The Righteousness of Christ in Us

Jesus came to earth and lived as a carpenter's son, a big brother to his half-siblings, and an upstanding citizen of His community. He experienced the exact same trials and temptations that we face in our life; yet, without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

When Jesus died, as the perfect, sacrificial Lamb of God, He took our sins and nailed them to Calvary's cross. In exchange, He gave us His righteousness - His right standing with God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

If we feast on a diet of junk food for our body, soul and spirit, our faith gets weaker, and we reap the lack of nutrition in which we willfully partake.

Confusion reigns in our thoughts, and haste wreaks havoc in our emotions. Trivia bombards our nervous system with stress, and we drown in too many details of which to keep track.

Rushing through life, without noticing God's many blessings for us during our day, deprives us of joy that would otherwise flood our soul.

We use social media and texting to keep up with family and friends, more than we talk to God. Making an adjustment in our thought processes, habits and routine, helps us to switch our focus from the temporal to the spiritual.

When we realize our need for Jesus, repent of our sins, and call on Him to save us, our spirit, once dead in sin, is Born Again. Jesus moves into our spirit by His Spirit (John 16:7).

He floods our soul - our thoughts, emotions and will - with faith in His faithfulness, peace that surpasses all human reasoning, abundant joy that cannot be explained (1 Peter 1:8), and His unconditional love.

Prayer:

Father God, teach us that rather than allowing our to-do-list to dictate our life, You prefer that we submit to the direction of Your Spirit to guide us each moment of the day, according to Your will for us. We lay down our fears and insecurities at Your feet, and we ask You to fill us with Your Spirit.

You are not seeking perfect people with a faultless lifestyle. You want courageous overcomers that will totally trust You, and who are willing to surrender to Your power in our life. You work in us and through us to reach the dying world all around us. We want to walk in Your ways and to perform only Your will for our life.

Thought for the Day:

As God's Spirit sanctifies our soul, we learn to let go of the stress and demands of this life, as we enter His rest, regardless of our circumstances. 

- Isaiah 32:17