God's Eternal Nature in Us

God loves us and shows Himself to us (John 14:21). He calls us through the gospel to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:14), and claims us as His children (Ephesians 1:4-5).

God is the Father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9). He created us in His own likeness with a triune nature - our spirit, soul and body (Genesis 1:27; Hebrews 12:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). His Spirit transforms us with the divine nature of Christ.

We are born of the first Adam from the dust of the earth, but also Born Again of the second Adam, Jesus, by the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 15:45). God created us as physical human beings, but He also gave us a soul - thoughts, feelings and choices - and a spirit.

God made Jesus the firstborn among many adopted brethren  (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 1:5). He gives us exceedingly great and precious promises of salvation, so that we might be partakers of Christ’s divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

He sanctifies our soul throughout our lifetime, until we are holy and without sin in His sight. His rich grace abounds in our life, and He gives us His wisdom to deal with every issue we face (2 Corinthians 9:8).

God wants to fill us through all of our being with all of His fullness, so that we may obtain the richest portion of His presence in our life (Ephesians 3:16-19; 4:13).

As we contemplate the Lord’s glory, we are transformed into His likeness with an ever-increasing resemblance to Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:2). Jesus is equal to God, and He lives in us, sharing His divine nature with us (John 5:18).

We have the same potential, which Jesus did, of becoming spiritual beings, because Christ in us is Spirit. When we crucify the deeds of our flesh, walk in the Spirit and pray without ceasing, we make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

Prayer:

Father God, by Your glorious grace we gradually walk into the divine nature of Christ in us, and we walk away from the corruption in this world (1 Peter 2:2-4). We are growing in our understanding of the amazing magnitude of Your power available to all authentic Believers. It is the same dynamite power that resurrected Christ from the grave and returned Him to His glory in Heaven (Ephesians 1:19-20).

Thank You that He fills us with this life and supplies us with everything we need to function in unity with You and to accomplish Your will for us in the earth (Ephesians 1:23). Enable the world to see that You sent Jesus on their behalf, by making our life a living testimony to them (John 17:21-23).  

Thought for the Day:

Eternal life is not some future event that we will experience some day; it occurs within us, as we come to intimately know Jesus, and our God who sent Him. - John 17:3

The Love of God

 

The intense love of God burns like a fire deep in our soul, warming us as we travel through this cold world of sin and degradation. Christ died so that we may possess this everlasting love (Romans 6:23). We are precious to Him and we bring Him delight by our obedience (John 14:15). Everything God gave to His firstborn Son, Jesus, He shares with us, His adopted sons. Jesus sacrificed His throne and crown for us, and He did not reserve His life or blood, but gave His all for us.

Only as we completely surrender our life to Him in return, will we come into perfect union with Christ within us.  We totally submit to the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. We live according to God’s divine will for our life (Ephesians 2:10), and find our fulfillment in our union with Christ. We seek only the will of God in our thoughts, words and deeds, so that He might be glorified in us, just as He was in Jesus (John 14:13). We completely dwell in His love (John 10:17).

We come to the day where we stop offending God with our sinful desires, because the Spirit sanctifies us from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). He gives us discernment and His Word, so that we can ascertain what will bring God glory. His righteousness pervades our life to the extent that we surrender our sinfulness to Him. We live in harmony with Christ in us through the anointing of His name. Our prayers are centered in Jesus’ name and our life is lived in the power of His name.

Our union also provides us with faith to believe in His faithfulness. We live in unreserved obedience to the Father (1 John 3:22). We pray with confidence in our intimate union with Christ. We sit silently in His presence, knowing that He knows what we need before we even speak it (Matthew 6:8). An abiding life of faith in Christ alone provides power to our prayers (John 15:9). We wait at His feet for Him to provide all of our needs according to His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19; James 4:3).

Jesus shares with us His life, His inheritance, His righteousness and His Spirit. He keeps nothing from us, but freely gives us all things (Romans 8:32). His love is an example of the Father’s love for us as well. Our sinful state magnifies the beauty of His sacrificial love, and His compassion changes us from the inside out. God is love and we abide in His love through His Son (1 John 4:8). As we completely yield our life to His will, we reap the abundance He died to provide for us.

