August 2011
Welcome to another monthly
view reminding you that God loves you! "God
showed His great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still
sinners. And since we have been made right
in God's sight by the blood of Christ, He
will certainly save us from God's judgment."1
A New Direction
Once in awhile, I receive
a letter that I must share with you so you
can rejoice together with me. This young
lady just lost her grandmother to cancer,
and writes:
"I'm new to God.
I picked up a Life Application Study Bible
and I am searching around for a church.
No one in my family goes to church, so
I'm doing this on my own. There's only
one lady at work that goes to church and
none of my friends do either. But still,
I'm doing it on my own. I'm easy with
meeting new people.
One person I know
who owns quite a few drug/alcohol/transitional
houses often speaks about how these are
God's houses. I was never in jail or lived
in a transitional, but he is one of the
few genuine people I know. He and his
wife were both in prison at one point,
but they are the neatest people.
Hopefully, I'll find
a good place and support system. It's
not drugs and alcohol, but it's family
relationships. My sister was always favored,
and I'm not quite sure why because I'm
smart, responsible, and athletic; but
I just never feel good around my family.
Thank you for your
time and website. It's getting me going
in the right direction."
The Right Direction
We're all going in the
wrong direction before we invite Jesus Christ
into our hearts. After He died for our sin
and resurrected, He sent the Holy Spirit
to "...convince the world of its sin,
and of God's righteousness, and of the coming
judgment."2
But the apostle Peter assures us that God
is merciful and does not want to punish
man, saying:
The Lord isn't really
being slow about His promise to return,
as some people think. No, He is being
patient for your sake. He does not want
anyone to perish, so He is giving more
time for everyone to repent."3
In this case, repentance
means to turn from sin to God for righteousness
through Christ's finished work on the cross.
He sent Jesus to take your judgment on Himself,
so you would not have to be judged by God.
In exchange, God gives you, by faith, the
righteousness that Jesus obtained. Through
His blood, His resurrected life, and the
gift of the Holy Spirit, He gives what you
could not earn.
The Gift of Righteousness
Right standing with God
is a free gift received by faith in God's
grace. His grace worked through the power
of the cross to make us right with Him.
"For God made Christ,
who never sinned, to be the offering for
our sin, so that we could be made right
with God through Christ."4
I wish everyone would go
to church, but going to church does not
make you right with God. You are not saved
by your ability, but by God's grace - His
ability.
"God saved you by His
special favor when you believed. And you
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."5
You are saved by trusting
in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation.
Salvation means to be rescued from sin,
self, and Satan. Jesus made you whole, healthy,
sound, free, victorious, prosperous, and
so much more.
The Believer's Identity
When you received Jesus
Christ by faith, you take on a whole new
identity in God's family. As you are transformed
[changed] by renewing your mind to your
new identity in Christ, you will rise above
your hurts, frustrations, and insecurities
of the past.
"What this means is that
those who become Christians become new
persons. They are not the same anymore,
for the old life is gone. A new life has
begun."6
This doesn't mean that
you will no longer struggle with the past.
Neither does it mean that trials and tribulations
are over. But it does mean that you are
a new person empowered by the Holy Spirit
to overcome because of your victory in Christ.
The most important thing
to do is to daily remind yourself of who
you are in God's family. This can be easily
done by clicking on The Believer's Identity.
Meditate and memorize these Scriptures until
you realize your new nature in Christ. And
remember, our latter end shall be greater
than our past
A Prayer For You ...
Heavenly Father, I pray
as Paul asked for Philemon: "That the
communication of my faith may be effectual
by the acknowledging of every good thing
which is in me in Christ Jesus."7 I
declare that my past no longer defines who
I am because I am a new creation in Christ.
I believe in the cleansing blood of Jesus
for my righteousness, and not my good works
or obedience to the law. I will not live
in the past. I will live a new, powerful
life of godliness, "...for the Kingdom
of God is righteousness, peace, and joy
in the Holy Ghost."8 I will yield to
the righteousness of Christ that lives in
me. Lord, I ask that you increase my faith
so that I will be conscious continually
of the revelation of my righteousness in
Christ. Amen.
Scripture References:
Acknowledgement: A special thanks
to Sherry for transcribing this months view!
|
