NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

When we share the gospel with people, some will respond negatively, but those whom God has chosen (and we may be surprised at which ones they are) will receive the gift of salvation in Jesus. We can rejoice in their new life, and our own, for SO many reasons: God has given us forgiveness of all sin, and eternity in heaven with Him! Sin is no longer our master. As we follow the leading of God’s Spirit and depend on Him, we receive the power to be godly. Christ lives in our hearts and changes our desires and behaviors (Phil. 2:13). He puts His laws in our minds and hearts (Heb. 8:10). We are one spirit with the Lord and have His mind and heart ((1 Cor. 6:17, 1 Cor. 2:16, Ez. 36:26-28). We receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1:3). The Spirit reveals to us what God has freely given us (1 Cor. 2:12). The list is endless. Knowing God Himself is our greatest blessing. His lovingkindnesses are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). How many mornings will there be in eternity? We will never fully explore the dimensions of His love. When we become God’s children, God’s people and His angels will praise Him for the glory of His grace (Eph. 1:6). We have become the light of the world and the fragrance of Christ, so His glory is revealed through us. Jesus gives believers His glory, so we may be one as He and the Father are one. It’s amazing how people who love Jesus become such close friends so quickly. Through this, God reveals Himself and His love to the world (John 17:22-23). And much much more!

FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS

Our pastor was telling of a time when his children were acting childish and he became impatient with them. Then he asked the Lord for help, and the Lord did help him to be more loving. I have been impatient with many people on many occasions. I find it helpful to picture Jesus in my mind, and to see His attitude and what He’s doing as He’s in the situation with me. It never fails that when I find people irritating, Jesus is steadfast in His love for them. Then I just remember that my life is in Him, and He is in me; and I can let His love flow through me to the people in my life. I believe that this is the “exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe” which is spoken of in Ephesians 1:19. It’s the power to love.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

“I…count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3:8-9 NKJV). “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14 NKJV). I usually think of righteousness as faith expressing itself through love (see Galatians 5:6). And it’s discouraging to think how small my faith is and how poorly I love. But there is error in this thinking, because righteousness is a gift from our Savior, purchased by His death on the cross. The wording of Philippians 3:8 seems to indicate that when we stop grading ourselves on our good works and simply receive the gift of righteousness in Christ, this is how we get to know Him. So if you, like me, ever feel bad about your lack of faith and love, you need only to remember that Jesus, not your performance, is your righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6, 1 Corinthians 1:30), and then you can begin to see Him as such.

THOUGHTS FROM EPHESIANS

“…with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:2-3 NKJV). Lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering, and forbearance do not come easily for me. But it helps to see that these verses include the motivation: love, and a desire for peace and unity. My husband is a peacemaker, and he displays great forbearance and gentleness because he’s motivated to preserve relationships. He points out that maintaining peace and unity includes not insisting on one’s own way, but working with people where they’re at. I’ve been through rough times with some of my daughters when there was strife and animosity between us. I don’t want things to be like that anymore, and this motivates me to imitate, by God’s grace, the gentleness and patience of Christ who laid down His life for those He loves. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. “’Be angry and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Eph. 4:30 NKJV). God gives us all day to get over our anger! That’s a lot more time than I’ve been giving to the people in my life, or to myself. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30 NKJV). Thank You, Lord, for letting us feel Your grief when we’re walking in an unloving manner. Then we can turn around and get back on the path of love.

INHERITANCE

“In Him…we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:11-12, NKJV). It seems that a Christian’s inheritance is the privilege of being “to the praise of His glory”. Not what you were hoping for? Oh, we’ll get mansions and streets of gold too, but that’s not the best part. When we see God’s glory, His love that is better than life, and His beautiful character, the only thing we’ll want is to praise Him. But it’ll be better than that: we will BE to the praise of His glory, meaning that we’ll be like Him and our lives will shine forth His glory; we’ll be participants in it. We will experience oneness with our beautiful, holy, glorious, loving Jesus! We can begin to experience this the day we are born again. First Corinthians 6:17 says, “…he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” Present tense.