Prayer:

Father God, help us to find the eternal dwelling place provided for us by Your love (Deuteronomy 33:27). Our soul finds its peace in the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 91:4). Cause us to hear Thy loving kindness each morning, for in You we place our trust. Fill us to the brim with Your Spirit, and cause us to know Your will for each moment of our life (Psalm 143:8). We want to abide in Your presence and in the fullness of Your joy (Psalm 16:11).

Thought for the Day:

God’s everlasting love promises us eternal blessings. – Psalm 21:6

Sinners Become Sons

Read: Romans 8:16-17
 
“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” – 1 John 3:2

At the cross God extended great and immeasurable mercy on mankind (Romans 6:23). Christ died for the worst and the least of sinners, because all sin deserves punishment by death (Roman 3:23). Christ bore our penalty for our sin; so that we can receive His righteousness in exchange (2 Corinthians 5:21).

What a powerful demonstration of God's eternal love toward those who love Him (Jeremiah 31:3)! Although God offers salvation to everyone, each one of us must accept this free gift individually.

Born Again people can no longer live in habitual sin (1 John 2:3-6, James 1:12-16, 1 John 3:7-10). If we were convicted of our sin, asked Jesus to forgive us, worship with other Believers, talk to God and He continually draws us closer to Himself, we will change. However, if there was no spirit transformation in us, our experience was merely a sentimental occurrence in our soul – in our mind, will and emotions. Our spirit was never born again. It is still dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1). If we still live in habitual sin, we are not living a converted life and we are not saved from the power of sin. According to 1 John 3:9, this lifestyle proves that we are lost and going to hell.

Those who live in consistent sin were just convicted and not converted. He/she is double-minded in their lifestyle and not sincere in their service. They changed nothing by praying the sinner's prayer, going to church, serving in a ministry, talking to God, getting baptized or even tithing their income. They are just doing good works, and that does not get you into heaven (Eph 2:8, Rom 6:12-14, Matt 5:27-30, Rom 7:13).

To all who actually receive Jesus, however, who believe in His name, who surrendered their life to Him and who are led by His Spirit (Romans 8:14), God gave them the right to become His children (John 1:12). Therefore, only Born Again believers are children of God through our faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26). How do we know if we truly are God’s children? God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are His children (Romans 8:16). He is our Father and He lavishes His love upon us (2 Corinthians 6:18; 1 John 3:1). Now, all of creation eagerly waits for the revelation of God’s sons and daughters, so it too can experience this same salvation (Romans 8:19).

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. In fact, anyone who wants to become His son must believe both that God exists and also that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). When people mock us, lie about us, persecute and say evil things about us, their words and actions do not need to have any affect on us. In fact, we can be thrilled about this mistreatment; we can leap for joy, because we are counted worthy to suffer in a similar manner that such great men of faith as the apostles and prophets, as well as Christ also suffered. God blesses us as His true followers and a great reward waits for all of us in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).

Another reason we can rejoice when we encounter trials and problems is because we know that God is working endurance in us. Then, this endurance produces character and eventually a hope that is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness (Romans 5:3-4). We have a secure hope, which anchors our soul during the tempests of life (Hebrews 6:19). We will receive the crown of life, which God prepared for those who love Him (James 1:12). Also, if we go one step further and love people who insist on treating us as enemies, we gain an even greater reward (Matthew 5:46).  

When Christ returns, He will bring His reward with Him, and He will give to each of us according to the type and amount of works we accomplished for Him during our lifetime (Revelation 22:12). These works do not earn our salvation, but they earn us our rewards (1 Corinthians 3:14). Who does not like a paycheck at the end of the work week?

Comprehending our standing in Christ helps us to realize that we are different from non-believers. We no longer need to live as slaves to sin, to the devil and to our flesh. This also helps us to understand the plight of our unsaved family and friends, and encourages us to make a difference in the world to which God calls us. Do people know who you really are and what you truly stand for? Are your actions and words any different from an unsaved person’s? Do your friends and family know that you are a child of God?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the life-altering change You made in our lives. Your death on the cross gives us victory over sin and Your resurrection secures for us victory over death. I now have eternal life in You through Your mercy and grace. I love to meditate on your promises and to praise You for all that You do for me each day. Spur me on now to share this life-changing power with everyone I meet.

Thought for the Day:

We sinners become sons of God, because the firstborn Son of God bore the punishment of our sin.




Thank you, Tonia Neal, for the use of your photo.