The Light of the World in Us

As God’s children, our function, even in our secular employment, becomes a consecrated focus for the Kingdom of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Through us, Jesus answers the phone, types the letter, paints the house, repairs the machines, calculates the budget, delivers the supplies, nurses the patients, supervises the workforce, works on the assembly line, cooks the food, repairs vehicles, waits on tables, administrates the office, etc.  

When we realize this, the stress of our job lifts off our shoulders and rests squarely on Christ in us. We seek to do His will in our vocation, because He is actually our employer.

God gave us our job and He funds our paychecks. We bless our earthly employer with our conscientious work ethic, and we stay open to the Spirit’s direction in order to help a hurting employee or to lead a hungry soul to Christ.

All the while, our union with Christ brings us to the point of total serenity. We find complete peace within and then walk in His love and joy as we follow the leading of the Lord’s Spirit for each moment of our day.

We no longer see problems in life, but view them as opportunities for God to show Himself strong on our behalf. He uses us in every adverse circumstance to shed His light on those around us.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, our unity with You comes because You dwell within us by Your Spirit. As we submit our life to You, You swallow up our humanity, and we unite as individual members of Your singular Body (1 Corinthians 12:12, 26). We develop in our unity in the faith, in our knowledge of who we are in You, and we mature in our spiritual understanding until we walk in the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). You make us the light of the world through Christ in us.

Clear our mind for us of earthly concerns and teach us to center our thoughts on Your goodness and grace. We decrease, so that You can increase within us. Take over more and more of our life on a daily basis (John 3:30) and lead us in Your will and way. We give You all of the praise and glory for everything we accomplish for Your Kingdom in our lifetime.  

Thought for the Day:

God leads us to become as a little child and to trust Him implicitly, because it is only then that we will enter the fullness of the Kingdom of God now and throughout eternity. 

– Matthew 18:3

The Complete Truth about Life

The wisdom and power of life come only from the crucified Christ who abides within us (1 Corinthians 23-24). We cannot boast in our own knowledge or abilities (1 Corinthians 4:7; 5:6). Neither can we dwell on the negative aspects of our life.

We look above and beyond every issue to Jesus who is our wisdom and our joy (John 15:11). In order to live daily in God’s peace, we develop the habit of making Jesus the center of our focus.

Submitting to God’s Spirit as He crucifies our carnal humanity, we exalt Christ’s divinity within us (Galatians 2:20). Once we reach this place of dying to our self, our soul truly prospers (1 Corinthians 15:31; 3 John 1:2).

As we share in Christ’s peace and glory, we optimistically face our cross each day (Hebrews 12:2-3). We always totally depend upon, confide in and seek the Lord concerning all of our thoughts, feelings, instincts and leadings.

God teaches us to never rely on our own heart, suspicions or perceptions. In everything we do, we are sure to identify the leading of God’s Spirit first, become increasingly acquainted with His Word about the issues or event, and submit our will to His (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Then, God can guide us and straighten out any uphill paths that may be in our way. We do not ever trust in our self or entertain an exalted opinion of our self.

Respecting the Lord, we walk away from anything that we sense is evil. Living by God's Word brings health to our body and nourishment to our bones (Proverbs 3:7-8).

When we choose the will of God over our own will, and we grow steadily in our union with Christ; we grow more like Him with each passing day (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). Jesus is all we need (Colossians 3:3-4).

Prayer:

Father God, You give us Your wisdom when we lack understanding (James 1:5). If we feel inferior or inadequate, You remind us that we are children of the King, and He will never leave us or forsake us (Ephesians 2:6; Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:13).

If Satan plagues us with guilt over our past, remind us that Jesus removes condemnation for those who trust in Him (Romans 8:1). In our times of trouble, help us to direct our cares to Your safe keeping, because You truly do care about every aspect of our life (1 Peter 5:7). We thank You that Christ in us gives us peace in exchange for our worries (Philippians 4:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:7; John 14:27).

Thought for the Day:

Our human plans often operate on impulses, and are otherwise the results of us reasoning things out; however, we are never quite able, apart from Christ, to come to understand the complete truth about life. 

- 2 Timothy 3:6-7

Course Corrections

In many areas of life, circumstances call on us to change our direction. We may wander from the path that leads us straight to our destination or we may get sidetracked by useless quests that waste our time, energy and resources.

We may inadvertently take the wrong road, causing us to circle the block or to go to the next exit on the interstate. We may have to change jobs, houses, neighborhoods, church family, cars, clothing styles, etc.

These alterations may make more sense to us, streamline our life or put us in touch with more people who share similar convictions. Or they may grieve our soul - our mind, will and emotions - and cause us more stress that our system can handle.

We may make a change due to income reduction or increase, a move to a new zip code with alterations in expenses, our vehicle wearing out, our company downsizing and eliminating our position, our clothing hopelessly out of date, our vocation changing midstream in life, etc.

