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.
******************************
Let me suggest to you that nothing in the Kingdom of God is as
it seems to be. Everything is counter-intuitive, and it takes us a while to
understand and accept this new reality. When we are saved,
there is a new creation, and we are members of a new family where God is our
Father, holiness is the standard, and nothing is impossible. The Lord will
instruct us, discipline us, challenge us, and change us into the image of
Christ – but only as much as our faith and obedience will allow. We will remain
virtually unchanged anywhere we dig in our heals and refuse to let Him lead. If
we are too busy, too set in our ways, or too proud, the Lord cannot teach us
anything. However, if we allow, He will take us places we could never go
without Him. Is your heart open to Jesus like that?
The first thing God must change in us is a judgmental attitude
toward others. Are we more interested in being right than glorifying God? Our
words become abrasive and harsh when we judge those He sent us to love and show
grace. We can even convince ourselves we are glorifying
Him, when we are only grieving Him by demanding our rights and defending our
point of view. Truthfully, we only hear God clearly when we humble ourselves
and stop insisting on winning the argument and having things go our way.
Forgive us, Lord!
The second thing the Lord desires in us is a willingness to
receive correction, because He is after something in particular – oneness. He wants us to be one with Him
and one in Him (John 17:20-26),
and this can only be achieved when we are fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit
and attentive to His slightest promptings and corrections. We should not think
this type of intimacy only belongs to a precious few, but only a precious few
seem to desire it. Let us be counted among those few!
Before God can use us, He has to change us. So much Christian
work stems from the restless energy of saints who desperately want to change
the world before being changed ourselves.
James 1:4 says,
But let patience have
its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
********************
God is doing a new thing in you, and “new” means something that
has never been done before. The life of a new creature is not learned
overnight. It is a beautiful and difficult work that only He can accomplish in
us, and He does that work according to His will, His expertise, and His timing.
So, be still and trust in Him. Let Him have His way with you. He knows what He
doing.
Love
and peace,
Pastor
Eric
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