"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away: behold, all things become new"
Well, it has been 2 weeks since the last devotional posting due to time constraints around Christmas. Either way, happy new year to all. It's funny how this all worked out, but this is the verse God put on my heart 2 weeks ago. Fitting for a new year. Paul in this letter to the second Corinthians, is addressing the change that should be apparent in us when we give our lives to Christ. The word for new in the Greek there is, kainos. It means to be new in nature as when compared to the old. This is something that is the telltale mark of a truly born again Christian. Before, maybe you were a womanizer, drug user, alcoholic, etc. Now in Christ those old ways have passed on. Don't get me wrong, they are still there but they are rendered dead when we are in Christ. Do they flare up at times? Sure. It's a matter of whether or not we practice these things still. I mean, have you ever come across someone, or has someone noticed it about you, when they say, there's something different about you. Your not the same. That's a good sign your on the right track. It's not working to be different, you just are. The Holy Spirit in you has changed you. Those old ways have no hold over you anymore. I know some people that were raging alcoholics or drug users, but when they surrendered to Christ, man are they a different person. Does it mean we have to be all smiles and that nothing ever goes wrong? You know those types, you've seen them at church. All is always perfect. Nothing ever goes wrong in their life. It's not possible. Jesus himself said in John's gospel 16:33 that in this life we shall have tribulations. Notice shall, not might, but shall. Things will go wrong from time to time, but that is from our perspective. God allows things into our life to mold us and shape us into the image of Christ. So being a new creation does not entitle us to a problem free life. What it does is change our attitude and perspective to look at things through the eye's of Christ. Do I always do that? Not a chance. I want to. That's part of the old nature that is being worked out of me. How about you? What old part of you needs some renovation? I dare you to ask the Lord and see what happens. So with this new year upon us, I encourage you and me to get real with God and seek Him earnestly. With so much going on and the world spiraling out of control, His return is sooner than before. May you be blessed this year, and prosper in whatever way God see's fit for you. May you have the strength to endure through the hard times.
Sincerely Bob.
old things are passed away: behold, all things become new"
Well, it has been 2 weeks since the last devotional posting due to time constraints around Christmas. Either way, happy new year to all. It's funny how this all worked out, but this is the verse God put on my heart 2 weeks ago. Fitting for a new year. Paul in this letter to the second Corinthians, is addressing the change that should be apparent in us when we give our lives to Christ. The word for new in the Greek there is, kainos. It means to be new in nature as when compared to the old. This is something that is the telltale mark of a truly born again Christian. Before, maybe you were a womanizer, drug user, alcoholic, etc. Now in Christ those old ways have passed on. Don't get me wrong, they are still there but they are rendered dead when we are in Christ. Do they flare up at times? Sure. It's a matter of whether or not we practice these things still. I mean, have you ever come across someone, or has someone noticed it about you, when they say, there's something different about you. Your not the same. That's a good sign your on the right track. It's not working to be different, you just are. The Holy Spirit in you has changed you. Those old ways have no hold over you anymore. I know some people that were raging alcoholics or drug users, but when they surrendered to Christ, man are they a different person. Does it mean we have to be all smiles and that nothing ever goes wrong? You know those types, you've seen them at church. All is always perfect. Nothing ever goes wrong in their life. It's not possible. Jesus himself said in John's gospel 16:33 that in this life we shall have tribulations. Notice shall, not might, but shall. Things will go wrong from time to time, but that is from our perspective. God allows things into our life to mold us and shape us into the image of Christ. So being a new creation does not entitle us to a problem free life. What it does is change our attitude and perspective to look at things through the eye's of Christ. Do I always do that? Not a chance. I want to. That's part of the old nature that is being worked out of me. How about you? What old part of you needs some renovation? I dare you to ask the Lord and see what happens. So with this new year upon us, I encourage you and me to get real with God and seek Him earnestly. With so much going on and the world spiraling out of control, His return is sooner than before. May you be blessed this year, and prosper in whatever way God see's fit for you. May you have the strength to endure through the hard times.
Sincerely Bob.
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