A Difference Maker

We all know that when we come to the saving knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, and truly repent and believe, we are converted.

God moves into our heart by His Spirit and He makes all things new (2 Corinthians 1:22). He never leaves nor forsakes us and walks with us through every moment of our life (Hebrews 13:5).

However, few people realize the purpose for our complete immersion in Christ inside and out. We treat Him like our personal genie to grant all of our wishes.

At conversion, the life which we now live in this human body is experienced through the faith of the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself as a ransom for us (Galatians 2:20). 

Jesus and I are not separate beings, but a sanctifying immersion of us as one entity (John 17:21-22), walking in God's Spirit and doing only those things for which God created us (Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:15-25).

We gradually submit our will, goals and plans for our life to His purpose for us. We no longer live for our pleasure or pursuits, but for His Kingdom and by the direction of His Spirit.

We are an expression of Christ in this world, doing His will in every facet of our existence at home, work and play. He flows from His river of life within us (John 4:14).

This new life does not depend on us, except for our submission and obedience (Philippians 2:12-13). It is all by His Spirit within us (Galatians 3:1-3).

However, once we fall in love with Jesus we want nothing more than to obey His Word and to walk in His Spirit. 

Wherever we go and whatever we do we have the opportunity to draw everyone to Christ or to repulse them by our words and behavior.

If Christ is in us, shining through us, we exhibit His way, truth and life (Colossians 1:27; John 14:6). He is the light shining into the darkness all around us. He serves the lost world through us and uses us as a difference maker.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for giving us Your Son and Spirit and for giving us a new life, devoid of sinful and selfish pursuits and focused entirely on You and Your Kingdom. We accept this wondrous gift, offered from Your heart of compassion toward us as sinners (Romans 5:8).

Thank You for working in us and giving us both the desire and the ability to want nothing more in life than to live for Your pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). We trust You entirely with our life; and at the time of our death, we are assured that to be absent from this body is to be immediately present with You in Your eternal Kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Thought for the Day:

God raised us up to sit with Christ in heavenly places now as well as in eternity; it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in and through us; Christ is our whole life. 

- Ephesians 2:6, 3:3-4

United with Christ

God originally created mankind in the image of the Trinity (Genesis 1:6). Adam and Eve lived in an existence of body, soul and spirit in close fellowship with the Father (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

They enjoyed the same immortality, which Christ exhibited after His resurrection. Yet, when they believed Satan's lies, they chose to ignore their spirit and to give in to the temptation of their human nature.

As a result, their spirit died, and we all reap the consequences of their choice. Knowing this before He created the world, God planned to become man as Emmanuel (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 1:23).

He paid the ransom for the sin debt of anyone who chooses to submit to His will rather than to our human desires or the devil's temptations (Romans 4:25, 5:6; John 3:16-18).

The reason that God's Spirit regenerates our spirit and sanctifies our soul is so that we will live in the divine life of Christ in us, rather than through our human life with its earthly thoughts and desires (2 Peter 1:4; John 1:1, 12-14).

This is possible once our spirit is Born Again. It is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us (Romans 12:2, 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:3-4). We live, move and have our existence in Christ alone (Acts 17:28).

We are united with Christ in our spirit, in the same way that Jesus' humanity was united with His Godly nature, while He lived on this earth.

The life, which we live in this body, is lived through the faith of God's holy Son (Galatians 2:20). We continue the work of Christ on this earth, and we do greater works as we function as His Body (John 3:3-6, 14:12).

We think, feel, speak and act in the will of God as we follow the leading of His Spirit through every decision we make, every word we speak and every action we take.

This affects our words and behavior in our vocation, marriage, extended family, neighborhood and church Body. We live as a city on a hill, and we never hide the light of Christ within us (Matthew 5:14-16).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for sending Christ to redeem us from sin and its destruction. Thank You also for helping us to renew our mind through the washing of the water of Your Word (Ephesians 5:26). Since Christ set us free from sin, then help us to stay free from its demoralizing clutches (Galatians 5:1).

Teach us how to walk in the divine nature of Christ in us. Help us to live and move and have our being only in Him, so that we can walk in Your will, exhibit Your character and do the works of Christ all the days of our life.

Thought for the Day:

Since Christ abides in us by His Spirit, then even though our body will die because of the sin, which cursed this world, God's Spirit gives us His life in our spirit, soul and body, because of His holiness. - Romans 8:10 

Many thanks to Matt Milligan for the use of his photo.

No Longer Condemned

Regardless of our struggles as Believers in Christ, no action on our part can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:31-39). We are no longer condemned, because Christ set us free (Romans 8:1). ​

When certain sins continue to entice us, we can ask God to reveal the need in us, which they supply. He gives us wisdom on how to meet those needs in a Godly fashion, and we no longer desire sin.

All sin is rooted in unbelief, because whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:22-23). Satan will even attempt to condemn us with shame for our lack of faith; yet, we can cry out to God, "I believe, help my unbelief" (Mark 9:23-25).

We reject the devil's condemnation, and respond with repentance and surrender to the conviction of God's Holy Spirit. As we strive to enter God's rest, we abide in His peace and joy (Hebrews 10:4; Romans 14:17).

Choosing to refrain from running off on our own tangents, we reduce our need to cry out to God to find us and restore us back to a life in the center of His will (Luke 15:4).

Centering our life with our source in Christ in us, we do only those works, which God preordained for us to do (Ephesians 2:10, 3:17). We walk in the Spirit instead of in the flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

We find our fulfillment in this life by walking the straight and narrow road (Matthew 7:14). We rejoice in the Lord always in every situation, because of His love and presence residing within us (Philippians 4:4).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for providing for us the pearl of great price to pay the ransom for our sins and to set us free from Satan's lies (Matthew 13:45-46). We rejoice in knowing that we are wholly Yours and that You have a purpose for our individual life (Ephesians 2:10).

Remind us that we no longer live, but Christ lives in and through us, directing our day and giving us the desire and the power to accomplish Your will for each moment (Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Corinthians 4:11). We give You all of the praise and glory forever and ever.

Thought for the Day:

Satan tells us that we will never measure up and be enough, but Christ died for us and reminds us that in Him we are complete. - Job 19:26; Colossians 2:10

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