United with Christ

God originally created mankind in the image of the Trinity (Genesis 1:6). Adam and Eve enjoyed an existence of body, soul and spirit in close fellowship with the Father. They enjoyed the same divine nature, which Christ exhibited.

Yet, when they believed Satan's lies, they chose to ignore their divine nature and to give in to the temptation of their human nature. As a result, their spirit died and their immortal body became mortal. We all reap the consequences of their choice.

God planned, before He created the world, to become man as Emmanuel (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 1:23). He paid the ransom for the sin debt of anyone who will choose to submit to His will rather than to our human desires or the devil's temptations (John 3:16-18; Romans 4:25, 5:6).

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 only 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). We live, move and have our existence in Christ alone (Acts 17:28).

The life, which we live in this body, is lived through the faith of God's holy Son (Galatians 2:20). We are united with Christ in our spirit, just as Jesus' humanity was united with God, while He lived on this earth.

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 and every action we take.

This affects our behavior and words 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, 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). Teach us how to walk in the divine nature of Christ in us.

Help us to live and move and have our being 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 (Acts 17:28). Thank You 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, help us to stay free from its destructive clutches (Galatians 5:1).

Thought for the Day:

God's Spirit, who raised Christ from the dead, now lives within our body through our spirit, and gives us His life. 

- Romans 8:11

Hope in God - Part 1

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During trials and setbacks, Satan discourages us and makes us doubt God's love. We lose our hope, until we totally surrender our human confidence, dreams and goals to God (Proverbs 3:5-6).

No matter how long or dreadful we suffer in this world, we never lose our hope in God (Psalm 39:7). His Saints love Him, because the Lord faithfully preserves those who are faithful to Him.

We can strengthen our heart and have strong courage, because our hope is in God, not in our self or what we want out of life (Psalm 31:23-24). God never abandons our soul or brings us to ruin.

He leads us in His path of life. We find fullness of joy in His presence; and as we serve Him, we are delighted all the days of our life (Psalm 16:10-11).

Even when we suffer with negative emotions like discouragement and stress, we can still hope in God. As we praise Him, He puts a smile on our lips, a twinkle in our eyes and a jaunt in our steps (Psalm 42:5-6).

He encourages us and our soul rejoices as we remember His goodness and provision (Psalm 42:11). As we hope in God we hear His voice and recognize Him as our Lord and Savior (Psalm 38:15).

As we remember all that God does for us and the words He speaks to us, we set our hope in Him. He comforts us in our trials and His Son and His Word give us life (Psalm 78:7, 119:49-50).

Prayer:

Father God, You are our hiding place in times of insecurity and our shield when life frightens us (Psalm 119:114). Our soul waits for You, more than the night watchmen eagerly wait for the morning, and we put all of our hope in Your Word (Psalm 130:5-6).

Those who do not have a personal relationship with You are sick at heart, but our desire is for You. You bless us with Your life within us (Proverbs 13:12; John 14:6). As we walk in Your righteous ways, we have peace and joy (Proverbs 10:28).

Thought for the Day:

We continually hope in God and praise Him more and more every day. - Psalm 71:14

To Speak or Not to Speak

Read: 1 Timothy 5:13

“It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.” – Proverbs 20:3

I have recently been contemplating where my responsibility to the Body of Christ ends and where meddling begins. As a Pastor’s wife, do I have a responsibility for the watch care of the flock? Do I owe them any type of spiritual advice or is that taking my role too far?

In today’s society, people resent it when we stick our nose into their business. Even if we are trying to be kind and helpful, what they view as our interference often offends them. They do not even appreciate it when we share sound doctrine with them, or try to enlighten them in some area in which they obviously lack wisdom. Due to their previous experiences with other people, they hide behind thick walls they erect to protect themselves from pain and abuse.

Erecting rigid boundaries is similar to living in a house surrounded by a huge wall without a gate. Not one person is allowed within the borders. These boundaries are too rigid, and those within them live in fear of failure, rejection, abuse and life. They appear aloof and distant, and do not talk about their feelings or show emotions. They exhibit extreme self-sufficiency, and do not ask for help. They do not allow anyone to get physically or emotionally close to them. On the other hand, those whose boundaries are too loose often lead chaotic lives, full of drama, as if they lived in houses with no fences, gates, locks or even doors.

So, my question is…why do we even try to help one another? I really am very busy with my own life. I do not have any need to invade someone else’s privacy to feel better about myself. I have no desire to censure their behavior or to add to their weight of condemnation. Although I prefer learning from someone else’s mistakes, most people do not. They eventually learn from their own experience, even if it is the hard way. They form their own convictions and conclusions by listening to sermons and reading God’s Word, so why should I feel any form of compulsion to make their life better or easier by sharing what God taught me in situations similar to theirs?

Those with healthy boundaries are comfortable with who they are, and they make others comfortable around them. They live in houses with fences instead of walls, and they erect gates that allow access only to those who respect their boundaries. They give and accept support. They respect their feelings, needs, opinions, and rights as wells as those of others. They are very clear about owning only their own feelings, needs, opinions and rights.

They respect their separateness. They are responsible for their own happiness and allow others to be responsible for their own happiness. They are assertive rather than aggressive, and they respect the right of others to be confident. They are able to negotiate and compromise. They have empathy for others. They are able to make mistakes without damaging their self-esteem. They have an internal sense of personal identity in Christ. They respect diversity and appreciate hearing another person’s opinion or advice.

Jesus loved people. He did not even take the time to form friendships or relationships with them first. He just prophetically spoke what He heard His Father tell Him to share. He spent countless hours teaching them, healing them, instructing them and miraculously feeding them, until He finally laid down His life for them.

In today’s society, however, we must first earn the right to have these same deeply spiritual conversations with people by forming a friendship with them in which we lay down our life for them in some way. We have to prove to them that we care, so that they will know that our instruction flows from this same concern for their welfare. Then, when they trust us, we can nurture them if they allow us the opportunity to do so.

Unsolicited advice is rarely appreciated, so I am going to take down my counselor’s “shingle” and stick to being a friend, until one at a time someone allows me to also be their mentor.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help your Body to build gates into their walls, which they use to protect themselves from any invasion into their privacy. Show them that they are wise to keep out certain people, but not everyone; and that they need this gate to let safe people into their lives.

Thought for the Day:

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. - Proverbs 11:13