We may feel a need to find freedom from restraints, which tied us down and robbed us of our health, mental stability and joy in life. If we make these changes due to deceptive entanglements suggested by the world, our flesh or the devil, our relief is short-lived.

However, if we are walking in the Spirit, these changes will undoubtedly bring us closer to God and true fulfillment (Galatians 5:15-25). In the Spirit, we are allured less by our flesh and Satan's offered trinkets, and we stop following these imprudent priorities, trivial pursuits and useless ambitions (Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20).

Intimacy with God and meaningful interactions with the world around us replace our self-centered goals. Some people fear to make these changes due to visions of living a boring life void of fun, relaxation and wholesome challenges. Yet, we soon find that living in the center of God's will is the happiest and most stress-free place on earth (1 Peter 1:3).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to save and redeem us from this sin-cursed earth. We rejoice that we are merely sojourners in this world, and that our true home is in Heaven (Romans 1:4). Remind us that You planned our birth in order to fulfill Your plan for us (Ephesians 2:8-10); and following any other course will send us further from Your joy and peace.

We thank You for cleansing us from sin and selfish ambition and giving us Jesus as our role model. We live to serve You with every breath in our body. We look forward to our resurrection into a life completely immersed in You (Matthew 28:6). We glory in the life, which You provide for us on this earth and on into eternity. Stir us up to love and good words and give us Your joy as our strength (Hebrews 10:24).

Thought for the Day:

When we walk as a new creation in Christ, we find our true fulfillment in Him; we live by the direction of His Spirit; and we find the peace and joy, which only comes from loving God with our whole heart, mind, will and strength. 

- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Finding Freedom in Surrender - Surrendering to the Joy of the Lord

Paying attention to our body, soul and spirit during each minute of the day helps us to leave the past behind us and not to worry about the future as we surrender to the joy of the Lord within us.

Sipping purified water all day long will help keep our body running smoothly. A healthy body promotes a healthy soul and spirit. We focus on each moment of time as God gives it to us and we learn to walk by the direction of His Spirit.

Random acts of kindness go a long way to spread God's love to the world around us: paying for someone's groceries for them; allowing someone to go ahead of us, so they can pull out of a side street into the flow of traffic; holding a door open for a senior citizen; and taking other opportunities for small acts of consideration that God may lead us to do.

Hiking or picnicking out in nature enables us to appreciate the intricacies of God's creation. We see how fearfully and wonderfully we are really made when we observe nature all around us (Psalm 149:14).

These areas of submission to God's Spirit help us to learn to surrender our goals and agenda to His guidance and direction. This keeps us in the center of God's will - the happiest place on earth.

We promote our Godly focus by taking a few moments to breathe deeply as we watch a sunset or sunrise; erecting a bird feeder and watching nature in action, which gives us a sense of completion; living a life of praise for every circumstance in life (Philippians 4:4).

Planting a flower garden that attracts pollinators not only promotes our future, but gives us joy as we watch them enjoying the sweet nectar of life.

Surrendering to the Lord keeps us from careening though life on the fast track. It changes our attitude to a positive, unhurried one that promotes peace and joy in our spirit and soul.

Prayer:

Father God, with Your love and power within us, we can change our world one person at a time. Teach us to use discernment as we follow others as they follow Christ, so that we can avoid the tainted advice of false prophets (1 John 4:4).

We surrender to You our personal identity, autonomy, and goals. We relinquish our fears, discouragement, and false assumptions and expectations. Help us not to cling to our erroneous dreams of worldly success and to focus instead on furthering Your Kingdom in the earth.

Thought for the Day:

When we are so fully grafted into the Vine that our personal identity is completely wrapped up in God's, we experience joy that only comes through total surrender to the will of God.

God's Redemptive Work in Us

When Christ takes possession of our spirit, He gives us His rest for our soul – our mind, will and emotions. We live in ceaseless wonder at the sacrifice He made for us, and the heavenly home, which He provides for us, as we abide in Him forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

His righteousness, peace and joy give us a new life, which replaces our life of worry, abuse and deprivation (Romans 14:17). He provides all of our needs according to His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). 

By faith, we accept His sacrifice on our behalf (Hebrews 7:22), and we submit to His Spirit as He crucifies the deeds of our flesh (Romans 15:16). We accept the work of Christ on the cross for us, which gives us eternal salvation simply by our authentic relationship with Him (John 17:3).

We no longer seek to sanctify our self by crucifying our flesh or by our works for God (Galatians 3:1-3). We do not work for God, but Christ lives and works in and through us (Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 2:10).

As we rely on our triune God, He sanctifies us through our union with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2,30), the washing of the water of His Word (Ephesians 5:26) and our obedience to His Word (Hebrews 12:14; 2 Timothy 2:21-22).

