March 2006
 The
purpose of the Monthly view is to affect
the way people see God and the way they
see His love for them. It is God's desire
that you know He loves you so much, that
He gave His only Son, so that everyone
who believes in Him will not perish, but
have eternal life. 1
Childhood Memories
Like many of you, I memorized
John 3:16 as a child, never realizing
that it would lodge in my mind to be useful
to bring me to Christ years later. The
verse pricked my heart when I overheard
a young lady sharing it with an inmate
she was visiting. I turned to my visitor
with excitement and said, "That's
right, God did so love the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but
have everlasting life." She thought
I had lost my mind, but in reality, the
Lord was opening my eyes to understand
God's love for me. 2
My parents took me to
church with them from almost the day I
was born. I remember so well the Sunday
schools and the grape juice and crackers
I wanted so badly, but was told I was
too young. Every summer, I would go to
vacation Bible school, sing songs, memorize
Scripture. One year, I put together a
kit of the tabernacle of God, that Moses
built in the wilderness. But still, my
desires for things that felt good and
seemed to fulfill my lust of the flesh,
won the battle for my heart.
I was ignorant of the
things of God, causing me to have a foolish
heart. 3 I had so
much to learn about life, but I thought
I knew it all, especially more than my
parents. I had a classic case of rebellion,
not knowing that I had so much to learn
about life, not only mentally, but spiritually.
My closed mind was full of darkness, I
was far away from the life of God, because
I had shut my mind and hardened my heart
against Him. I did not care anything about
right and wrong, and I gave myself over
to immoral ways. My life was filled with
all kinds of impurity and greed. 4
How About You?
Is your spiritual condition
similar to mine before Christ? Satan,
the god of this world, has blinded the
minds of those who don't believe, so they
are unable to see the glorious light of
the Good News that is shining upon them.
They don't understand the message we preach
about the glory of Christ, who is the
exact likeness of God. 5
It is our many thoughts
that blind our minds. It is well recognized
that as a man thinks in his heart [inner
man], so is he. 6
The unbeliever is enslaved by his or her
fleshy thoughts, but once the Holy Spirit
is invited into our hearts, the mind begins
a progressive healing called sanctification.
7 My chart called
We Are What We Think
can help one to understand the healing
process that takes a lifetime. Though
our bodies are dying, our inner being
is being renewed every day. 8
One tool Satan has used
to blind the minds of the unbeliever is
the theory of evolution. This false teaching
challenges the reality of creation which
is the very heart of the Good News of
Christ. For God, who said, "Let there
be light in the darkness," has made
us understand that this light is the brightness
of the glory of God that is seen in the
face of Jesus Christ. This precious treasure
is the light and power that now shines
within us, so everyone can see that our
glorious power is from God and is not
our own. 9
Let Go & Let God
The believer's life consists
of denying ourselves, taking up our cross
and following Jesus. 10
Our sufficiency for healing is solely
through the power of Christ's blood, death
and resurrection. 11
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
nailed the passions and desires of their
sinful nature to His cross and crucified
them there. If we are living now in the
Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's
leading in every part of our lives. 12
The temptation often
comes to lay down the cross and take up
the power of the flesh. Jewish believers
in the New Testament were tempted to return
to the law of Moses to seek the righteousness
of God, which made meaningless the grace
of God. For if we could be saved by keeping
the law, then there was no need for Christ
to die. 13 Similarly,
we learn from an early age that being
good earns rewards. This good, like the
law, does not earn salvation, since God
saves us by His grace when we believe.
And we can't take credit for this; it
is a gift from God. Salvation is not a
reward for the good things we have done,
so none of us can boast about it. For
we are God's masterpiece. He has created
us anew in Christ, so that we can do the
good things He planned for us long ago.
14
The Lord said through
the Prophet Isaiah that He will keep those
in perfect peace, whose minds are stayed
on Him, because they trust in Me. 15
We are to run with endurance the race
that God has set before us. We do this
by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Originator
and Perfector of our faith. He was willing
to die a shameful death on the cross because
of the joy He knew would be His afterward.
Now He is seated in the place of highest
honor on God's throne in heaven. 16
Living The New Life
The secret to Christian
living is the recognition that you have
died with Christ, and He has set you free
from the evil powers of this world. Don't
keep on following religious rules of the
world such as "Don't handle, don't
eat, don't touch." Such legalistic
rules are mere human teachings about things
that are gone as soon as we use them.
These rules may seem wise because they
require strong devotion, humility, and
severe bodily discipline. But they have
no effect when it comes to conquering
a person's evil thoughts and desires.
17
Rather do this: since
you have been raised to new life with
Christ, set your sights on the realities
of heaven, where Christ sits at God's
right hand in the place of honor and power.
Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not
think only about things down here on earth.
For you died when Christ died, and your
real life is hidden with Christ in God.
And when Christ, who is your real life,
is revealed to the whole world, you will
share in His glory. 18
Remember, the most important
piece of clothing you wear is love. Love
is what binds us together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace that comes from Christ
rule in your hearts. For as members of
one body you are called to live in peace.
And always be thankful. Let the words
of Christ, in all their richness, live
in your heart and make you wise. Use His
words to teach and counsel each other.
Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
to God with thankful hearts. And whatever
you do or say, let it be as a representative
of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving
thanks through Him to God the Father.
19
Be Happy In Christ
The Good News of Jesus
Christ is the power of God that brings
salvation. It reveals the righteousness
of God by faith. 20
King David spoke of this, describing the
happiness of an undeserving sinner who
is declared to be righteous: "Oh,
what joy for those whose disobedience
is forgiven, whose sins are put out of
sight. Yes, what joy for those whose sin
is no longer counted against them by the
Lord." 21
This happiness comes
by faith. For the Scriptures tell us,
"Abraham believed God, so God declared
him to be righteous." 22
Now this wonderful truth, that God declared
him to be righteous, wasn't just for Abraham's
benefit. It was for us too, assuring us
that God will also declare us to be righteous
when we believe in God, who brought Jesus
our Lord back from the dead. He was handed
over to die because of sins, and He was
raised from the dead to make us right
with God. 23
And so, dear Christian
friends, I plead with you to give your
bodies to God. Let them be a living and
holy sacrifice, the kind He will accept.
When you think of what He has done for
you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy
the behavior and customs of this world,
but let God transform you into a new person
by changing the way you think. Then you
will know what God wants you to do, and
you will know how good and pleasing and
perfect His will for you really is. 24
A Prayer For You...
Heavenly Father, strengthen
me with Your glorious power so that I
will have all the patience and endurance
I need. May I be filled with joy, always
thanking You Father, who has enabled me
to share the inheritance that belongs
to Your holy people, who live in the light.
For You have rescued me from the one who
rules the kingdom of darkness, and You
have brought me into the Kingdom of Your
dear Son. You have purchased my freedom
with Your blood and have forgiven my sins.
Oh, how happy You have made me. I rejoice
in everything you have done, and give
thanks. Amen!
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