Our Christian walk is a two-step process. We start by
repenting of our former way of life, which was degraded by Satan's lies and earthly
desires (Ephesians 4:22). Each of us is distracted by various sinful elements.
Some of us lie, but God calls us to speak truth; or we
steal and take what does not belong to us, yet God calls us to work and earn
money to buy what we need, as well as to share with others (Ephesians 4:25,
28).
Some have trouble with anger; and though it is a God
given emotion, we often harbor grudges, while God encourages us to forgive
before the sun sets each day, so that we do not give Satan entry into our soul
(Ephesians 4:26-27).
Other people use foul language, when God wants us to use
our words to edify and minister grace to those who hear us. Some even take
God's name in vain and use degrading words, which grieve God's Spirit (Ephesians
4:29-30).
All of us give in at one time or another to bitterness, quarreling,
gossip, antagonism and forms of cruelty, when God calls us to live with humility,
compassion, patience, gentleness and kindness, as we forgive slights and wrongs
just as God forgives us (Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:10).
The second step is to renew our mind with the
righteousness mind of Christ and to walk in true holiness all the days of our
life (Luke 1:75; Ephesians 4:24). This may sound daunting, but Christ already
did it for us.
We are buried with Christ through our baptism into His
death, in order to be raised with Him from death in the glory of God, our
Father. This allows us to live a fulfilled, blessed new life in Christ, as we exchange
our corrupted character with the nature of Christ, promised to us by God
Himself (2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:4; Colossians 3:3-4).
Prayer:
Father God, by separating our self from the sin, which
once bound us as its slave, we are freed from the law and allowed to serve You through
Your Spirit, rather than by decrees and legalism (Romans 7:6). You enable us to submit to You as You transform our mind,
rather than to be conformed to the design of this evil world.
We have no more desire to gratify the sinful desires of
our flesh, and we walk as a new creation, Your handiwork, created in Christ to
live in Your will, which You prepared for us prior to our birth (Ephesians 2:10;
Romans 12:2, 13:14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:10).
Thought for the Day:
My soul silently waits for God alone; my salvation comes
from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my stronghold; I
will never be shaken. - Psalm 62:1-2
