Abundant Life

Humans foolishly count our worth by the fame, fortune and success we achieve in this world. These are fleeting and transitory and can change with an unforeseen event in an instant.

As followers of Christ, we no longer pursue aspects pertaining to this earthly realm, but we focus our mind, affections and goals on the purposes of God for us (Colossians 3:2).

God changes our nature from carnal, earthly flesh to one full of purity, Godliness and spirituality (2 Corinthians 3:18). He gives us a way out of every future temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

On top of that, He saves us from the punishment of our sins (Romans 6:23). Then He moves into our spirit to live His life through us.

Once we come to an epiphany of our union with Christ, anything is possible, according to the will of God (Mark 10:27). God graciously forgives our sin debt (1 John 1:9).

We no longer desire to fulfill the deeds of the flesh in our mortal body; because we are putting on the new self, which Jesus is renewing within us (Colossians 3:10).

When we focus on our life with an earthly perception, we experience stress, anxiety, anger and many other negative emotions. The consequences of our choices and actions follow us into eternity.

We are never more fulfilled than when we are walking closest to God through Christ in us. He walks with us every moment of every day, giving us His strength to go through every trial, making them adventures in which we can find His joy (Philippians 2:12).

Prayer:

Father God, with our mind focused on You, we walk in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Our deepest affections are reserved just for You. As we focus on this life with an eternal perspective, we are only interested in Your intentions, instructions and inclusion of us in Your plans.

Your peace, which transcends all human understanding, fills our heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). We want nothing more than to bask in Your presence and to walk in step with You through each moment of our life.

Thought for the Day:

True abundance in this life only comes when we adopt a spiritual purpose. - Matthew 6:19-21

God's Inner Peace Leads Us

 

God designed us with His perfect will in mind for our life (Ephesians 2:10). It always starts with salvation through Christ, through which we receive eternal life starting at that moment of our true repentance (John 6:40).

Then, He calls us to a life of holiness to exhibit His glory in the earth (1 Peter 1:15). He teaches us patience through the events which we suffer (James 1:4-8). We gain contentment as He fills us with His joy and teaches us to pray without ceasing - full of gratitude for all of His provision (Philippians 4:12; John 14:27).

Slowly but consistently, God's Spirit conforms us to His Son's image, and we join Him as the family of God (Romans 8:29). We grow closer in our union with Him through every difficulty and blessing which He brings our way.

Entering into His will through our faith in Christ Jesus, we continue on His plan for our life through each decision we make. We hear His Spirit direct us in the minutest details of our day; telling us to turn to our right or to our left (Isaiah 30:21).

The key in this walk is to make time to listen to God's Spirit within us, to repent of any sin He reveals in us, and not to ignore or argue with His direction for our day. Our Heavenly Father knows best.

This requires that we slow down the busyness of our schedule and to listen to His peaceful, quiet voice within us (Isaiah 30:15). Fulfillment is our reward when we seek the prize of the high calling of God, and purpose to do His will with our life rather than our own (Philippians 3:14).

Prayer:

Father God, Your Holy Spirit beckons us to follow Your will and to accomplish Your works with our life in this world (Ephesians 2:10). We often stray from Your perfect plan - drawn away by enticing situations and emergencies which compete for our attention (James 1:14).

Remind us to follow Your peace in every situation, regardless of the analytical, human thoughts in our mind (Proverbs 3:5-6). Help us to establish a daily quiet time, with continual spurts of attention given to Your direction all day long. When we follow Your advice on which way to turn, we never take the wrong road (Isaiah 30:21).

Thought for the Day:

God's guiding voice calls to us each moment of our day, but we can only hear it as we quiet the voices of the flesh, the world and the devil within us, and acknowledge God's will for every moment of our day. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Our True Identity in Christ

cChrist 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

Our Identity in Christ - Part 2

 

Our reality in life has nothing to do with this world, and everything to do with Christ (Colossians 2:17). We are risen with Christ, our life is now hidden in Him and He is our whole life (Colossians 3:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16).

In Christ, we enjoy all of the assets of insight and understanding, which we need in this life (Colossians 2:3). We are planted and nurtured in Him (Colossians 2:7). Through Christ in us, we have His character and nature in us (Colossians 2:9-10; 2 Peter 1:4).

Due to our union with Christ we give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18); we have the promise of life, faith, hope, and love (1 Timothy 1:1, 14; 2 Timothy 1:1); and we stand firm in our assurance in Him (1 Timothy 3:13).

As we gain our identity from our union with Jesus Christ, we can laugh at our short comings and find our fulfillment in the fact that He abides within us. We take our focus from our self and keep it on Christ.

Our identity in Christ leads us to lose interest in this life and in accumulating wealth and possessions. Instead, we turn our focus on spiritual matters and furthering God’s Kingdom now and for eternity.

We spend every waking moment praying for the lost and sharing with our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors about what Christ does in our life each day.

Many will reject us, but some will have spiritual ears to hear what God’s Holy Spirit is speaking to their heart through us (Mark 4:9). We will have the joy of watching another sinner, saved by grace, come to completion in Christ (Colossians 1:10).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for making it possible for us to be part of Your family for eternity. We know that Christ paid a horrendous price as a man on this earth to make this possible. We give Him all the praise, honor and glory as the Lamb slain before the formation of the earth (Revelation 13:8).

Remind us that sharing with the world about Your glorious provision in our life is such a small price to pay for all that You have given us. Give us the courage of our convictions to share our faith and Your faithfulness with everyone we meet.

Thought for the Day:

In Christ, our joy overflows. – Philippians 1:26