A New Nature - Obedience and Faith

 

Jesus learned obedience through the things, which He suffered, just as we do (Hebrews 5:8). He dealt with the common curse of His pesky human flesh all the way to cross, just as we do (Hebrews 4:15).

He laid down His human life on Calvary’s cross and came forth from the grave in His immortal glory, just as we will, once He returns for His Bride (1 Corinthians 15:54).

We receive our redemption through His blood, and we gain the indwelling of His Holy Spirit through His resurrection and ascension. We are dead and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

When we come to intimately know the living Lord, we start to experience eternal life right here on this earth (John 17:3). He gives us the love, which God gives to Him (John 17:26). We live in this world, just as God sent Jesus into the world, to accomplish God’s will for our lives (John 17:18, 20).

At the same time, Jesus gives us a new nature and makes us holy (John 17:17-19; Colossians 3:10). His Spirit teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live disciplined, holy and Godly lives - not by our own self-efforts, but through Christ Jesus within us (Titus 2:12).

When Christ is foremost in our thoughts and we pray about His order for our day, even cleaning the house, tending the children, working in the secular world, ministering at church, preparing meals and spending time with our family is the result of a spirit-filled life.

Prayer:

Father God, You continually give us exceedingly great and precious promises of salvation, for the purpose of us partaking in Your divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). You sanctify our heart of flesh and give us Your Spirit to perfect us.

As we keep our focus on Your glory within us, we are transformed into the likeness of Christ with ever increasing holiness, which comes from the sanctifying work of Your Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:2). Thank You for including us in Your family and for providing for all of our needs.

Thought for the Day:

We have the potential of becoming spiritual beings in a carnal world, because of the divine power and authority of Christ in us. - 1 Corinthians 15:48

The Divine Life of Christ in Us

 

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

We are free from the law of sin and death, by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). Daily, we live as a witness to others of the love and nurture of the eternal, triune 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). Since the Son of God set us free, we are absolutely free to live a life of holiness (John 8:36; Romans 6:18).

His divine power enables us to excel in our vocation, spiritual calling and family relationships through His divine life within us (Colossians 1:27). The fruit of His Spirit replaces our carnality (Galatians 5:15-25).

God's Spirit also enables us to have 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).

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

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). We belong to Christ, who was raised from the dead, so that we will bear fruit for God's Kingdom (Romans 7:4).

We pray through any rocky stretches of road by the direction of God's Spirit and we petition Him to meet our needs and for the needs of all of His Saints (Ephesians 6:18).

Prayer:

Father God, help us to actually see the reality of the fact that we do not need to sin; because 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 (John 8:36). We bask in Your presence and praise You for including us in Your eternal plans.

Thank You that we are no longer strangers and pilgrims in this world, but part of Your universal family. We are fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God and Saints in Your holy presence. Our love for Your Body is very important, because You prepared us for a holy dwelling place for Your Spirit. Jesus is our chief cornerstone and You are building us into Your eternal dwelling place (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Thought for the Day:

God gave us Christ as our redemption, not so we can sit back and continue living a life of sin with the false hope of escaping eternal judgment, but so that we can enjoy an intimate union with Him filled with all of His glory and the greatest measure of His spiritual presence. - Ephesians 3:16-19

Eternal Union

In three places, the Bible states, “Ye are gods” (Psalm 82:6; John 10:34; Isaiah 41:23). Some people take this to an extreme and declare that they are a god and equal to God. Some declare that God dwells universally in everything; therefore, we are all God.

The union between God and mankind is relational, we do not become a god or equal with God (Genesis 3:5). The verses following those statements prove that God is not referring to people as equal to Himself (Psalm 82:7; John 10:35-36).

These verses actually refer to people being God’s representatives as His Saints; or to us as children of God and co-heirs with Christ, living worthy of our calling in Christ (Romans 8:16-17).

We are not God or a god, but we achieve an intimate union with God through Jesus Christ within us. We totally depend upon His divine power filling every part of our body, soul and spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17).

The key element of living in union with Christ is to submit the absolute control of our life to God. Unconditional surrender to Christ offers us eternal life now in this life, which brings us total peace and fulfillment.

Jesus takes our sins and gives us His righteousness in exchange (2 Corinthians 5:21). He lives in us and He loves humanity through us. At the moment of salvation, we become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Jesus gives us His knowledge of eternity. We readily believe God, not with our human faith, but with the divine faith of Christ who lives in us (Galatians 2:20).

Prayer:

Father God, we are often so busy with our own little world, that we fail You time and again. Moses requested Your presence as Israel obeyed Your directive to conquer the Promised Land. He knew that Your presence would distinguish Israel from all the other nations of the world (Exodus 33:15-17).

We have You within us by Your Spirit. Use our relationship in You to help us to win the unsaved for You. You desire a people filled with Your presence and reflecting Your glory, a living testimony of Your love and power in the earth. Teach us to be a city on a hill and to shine Your light in us for all the world to see (Matthew 5:14).

Thought for the Day:

May we be a people who demonstrate the ‘shekinah’ glory of God – the manifest radiance of His glory - to a lost and dying world all around us.