We are the sons of God (1 John 3:2), members of Christ’s Body (Romans 12:5), the Bride of Christ, and we are filled through all of our being with the fruit of His Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Our justification, sanctification and glorification are not obtained through our human effort, but by the work of our triune God within us (Titus 3:5). God provides our sanctification (Hebrews 8:10-12; Philippians 2:12-13), Jesus is the instrument of our sanctification (Ephesians 5:26), and the Holy Spirit does the work of sanctification within us (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Prayer:

Father God, Your Word is truth and You sanctify us by it (John 17:17). We are heirs of Your promise (Ephesians 3:6). We find our rest in Your everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27). Thank You for giving us Jesus as both the fulfillment and the guarantee of Your covenant with us. We know that we have eternal life because of the witness of Your Holy Spirit within us. We depend on You and Your lifeline of grace, peace and joy.

You cause us to walk in Your ways and to keep your statutes (Ezekiel 36:7), and You give us Your assurance by Your promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).  Teach us to walk in Your Spirit so that we do not fulfill the lusts of our flesh, and so that we shall live in the center of Your will each moment of every day (Ephesians 2:10, Galatians 5:15-25).

Thought for the Day:

The more we abide in Christ, obey His Word and walk in His Spirit, the deeper we realize the security and blessings of our position and promise in Him.

Hidden Life in Christ

When we come to Christ, our spirit is Born Again out of darkness and Adam's sin, and our soul - our thoughts, emotions and choices - is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3-4).

We are safe, secure, peaceful and joyful in this hidden place - under His wings and secure in His everlasting arms. This world is no longer a fearful and anxiety-filled existence as we trust in His love.

The fame, fortune and success of this world is fleeting and changeable without warning; therefore, it befits us to focus our thoughts, affections and pursuits on the purposes of God for us (Colossians 3:2).

We are a new creation and God meets us with each new morning to give us His plan for every moment of our life (Colossians 3:10). We walk in victory over Satan, our flesh and this sin-cursed world (Mark 10:27).

God saved us from the penalty and punishment of our sins - past, present and future (1 John 1:9; Romans 6:23). He moves into our spirit and abides there forever (2 Corinthians 1:3; John 1:3).

We have a God-inspired desire to walk out our sanctification as He gives us the power (Philippians 2:12-13). His Spirit teaches us everything we need to know to enjoy a successful life of holiness, peace and joy (1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:3).

Prayer:

Father God, we are never more fulfilled than when we walk close to You through Christ in us. You change our nature from a carnal, earthly, fleshly one to a new character full of purity, Godliness and spirituality (2 Corinthians 3:18). You give us a way out of every future temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

You walk with us every moment of every day, giving us Your strength to go through every trial and You deliver us from every issue (Philippians 2:12). With our mind focused on You, we walk in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Our deepest affections are reserved just for You as we live a life of praise to Your name.

Thought for the Day:

When we focus on life through a carnal perception, we experience stress, anxiety, anger and many other negative emotions; yet, when we focus with an eternal perspective, we are only interested in God’s intentions, instructions and His inclusion of us in His plans.

The Kingdoms of Our Lord

The Kingdom of God was prepared before the creation of the world, and it came into existence with the birth of Jesus Christ. It is alive within the spirit of every Born Again Believer (Matthew 25:34, Luke 17:21; Matthew 5:3).

We repent of our sinful lifestyle and place all of our trust in Jesus (John 3:16-18). The flesh, the world and the devil try to prevent the Kingdom of God from advancing both is us and through us.

However, Jesus chose us, called us and faithfully keeps us by the power of His Spirit within us (Revelation 17:14). Then, He gives us the gift of His eternal life and His righteousness in exchange for the filthy rags of our dead works (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8; Isaiah 64:6).

The Kingdom is not yet visible, but is growing within us nonetheless (Luke 17:20). We refuse to hide our light under a basket, but we let it shine like a city sitting on a hill (Matthew 5:14).

The Kingdom of God in us is every bit as powerful and fulfilling as that which will come when Christ returns to the earth. All of the power of the triune Godhead resides in Christ, and He dwells within us.

As we yield our life to Jesus, He lives sovereign and supreme in and through us (Colossians 3:3-4). When we surrender to our reigning King, He does the works through each authentic Believer, which He did while He lived on the earth.

Now and in eternity, we will experience everything that God prepared for those who love Him; things that we cannot even imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9). We look forward to the Lamb of God ruling as our King forever and ever (Revelation 5:13).

Prayer:

Father God, Your Spirit transforms our mind into the mind of Christ until He is all and in all in our life (Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:11). When Christ takes up His throne in His earthly Kingdom, You will remove from the earth every bit of sin remaining here. You provide for Your Saints by making us co-heirs with Jesus as His Body and as His Bride.

Your will shall reign supreme for eternity (Matthew 6:10, 13:41; 1 Corinthians 15:25-28). King Jesus will put all things under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:22-28). Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is our Lord and King forever and ever (Philippians 2:9-11).

Thought for the Day:

Satan and the flesh vie to dethrone Christ in our life with deception such as self-importance, apathy, negligence and worldliness; they want to regain control over our body and soul; yet, Christ in us is greater and draws us closer to Himself with each passing day.