Our Glorious Hope

One of God’s mysteries is that Christ can actually dwell in our hearts by His Spirit (Colossians 1:26-27). When we choose to die to our self - to lay down our own dreams, goals and desires for our life - we embrace God’s will for us instead.

This does not mean that we live in destitution and unfulfillment. It actually guarantees that we find even more blessings in God’s service, than we ever did when we controlled our own life (Romans 8:5-8).

The fact that Christ actually lives in us by His Spirit gives us hope of living with Him in glory (Colossians 1:27). We reflect the glory of our Heavenly Father a little more each day, because Christ lives in and through us.

When we see carnality in our life, we confess it as sin, and rejoice that the Spirit is exchanging His fruit, through the sanctification process, for our errant attitudes and character traits (Galatians 2: 22-23; 1 Corinthians 6:11).

When we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit moment by moment throughout the day we are sure to succeed in everything we do (Deuteronomy 28:13).

We cannot live with one foot in the world and one foot in the things of the Spirit. This is impossible because the flesh lusts against the Spirit (Matthew 6:24).

God’s goal for us is that we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17, 25; Romans 8:9-14). Christ buried us with Him in His death by baptism and raised us up from dead works by the glory of our Father (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:3).

Prayer:

Father God, we are now Your sons, led by Your Spirit as we take the time to submit our life to Christ one moment at a time (1 John 3:2). We find fulfillment in living in Your will and we realize Your glory radiating in us and through us to the world around us.

Our inner man is renewed day by day, and this encourages us, even though our body is getting older. Thank You for raising us up as You raised up the Lord Jesus. Thank You also for bringing us into Your presence for eternity and giving us our eternal hope of Your glory.

Thought for the Day:

When God sees us, He sees us in union with Christ, perfected and cloaked in His righteousness. - Romans 13:14

Escaping Fiery Darts and Entrapping Sins

Satan attempts to use the sin in the world and in people dwelling all around us to inflict us with physical and emotional wounds. He delights in deceiving us and inflicting pain through the destruction of sin.

God tells us to draw near to him and to resist the devil, and the devil has to flee (James 4:7). We can avoid many of life's tragedies and their consequences by walking in the Spirit instead of in the flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

There are inevitable consequences of life on this sin-cursed earth, such as certain illnesses and death; yet, it is often the foods we eat and products we use on our body and in our home, as well as the people in our life, which contribute to our unnecessary illness and untimely death.

If we realize that we are raised with Christ and hidden with Him in God, we understand that God has ultimate control over our life. We keep our self free from the pursuit and love of money and escape undue stress and its effects on our body, soul and spirit.

Jesus calls us to seek Heavenly matters and wisdom from the right hand of God where He is sitting (Colossians 3:1-3). We learn to obey His Spirit and to live contentedly with what He provides.

God's great love and compassion never fail and prevent us from being consumed by sin, the devil and the world. God faithfully provides His mercy for us each new morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

We awaken to a whole new day of His provision and protection. As we are still before God and listen to His voice, we know God in an intimate relationship, and find His peace in uncertainty.

He never leaves or forsakes us and He abides within our spirit and protects our body and soul from the ravages of this world (Hebrews 13:5). Born of God, we overcome this world and enjoy His victory through our belief and faith in Christ (1 John 5:4-5).

Prayer:

Father God, life is so uncertain and we constantly wonder what will happen tomorrow to throw a wrench in the works. You give us the faith of Christ, which helps us to realize that life's challenges are really adventures when You are involved in them with us. As we focus our faith in Your faithfulness, we enjoy life so much more.

You are Creator and Savior and are always in charge, even when we wander from Your will. Your love never changes and You always draw us back to the protection of Your straight and narrow road (Matthew 7:14). We look forward to You coming for Your Saints, but we thank You too for overcoming this world in and through us until You do.

Thought for the Day:

Christ in us enables us to escape the fiery darts of the devil and to protect us from reaping the destruction of the sins, which so easily trap us in their grip.
 - Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 12:1

Remember Who You Are

 

Our own free will is the only entity preventing Jesus Christ from living in and through us. Even after salvation, our soul can choose to walk according to the flesh, rather than according to God’s Spirit. However, we no longer have any need to wallow in the degradation of sin, which leads to the pit of destruction (Psalm 40:2). We are permanently set free from sin by the power of God in our life (Romans 6:18). Our humanity is dead and buried with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

We are raised with Christ by the glory of our Father to walk in a brand new life (Romans 6:4). We no longer need to live as a doormat or to allow our self to be abused. We can move if we are tormented, and pray for God to deliver our loved one. However, if we are safe, then Christ in us will love that putrid drunk, annoying child, demented senior, irritating neighbor, cruel parent or selfish spouse through us. It is impossible to do this in our human strength.

We are able to meet our own needs and look to our Father to supply them, but we must allow Christ to love this impossible person through us. Born Again Believers are crucified with Christ (Romans 2:20). Christ is our whole life now, and nothing else really matters (Colossians 3:4). However, we no longer have to live according to the flesh; we can permanently walk in the Spirit, controlled and guided by Him in everything we think, say, feel and do (Galatians 5:16-26, Amplified Bible).

The real power over sin is to realize who we are in Christ. All the attributes of the triune Godhead – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – are resident within our Born Again spirit. God makes His everlasting dwelling place in our spirit. We have the holy character of Christ occupying our soul. The divine love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, self-control and faith of Jesus Christ are manifested through our soul every moment of every day for the rest of our life. Remember to Whom you belong.

Prayer:

Father God, You call us Saints. That is our position in Christ. Christ in us makes us holy and acceptable to You. You want to love the lost and dying world through us. We simply need to decide to allow You to express Yourself through us. We no longer have to figure anything out. We just need to live and move and have our entire being in You (Acts 17:28; Romans 8:1), at the same time that You live in and through us (Colossians 1:27). You immerse us in Your life and love. We wait on Your direction and follow the leading of Your Holy Spirit to allow you to accomplish Your will in the earth, just as Jesus performed Your will when He walked upon the earth (John 5:19,30).

Thought for the Day:

Allow God’s perfect love to flow through your every thought, word and deed.