Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
--2 Corinthians 5:17
Augustine, the famed theologian and philosopher, was a very carnal young man, often frequenting houses of prostitution. So when he came to know Christ as his Savior, he was dramatically transformed and changed by the power of God.
One day he was walking down one of the streets in his home town and a shady lady that he had known previously was standing on the street corner. She saw Augustine and said, “Augustine! Augustine! It is I!” So Augustine immediately turned the other direction and said, “Yes, but it is not I.”
You see, when you become a believer in Christ, you are radically changed from the inside out. That’s because Jesus takes your sin away, liberating you from its bondage, and has given you the Spirit of God to live inside of you. The result is that your old self is dead and your new self enables you to live a life pleasing to God.
God can give you a new heart and a new life if you’re in Christ. And as a Christian, you can make a commitment to holiness and godliness because of that new life. So if you’ve been made new in Christ, live your life focused on bringing glory to Him!
IN CHRIST, GOD HAS TAKEN AWAY YOUR OLD SELF AND GIVEN YOU A NEW LIFE. SO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN FREEDOM FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN AND GIVE THE GLORY TO GOD!
Looking Up
Thursday, January 23, 2020
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?”
Isaiah 51:12–13
When we allow ourselves to be filled with worry and fear, we are not living as the God who offers comfort and encouragement wants us to live. We are constantly under attack in this world, but we do not have to be defeated. After many years on a difficult mission field, Amy Carmichael wrote, “I have noticed that when God has purposes of blessing some person, the devil of Discouragement, who is one of Satan’s most useful servants, is sure to come and whisper all sorts of miserable, depressing thoughts. Do not forget that discouragement is always from beneath, while encouragement is always from above.”
Even in the worst moments of our lives, if those who are closest to us fail us or turn against us, God is there. David wrote, “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up” (Psalm 27:10). We do not have to live without comfort, which God freely offers to us. When we go to Him, He does not have to be talked into comforting and encouraging us. He loves us beyond our ability to comprehend, and He is always ready to respond to those who cry out to Him. We can allow our circumstances or the actions of others to drive us down, or we can cling to God and not fear anyone else. That is an unfailing source of encouragement that is available to Christians.
Today's Growth Principle:
God offers deep and real comfort, even when—especially when—we struggle with fear and discouragement.
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