Authentic
Believers irritate many people in today's world. We wax eloquent about the
daily miracles and blessing that we receive from God, but unbelievers have no
reference point in order to share in our joy.
They
reject us because they cannot relate to our perspective. They also reject God's
free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23), because they do not understand who Jesus
is or what He did for us by paying the debt we owed for our sins (John
3:16-18).
When
we choose God's eternal life, we and our children learn through experience to
love the Lord our God, to listen to His voice, and to cling to, rely on and
trust in Him alone during each moment of our day (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).
Christ,
who abides within our spirit, is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). This is
hard to understand for a person who is not Born Again by the Spirit of God
(Colossians 2:2, 4:3). Yet, God reveals this awesome truth to His children, as
well as to anyone who seeks Him (Colossians 1:24-26).
God's
Spirit transforms us from one stage of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18),
until we have the mind and divine nature of Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Peter
1:4). Our mindset is changed from a carnal, earthly one, to a heavenly,
spiritual viewpoint.
We
are saved by faith in God (Ephesians 3:7-9). As part of God's family, there is
nothing we can do to add to, or to take away from our position in Jesus. God
gives us the commission to preach His Gospel to anyone who will listen
(Colossians 1:25).
Even
in times of trials and hardships, we learn to have the joy of the Lord as our
strength (Philippians 4:4). We understand that God has a higher purpose for our
suffering, which we may not understand, but through which we can completely
trust in Him.
Prayer:
Father
God, thank You for sending Jesus as the express image of the Godhead, the
Trinity (Colossians 1:15). We see in Him all of Your attributes (Philippians
4:19; Ephesians 1:7; 2:7, 3:16; Romans 9:23, 11:33). Our union with You is
through Jesus by Your Spirit. We are so grateful that He submitted to Your will
and suffered the humiliation, degradation and crucifixion on the cross in our
place (Romans 5:6-21).
Thank
You also that through Jesus we have Your righteousness. We no longer need to
suffer negative consequences of unrighteous thoughts and behavior, because Your
Spirit transforms us and You call us Your own. We know that Jesus overcame
death for us all (Colossians 1:18); and as Believers, though our body passes
through death to the grave, our spirit and soul go immediately into Your
presence (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Thought
for the Day:
As
Believers in Christ, we are buried with Him through baptism and raised to walk
in a new life; therefore, we seek only those things which are above, and we
follow the guidance of Christ in us, who is our only hope of a glorious
eternity in God's presence.
- Ephesians 3:16-19; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
