God makes us new

If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Do you ever wish you could have a “do-over,” a chance to go back and do something differently, to avoid a big mistake you made? Most of us can recall times when we did something foolish or sinful.

We wish we could take back that one conversation or email, that one deed that remains imprinted on our minds. Perhaps some of us wonder whether God could ever accept us with such a blemish in our past.

The good news of Jesus is that God makes us new. He not only wipes away our past sins; he creates a new person by reconciling us to himself through Jesus. When we confess our fall from the goodness of God’s created intent for us, God offers us the gift of redemption in Jesus. When we trust in Christ, God does not count our sins against us. What a gracious gift!

This awesome truth gives us new freedom as we live. God knows that we are sinners, but our status at the judgment is not “sinner.” Instead, we are redeemed and newly created in Christ. God sees in us the perfect love of Jesus. He calls us to live for Jesus and to share the good news of his love with other sinners who are in need of the same grace.

God has given us something better than a do-over. He forgives us and makes us new in Jesus.

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Jesus, you rule over all things by your Word and Spirit

“What is this? A new teaching—and with authority!” —Mark 1:27

When Jesus comes on the scene, something new happens. Our hope, our longing for change, takes on a different shape. Hurting people, sinful temptations, human brokenness, and disease are confronted with authority.

The people in this story recognized Jesus’ authority in regard to two specific things: his teaching and his power over impure spirits (demons). There was something about Jesus that made him different from the other religious teachers of his day. In fact, this is the first thing mentioned in Mark’s gospel about Jesus’ public ministry: it was a ministry of authority.

We often long to witness the authority of Christ confronting diseases, financial hardships, broken friendships, and injustices of all kinds today. But we do not pause as often to consider the spiritual dimensions of our suffering. The apostle Paul reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12). Rather, we contend with demonic powers that want us to think that our circumstances, not our hearts, are the problem.

It’s worth noting that Jesus’ teaching, not just his healing, triggered a reaction from the crowds. But “being amazed,” by itself, is not a response to authority. Jesus’ teaching demands either submission or rebellion. He calls us to bring our hurts, our diseases, and our hearts under his authority. How will you respond?

Prayer

Jesus, you rule over all things by your Word and Spirit. Enter our lives with your authority today, we pray. Amen.

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“Are we there yet?”

Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. (Mark 1:3)

 “Are we there yet?”

Parents often hear these words from their children as their family travels on a long trip—or even a short one. Young children have an underdeveloped sense of time and distance that prevents them from understanding how long a journey will take.

God’s people often have an underdeveloped sense of the gap that exists between our lives and God’s kingdom vision. We would like to think we are decent people who just need a few minor adjustments to become right with God. We might rationalize, “If I lose a little weight, try a little harder to be nice to my neighbours, and give a little money to charitable causes, then I will really have my life together.” In reality, there is much more that keeps us from God’s ideals.

The distance between God’s ideals and humanity’s ideals was so great that Jesus did not merely come into the world without advance preparation. God sent someone to get us ready for him. John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, came to help people recognize that the condition of this world needed a major turnaround. He called God’s people to repent and to experience a new way of life (not just a few minor adjustments) that would be signified in baptism. John helped people to realize the problem before they could be prepared to see the solution in Christ.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me to glimpse the kind of glory you are calling me to, so that I am ready to make a radical turn from the ways of this world, to embrace you. In your name. Amen.

Taken from Today Daily Devotional.

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Be Full Of The Consciousness Of God

1 Corinthians 2:12

¹²Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

I believe that you know the story of David the shepherd boy who defeated the 10-foot-tall Goliath, a champion warrior. Ever wondered why David succeeded while the others failed? 

David’s secret was that he didn’t know defeat because he was not conscious of a God who cannot. He was only conscious of a God who had rescued him time and again.

You can imagine him saying, “One day, I was taking care of my sheep when a lion came and took one of them. I was not willing to settle for that! I went after the lion, caught it by its beard and smote it. The Lord delivered me from the lion’s mouth. On another occasion, a bear came and took one of my flock. I went after the bear and smote it. The Lord delivered me from the bear. This same God, who delivered me from the paws of the lion and bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:34–37)

David was conscious of what God had done for him. He knew that God was the one who was for him, loved him, favoured him and gave him success. You can also remind yourself that the same God, who did tremendous things in the past for you, will do the same for you again.

Be like David, who was full of the consciousness of God. Do not be like the army of Israel, who were full of the consciousness of the words of Goliath. I believe that they must have talked about Goliath’s threats, rehearsed his words and, as a result, filled their hearts with fear and trembling. (1 Samuel 17:11, 24)

Do not feed on man’s words nor the devil’s which only give you anxiety and fear. Feed on God’s Word by reading the Bible and listening to messages about who you are in Christ and what He has done for you. Pump yourself up with God’s Word until you are filled with the consciousness of God, that you might know the things that have been freely given to you by God!

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FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT

Luke 4:24, "And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country."

LUKE 4:16-30

A modern day equivalent of this verse is "familiarity breeds contempt." Those who know the most about us also know more of our faults than anyone else. As a general rule, our weaknesses will blind most people to our strengths.

However, in the case of Jesus, there were no faults or failures to bias these people. In this instance, the problem stemmed from the people's lack of perception. They knew Jesus better than most in the flesh, but they had failed to see who He was in the Spirit.

Jesus was God in all His power and majesty, yet He was clothed in flesh --a human in every respect (1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:3). These people looked on Jesus' outward appearance and failed to see God within (1 Sam. 16:7).

Likewise, we fail to see the potential in others and even in ourselves because of our preoccupation with the outward appearance and actions. But within every born again person is a new creation which is waiting to be released (2 Cor. 5:17). All it takes is someone who believes.

Today look beyond the exterior in yourself and others and help bring into reality what we can be in Christ.

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Be Conscious Of Your Position In Christ

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Have you ever noticed that in this verse, Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches”? He did not say, “I am the vine, try to be the branches.” In other words, He wants us to realise that we already are the branches. We do not have to struggle to become the branches. 

And as His branches, we only have to abide or remain in Christ our vine. How do we do that? We do that simply by being conscious every day of our position in Christ. 

Because we have received Christ, we are in Christ and are accepted in the Beloved. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:6) God accepts us because we are in the Beloved and He is in us. And that is how God sees us today when we come into His presence. 

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Blessed Wherever You Are

Deuteronomy 28:3                       

3“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

You may have heard of people who think that to have better “luck”, they have to move to a new home, work for a certain company or even migrate to another country.

The truth is that it is not the place that gets you the blessings, but whether God’s blessings are on you. And for you, child of God, you are already blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:20) He has paid for your blessings with His blood. So the blessing is not on the land but on the man!

It was in the city of Jerusalem that Jesus was whipped, cursed and spat on. And it was outside the city on Calvary’s hill that He was pierced and crucified. That is why you are blessed in the city as well as outside in the country! In fact, you are blessed regardless of the location. 

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