A New Creation

It is healthy for us to take an inventory of our thoughts and feelings every day (John 7:24). This prevents negative thoughts and emotions from piling up in our soul and exploding at the least provocation.

Satan's lies, our own insecurities plus neurosis from our past, and the world's judgment on us keep us enslaved to negative thinking. Yet, God's Word admonishes us to take our thoughts captive in Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

We tend to dwell on this temporal earth, embroiled by human reasoning and trapped by the hour glass of time - still eating from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and attempting to save our self (Genesis 2:17, 3:5).

These negative constraints affect our thoughts and emotions. We attempt to improve our self, but whatever is conceived by the flesh can be aborted by the flesh. We live on a hamster's wheel - always running, but getting nowhere fast. However, there is hope for us in God (Psalm 63:2:5; Romans 15:13).

God chose us and loved us while we were still sinners (John 15:16; 1 John 4:10; Romans 5:8). At salvation, He makes us His Children and co-heirs with Jesus (Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:2; Romans 8:17). His Spirit is building us into His house (Hebrews 3:6).

We cannot craft any lasting changes to our character in order to earn His love. He makes us clean - not by our good deeds and intentions, but by the blood of Christ (John 15:3; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Psalm 127:1).

Jesus makes us wise, righteous, redeemed and a new creation; so that we glory in the Lord rather than to take the credit (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). Christ in us continually draws us into a more intimate union with Himself and our Father (Colossians 1:20). We simply obey (John 14:15).

Prayer:

Father God, Your love frees us from doubt and condemnation, which are fed to us by our own insecurities, the world's condemnation and Satan's lies. Please draw our loved ones away from the seduction of this world, deliver them from the lies of the devil, and allow them to feel Your love and conviction cascading over them like a waterfall.

In You there is no shame for our failings and idiosyncrasies, only love and acceptance just the way we are (Romans 5:8). Your Spirit perfects us through a lifetime of sanctifying exercises (1 Thessalonians 5:23). You make us one with You and Jesus Christ through His residing presence and Your Spirit's sanctifying work in us until You become our whole life (Colossians 3:3-4).

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is one with us in spirit and in truth; and He brings us into His rest in His perfect peace and love as we keep our soul focused on Christ in us. - Colossians 1:27; Isaiah 26:3

Free from the Ravages of Sin

Jesus delivers us from our sinful nature, which formerly served sin; and He gives us a mind, which is now a slave to God's nature, principles, wisdom and Kingdom (Romans 7:25).

We are free from the law of sin and death, by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). We daily live as a witness to others of the love and nurture of the eternal Godhead living within us (Romans 8:4).

Sin no longer has power over us, because of God's grace ruling in our heart (Romans 6:14). As slaves of God, we are set free from the slavery to sin, in order to reap the blessings of holiness and eternal life (Romans 6:22).

God's Spirit, who raised Christ from the dead, now lives within our body, and give us His life (Romans 8:11). We belong to Christ, who raised us from the dead, and we bear fruit for God's Kingdom (Colossians 3:3; Romans 7:4).

Christ lives in us, and we are united with Him, just as He is one with our Father (John 14:20; Colossians 1:27). We are joined to and united with God's Spirit in the intimacy of a branch with a vine (1 Corinthians 6:17; John 15:4-5).

The Trinity's divine power enables us to excel in our vocation, ministry, calling and family through God's divine Spirit within us (Colossians 1:27). We also pray by the direction of God's Spirit and petition Him for the needs of all of His Saints (Ephesians 6:18).

God's Spirit will endow us with the courage to boldly share the gospel with everyone we meet. Not in a preachy or condemning manner, but in the spirit of love and peace with the words He gives us (Ephesians 6:19).

Prayer:

Father God, help us to actually see the reality of the fact that we do not need to sin; because the law of the spirit of life in Christ sets us free from the law of the spirit of sin and death (Romans 8:2). When Christ sets us free, we are truly free in every area of our life (John 8:36).

You teach us in Your Word that if we live by the dictates of our flesh, and give in to Satan's temptations, we will surely die in our sin. Yet, if we live by Your Spirit, He enables us to resist temptation, and we will live in Your Kingdom as co-heirs with Christ forever (Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:15-25).

Thought for the Day:

Since the Son of God set us free, we are absolutely free to live in holiness - John 8:36; Romans 6:18

An Exchanged Life

Many people argue that they do not need Christ dwelling within them to enjoy a changed life. They use meditation, medication, Yoga, Tai Chi, Eastern religions and pure will power to make a better life for themselves. However, a changed life is not the only benefit of admitting we are sinners and trusting in Christ for our salvation (Romans 3:23, 6:23).

Jesus not only reforms us, but He also renews us by bringing our spirit to life within us. His sacrifice on the cross makes us co-heirs with Him of the entire Kingdom of God (Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:20-21). He comes to dwell within us by His Spirit who sanctifies us and disciplines us until we walk in a transformed life (Hebrews 10:10, 12:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18). He give us an exchanged life.

