The Buzzard Within

 

While sitting outside at a Veteran’s Day celebration, we all glanced skyward to view the Sheriff Department's fly-over. In the thrill of this meaningful moment, I also noticed a majestic kettle of vultures.

Their wings spanned forty-eight inches and never flapped, as they soared on invisible wind currents. One of these birds nose-dived to the earth and landed within a few feet of me.

Once I recovered from the shock of his sudden close proximity to my chair, I realized that what I always thought was a beautiful, agile bird of prey actually had an awkward and grotesquely revolting appearance.

This reminded me of our unsaved heart. We disguise our disfigured soul within us with an outward coat of cosmetics and brightly colored clothing. Yet, we remain nothing more than whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27-28).

The good news is that Christ died to make us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our spirit is washed anew in the blood of the Lamb of God (Revelation 22:14). Through His sanctifying work, God's Spirit makes our soul beautiful in His timing and way (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

On this earth, God's Spirit crucifies our soul and frees us from slavery to sin. He makes us holy and frees us from the bondage and destruction, through which sin hinders and overwhelms us.

He unites us with Christ through the new birth and provides us with the blessings and promises of eternity both in this life and the next. He frees us from dwelling on our past or fearing the future (Isaiah 43:18).

In heaven, He will glorify our body by giving us an immortal existence with Him forever. We look forward to a body free of age-related issues, illness and fatigue.

We look forward to continuing to live in God's presence, adding the physical existence to our soul and spirit's enjoyment of His presence now. Our salvation will be complete in body, as well as in spirit and soul, and we will dwell with Him for eternity.

Prayer:

Father God, we live in Christ with Christ in us, and death has no more mastery over us. We also die to sin and live for You. Then in eternity, You glorify our body and provide us with immortality for our body, as well as our spirit and soul (Romans 6:4-11).

Thank You for forgetting who we used to be and giving us a new identity in Christ (Isaiah 65:17). You give us a new heart and put Your Spirit within us (Ezekiel 36:26). We rejoice at the thought of seeing Your Kingdom in all of its glory, since we are born by the blood of Your unblemished Lamb (John 3:3).

Thought for the Day:

God buries our old, carnal nature in Christ by baptizing us into His death; then He sanctifies us through one stage of glory to another and gives us a new, resurrected life.

Our Union with Father and Son

God is not as interested in what we do for Him, as He is in who we are in Him. A relationship is more important than a ministry (Matthew 22:36-40). It takes more time and effort, but worth the price.

Our human achievements do not impress Him and do not aid in our relationship or walk with Him. If what we do is not motivated by God's Spirit and done with His fruit-filled attitude, it is better left undone.

We cannot control the thoughts and behavior of other people, although we often try desperately to do so. The only one we have influence over by God's Spirit's direction is our self.

It is important to keep our focus and priorities spiritually minded and not blanketed in carnality. This is only possible because Jesus purchased us by His blood and God adopted us His children (1 John 3:1; John 8:44; Ephesians 2:3).

God, being a Trinity in nature and function, is still one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). We are joint heirs with Jesus of all that belongs to our Heavenly Father, which is hard to completely comprehend (John 16:15).

Jesus has the same relationship with our Father that we have with Jesus - He is in us and we are in Him, just as God is in Jesus and Jesus is in God (John 10:38; John 14:10, 23).

Jesus loves us as much as the Father loves Him (John 15:9). The Father loves us too, because we love Jesus and believe that He came from God (John 16:27).

Prayer:

Father God, eternal life begins when we come to know You and Jesus whom You sent (John 17:3). We are in Christ; and therefore, in You (Romans 8:10-11). Jesus loves us even as You love Jesus (John 17:23). Jesus reveals You to whomever He chooses (Matthew 11:27). Through Jesus we have access to You at any time or place (Ephesians 2:18).

Jesus was with You before the world began (John 1:1-2). He made His appearance on the earth many times, even before Abraham was born (John 8:58). You and Jesus are one. Once we see Jesus, we have seen You (John 10:30, 14:5-14). We look forward in great anticipation to living throughout eternity with You.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is in us, and the Father is in Jesus - so that we may be brought to complete unity as One Body; then the world will know that God sent Jesus into the world. 

- John 17:21; 1 Corinthians 1:30

Transforming Our Soul

Unbelievers are spiritually dead and do not understand the issues of God, because these truths are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). There is hostility between them and God, due to this spiritual divide (Romans 8:7). 

Unbelievers tend to live either legalistic or hedonistic lives. They attempt to find fulfillment without God. When we share Christ with them, many reject Him and close their heart to His Truth.

Believers are alive with Christ, and forgiven of every sin we ever committed (Ephesians 2:5; Colossians 2:13-14). Through His death, we receive victory over every principality and power, including demonic strongholds (Colossians 2:15).

Anyone can accept Christ, live as a Believer and reap the rewards of Christ's righteousness, rather than the consequences of unbelief and a sinful lifestyle (Galatians 6:9; John 3:16-18).

Christianity includes more than one hour of worship on Sunday morning. It involves a complete change in thinking and acting, from living a self-centered life to a Christ-centered existence.

Christ is our whole life (Colossians 3:4). He changes us from the inside out…our soul's transformation affects our outward behavior and appearance. Even our physical countenance improves due to His presence in our life.

We do not attempt to perfect our self before we come to Christ. Neither is there any deed, which we ever committed that is not already covered under His blood. His mercy and grace are complete.

However, this does not imply that our behavior is not important. Christ perfects us through sanctifying our soul - our thoughts, choices and feelings, and gives us a way to escape every temptation the devil uses to cause our mortal flesh to sin (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Prayer:

Father God, we feel so privileged to live by Your Spirit and to belong to Your family as we further Your Kingdom on this earth. Thank You for saving us through the blood of Jesus and giving us Your Spirit to perfect us from the inside out and to conform us to the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Remind us to walk away from any temptation to sin, so that we do not grieve Your Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Help us to live an exemplary life so that others will see our good works and glorify You (Matthew 5:16). We love You with all of our heart, mind and strength, and we look forward to serving You for eternity (Luke 10:27).

Thought for the Day:

If we live in a lifestyle of any type of behavior, which the Bible calls sin, then we are not Born Again; because a Believer cannot live in sin, since the Holy Spirit within us is grieved by sin. - Romans 8:9; Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 3:9