticks closer than a
brother (Proverbs
18:24). Do not wait to cry out to God only in times of helplessness;
commune with God every moment of every day. When the intimacy of our communion
ebbs, our only recourse is to draw closer to Him, not to walk further away.
Satan will lie and tell us it was better back in the world. Don’t forget your
past vulnerability without God.
The only time discouragement and disappointment enter our
life is when we are trusting in our own strength or looking forward to the
fulfillment of our own goals and aspirations, rather than relying on the Lord’s
strength and anticipating His plans (2 Corinthians 1:21). God comforts us during times of grief and
loss (Matthew 5:4).
He gives us His desires in our heart (Psalm 37:4). He guides us by Christ’s life within us (Romans 5:10).
Prayer:
Father God, our relationship with sin ceased to exist once
we came to love You with our whole heart (Luke 10:27). We are no longer separated from
You, but we live in constant fellowship with You every moment of every day.
Satan still uses sin to tempt us away from a life in union with Christ. We may
fall into a momentary indiscretion, but we thank You that we no longer live in
a lifestyle of sin (Romans
6:7,12,14).
Thought for the Day:
God’s grace frees us to walk in holiness by the power of
the Holy Spirit within us.