God forgives us of every sin - past, present and even future sins. However, we no longer desire to sin, but seek to live a life free of sin and its penalties (I John 1:3). Yet, if we fail, we are not under condemnation (Romans 8:1; 1 John 1:9). We reap many of the consequences, but none of the penalties of the mistakes we make.

God is involved in every area of our life, which we surrender to Him. We relinquish our free will and submit our choices to Him. We walk in victory through life, regardless of the circumstances we face. We have the presence of Christ in our life both now an in eternity. He gives us the fullness of the fruit of His character and His divine nature to live life on earth to its fullest (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Corinthians 5:8; 1 John 3:2).

Prayer:

Father God, Your everlasting joy resides in our heart both now and forever (Psalm 16:11). Yet, we are so focused on the material world around us, and the circumstances we face, that we fail to notice Your love and peace, which

surround us (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing occurs in our life without Your express permission (Job 1:12). You promise never to leave us or to forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). You remain faithful to us, even when we wander from You for a season (2 Timothy 2:13).

Thought for the Day:

God promises us to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our husband and our whole life. – Colossians 3:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2 

Perpetual Freedom

When we come to Christ, He immediately frees us from the snare of the flesh. Then, He puts His Spirit within us, so that we can inherit God's Kingdom as co-heirs with Christ (Ezekiel 36:25; Galatians 4:4, 5:19). By His grace, God forgives our sins; and as His children we surrender to His Spirit, who crucifies the desires of our flesh, and teaches us to live in and walk in His Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25).

We are filled with the Spirit's fruit and our entire personality and life change for the better (Galatians 5:22-23). Whom the Son sets free lives in perpetual freedom (John 8:36). Anyone who prefers to walk according to the dictates of our flesh is living in disobedience to God and will reap earthly destruction and eternal damnation (1 John 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).

As authentic Believers, it becomes normal to reject the dictates of our flesh, and to follow the Spirit instead. The more our intimacy with God increases, the less we would think of using our liberty in Christ as an occasion to sin. We prefer to walk in the Spirit, so that we reap God's blessings and please Him with our life (Galatians 5:13).

We cannot perfect our self by our human effort, but according to God's mercy. His Spirit helps us to walk in holiness and to inherit eternal life (Titus 3:3). The more we feed our spirit by Bible study, prayer, fellowship with other Saints and sitting in the presence of God, the stronger our spirit will grow and the more we will live in perpetual freedom (Romans 8:6-7).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for enabling us to walk toward perfection in holiness (1 Peter 1:16). We still make mistakes, but You always give us a choice and a way out of the temptation to sin (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we do fall, we do not allow Satan's condemnation to belittle us. Instead, we submit to the conviction of Your Holy Spirit and we respond in repentance for our sins (Romans 8:1-7). Eventually, sin grieves us and has no more dominion over us (Romans 6:14-18). Thank You for providing Jesus as our atoning sacrifice, as our Savior and as our Lord (1 John 2:2; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:11).

Thought for the Day:

Living according to the dictates of our flesh is not profitable for us at all; but walking in the Spirit guarantees us a joyful, fulfilled life drenched in love and peace. - John 6:63; Romans 8:6

Let the Weak Say, "I am strong."

Most of us feel totally inadequate to face the issues in our life. We pull our self up by our bootstraps every morning, put one foot in front of the other and move forward through the day, doing the best we can. Living in this stress-filled life with no spiritual basis for coping with its issues or making positive choices are more than most people can bear.

We struggle with inadequacy, shame, doubt, uncertainty, weakness and anxiety, which end up putting our body in the state of physical and psychosomatic illness. For many people, they have no support system. This is a travesty and drives them to use addictions of all kinds in order to cope with their feelings about life’s pressures (Galatians 5:19-21).

There are many paradoxes in the Bible and the one, which applies here, is that in order to be strong, we must first realize that we are weak. God uses the broken and foolish things in the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). Our flaws give us compassion for other people. We never stand in judgment, because we are just as defective as the next person. However, God is our only judge (James 4:12). 

 

God loves it when we come to the end of our self and look up into His waiting, loving face. The weaker and less competent we are, the more God can use us for His glory. Peace of mind and spiritual assurance of God's presence in our life affects our body, soul and spirit positively and gives us a new life and an eternal hope, which ignites our passion for God (Romans 8:11).  

The Creator of the Universe transforms us from the inside out by dwelling within us (2 Corinthians 5:17). He removes our wounded heart of stone and gives us a compassionate heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). God uses our unique idiosyncrasies, formed in us by a lifetime of nature and nurture, for His glory (2 Corinthians 12:9). His Spirit gives us the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). The weak can now say, “I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Prayer:

Father God, as a natural, carnal person, we attempt to live independently of You and Your plan for our life (Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 2:10). We live out of harmony with You and reap a wind storm of consequences. Remind us not to depend on our human understanding, but to consult You in every moment of our day. Thank You for Your redemption in our life and for caring about every aspect of it that we face.

Thought for the Day:

God changes our life by giving us His new birth and eternal life in Jesus Christ. He takes us from our lowly state and exalts us as co-heirs with Christ of His entire Kingdom.

- Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 4:7