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2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Encouraging Words…

“Behold, all things have become new.” What a powerful promise. In Adam I was a victim to death. In the New Adam, Christ, death has been defeated, i have been set free from the bondage of death and sin, and I can lead a new life, a full life, a sinless life. Even though I still choose to sin, in Christ my sins are forgiven, I am renewed and cleansed through Him. Glory be to God!

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus:that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Personal Challenge…

Our belief as Christians is so different than all other religions. We are not just commanded to live our lives a certain way, to meet a set of rules and requirements, but we are shown by the example of our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, what sacrificial living is like. He died so that we might live. He gave His all for us. My challenge is to follow in His footsteps and die both for Him and for my neighbor.

Luke 10:41-42

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Personal Challenge…

Jesus wants us to serve Him, to do good works for Him, but more importantly He wants us to love Him. It is so easy to get wrapped up in our acts of service that we forget the reason we are serving…to spread the Good News about Jesus and His love and sacrifice for mankind. All acts of service should be leading to this. All acts of service also need periods of rest and rejuvenation in Christ.

James 4:10

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Command with a Promise…

What an interesting God we serve. If I am weak He makes me strong. If I am poor He makes me rich. If I lower myself before Him, humble myself before His grandeur then He will lift me up. The important thing for me to remember here is that His economy is different than mankind’s. The strength, the richness, the lifting up, will be in His realm, in those areas He deems of value and not in the realm of mankind. My eyes must be looking toward His kingdom to see this.

2 Corinthians 4:16

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

Encouraging Words…

What a great promise this is. As I grow older I am watching this come to fruition. And as a child of God it is encouraging to know that He is at work renewing my inner man even as my physical body is deteriorating.

2 Corinthians 4:1

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

Personal Challenge…

It is so easy to forget that if we are attempting to live our lives to glorify Christ, our ministry, then there will be difficulties along the way. It is also easy to forget that often these difficulties will actually be spiritual warfare. All the more reason to be constantly aware that we have received God’s mercy and to not lose heart, for He is with us in the midst of these difficulties and warfare.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Personal Challenge…

How do I do this except in the power of Christ? As I prepared this morning to put Laura on an airplane back to home, I hurt for her as she continues to heal from her accident. Then I headed back up to Red Bluff to pick up my motorcycle and said goodbye to my parents. Tomorrow I say goodbye to two of my children, one of their spouses, and our newborn granddaughter, and head back to Ohio. And in the midst of all of this I am to rejoice and give thanks? How can I do this? In prayer! In Christ! For I can rejoice that all of these my loved ones are well and that God willing I will see them again soon. I can rejoice that I live in an age where I can talk to them on the phone or see them on Skype. I can live over 2,000 miles from my loved ones and interact with them on a regular basis. I can rejoice and be thankful that I have been able to spend this time with them and exchange our love for each other. Saying goodbye is hard and yet it is part of life and I am so blessed that I have so many in my life that I can love and that love me. Glory be to God!

Matthew 18:1-6

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Personal Challenge…

I take a short hiatus away from these blogs so that I can welcome our new granddaughter into the world and look at the passage that is scheduled for today.

As I read through this all I can do is picture, feel, experience, this little 9 lb. bundle of joy and ultimate humility in my arms, know that God wants me to behave this way in His arms…fully dependent upon Him, fully at peace in His love and protection. I am also very aware of my responsibility to teach her about her heavenly Father and about how much she is loved by Him. I am reminded to pour myself into the life of my wife, into the lives of my children and their spouses into the lives of my grand children, and into the life of every person that God brings into my life. This is the example that He set Himself as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Glory be to God!

James 3:17-18

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Encouraging Words…

“The wisdom that is from above…”, as the early church fathers read in the Old Testament was Jesus Christ. So with Jesus as our Lord He will pour into His children that pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality or hypocrisy, form of Wisdom. Oh how much different life, all aspects of life, will be as we receive this Wisdom and let it wash over us and control us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner, and guide me in the ways of your peace.

Matthew 21:21-22

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Command with a Promise…

Have faith, do not doubt, ask in prayer (believing prayer), and mountains will be moved, seas will be calmed, and requests will be answered. The reality of miracles in a Christian’s life comes from both the power and glory of God and the Christian’s level of belief and prayer. Oh God, I believe, help me in my unbelief.