September 21, 2014
When we come to Christ and give ourselves to Him we cease to be slaves of sin, it is at that moment that we are transformed into new creatures, where the old things passed away, they are left behind; behold, everything in us is new, and everything proceeds from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gives us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their sins against them. And He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Cor 5:17-21 We are now Sons of God, co-heirs with Christ, called to be holy, beautiful in God's eyes, special, loved by Him, and that is not just a little thing. And because we are Sons, God sent his Holy Spirit, the same who raised Christ from the dead who now lives in us. Rom 8:11,17 God who begins his work in us promised to bring it to perfection. Phil 1:6
Now there are things that are ours to do and those are things that He asks us to do.
The Lord asks us not to allow the world to mold us, but to renew our minds. That is, the old way of thinking and reacting to the different situations of life, which will begin to change as we transform our mind with the daily reading of the Word of God...
Rom 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.
Efe 4:22-24 For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And you should put on the new man, who according to God was created in righteousness and true holiness.
We need to know that Christ has already conquered sin, and it is He alone in us who has already set us free and empowered us to master & overcome man's sinful nature.
Jn 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever practices sin is the slave of sin. And the slave does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever. Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
Can you see it? When we come to Jesus, He sets us truly free. The problem with many Christians is that they believe that they are the ones who have to overcome sin and that is why no matter how hard they try they cannot overcome it. Now it is different when you realize that Christ has already conquered sin and has given you the power to overcome it.
Heb 10:14-22 For by one offering He (Jesus) has perfected forever those who are sanctified. The Holy Spirit also is a witness to us; for after He had said before, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord; I will put My Laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," also He adds, "their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more." Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Therefore, brothers, having boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies having been washed with pure water.
Now we can enter into God's own presence as Sons, cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
Jesus told us that if we love Him, then we will keep His Word; when we do keep it, He promised both He and our Heavenly Father make their abode within us. God dwelling in us is not just anything that is monumental. Juan 14:21-23 Now, when we follow His Word, then we begin to grow spiritually to reach the unity of the faith with those who are mature in the faith, and to become full of the knowledge of the Son of God, to the condition of a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This is great, glorious!!!! Eph 4:13
If we do fall & sin, let's remember
1Jn 2:1-2 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is the propitiation concerning our sins, and not concerning ours only, but also concerning the sins of all the world. 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So get up with the determination to walk in such close fellowship with God that his nature in you will help you to hate sin as He does.
1Jn 3:9 Everyone who has been born of God does not practice sin, because His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. Sadly what happens in many churches is that the members limit themselves to being spectators and listeners and to make matters worse the leaders of these churches do not help them to see what God has given them, to know that as children of God they have the power of the Holy Spirit to obey the call of God, and that leads them to be mediocre Christians, or as Paul calls them in some of his epistles: carnal, like children in Christ. Heb 5:13-14, 1Cor 3:1 The call to love God with all that we are and have, as well as to love our neighbor as ourselves is for all of us, but it is something we can only do if we have been born again, accepting the Lordship of Christ in our lives. Once in Christ, it is God who does the works through us, He is the one who motivates us to love our neighbor. Otherwise we would glory in "our accomplishments". If our neighbor does not know Christ, the love of God in us will motivate us to share the most important thing in this life with him, which is the wonderful love of God. If our neighbor is hungry, if he is poorly clothed, if he is broken, if he is sick or imprisoned, we will feel powerfully impelled to do everything in our power for him. And with the Power of God in us we will reflect God and be able to truly help those in need. God's will is that we let our light shine, then He will fill us with all that we ask and need to do His will. Mat 5:16 1John 5:14-15 When I talk about reading the Word and renewing and transforming our mind with it, I mean reading it every day, then meditating on it during the day and night, EVERY DAY.
At first we may think that it must be something tedious, or difficult to read the Bible this way, but if you start today, you will see how delicious it is, and then you will want to read it more, it will be a wonderful necessity, just as we feed the body every day, we will feed our soul every day too.
Jesus said my words are Spirit and they are Life.... Jn 6:63 It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life.
Start with the New Testament, read it daily, devour it every day, read it over and over again, you will see that the more you read it the more you get out of it, the really incredible thing is that God all powerful will begin to speak to you from the first day through it, His Word transforms us and makes us more like Him... But we all, with our faces uncovered, contemplating as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed in the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2Cor 3:18
The Old Testament is very important as well, as it is the true world's history & foundation of the New Testament as well, so have fun & enjoy yourself as you get to know God through His Word, & are transformed by it.
Be sure to let me know how you are doing and what God is doing in your life...
Blessings... Alejandro
If this reading has been a blessing to you, please don’t hesitate to share it with the world. We need to be a blessing to others today, tomorrow may be too late. John 9:4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me, while it is day. Night comes when no man can work.
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Blessings in Jesus Name..!!!
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