VIDEO Nothing of the Old Life! – Therefore if any man be in Christ…

Nothing of the Old Life!

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17

Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, “God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right.” But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.

When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind…is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The truth is we have nothing to fear and nothing to overcome because He is all in all and we are more than conquerors through Him. The recognition of this truth is not flattering to the worker’s sense of heroics, but it is amazingly glorifying to the work of Christ. Approved Unto God, 4 R

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“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a New Creature?” – Ralph Yankee Arnold

Your Way, Not Mine

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Kamil and Joelle were devastated when their eight-year-old daughter Rima was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. The disease led to meningitis and a stroke, and Rima lapsed into a coma. The hospital medical team counseled her parents to make arrangements for Rima’s funeral, giving her less than a one percent chance of survival.

Kamil and Joelle fasted and prayed for a miracle. “As we pray,” Kamil said, “we need to trust God no matter what. And pray like Jesus—not my way, Father, but Yours.” “But I want so much for God to heal her!” Joelle answered honestly. “Yes! And we should ask!” Kamil responded. “But it honors God when we give ourselves to Him even when it’s hard, because that’s what Jesus did.”

Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). By praying “take this cup,” Jesus asked not to go to the cross; but He submitted to the Father out of love.

Surrendering our desires to God isn’t easy, and His wisdom can be difficult to understand in challenging moments. Kamil and Joelle’s prayers were answered in a remarkable way—Rima is a healthy fifteen year old today.

Jesus understands every struggle. Even when, for our sake, His request was not answered, He showed us how to trust our God in every need.

I want to be “all in” for You, Father. I trust in Your unfailing love and give myself to You as Your servant today.

God always deserves our commitment and praise.

By James Banks 

INSIGHT

Today’s reading shows us the dramatic scene of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, facing the horrors of the cross. Not only was it one of the most painful and excruciating means of execution invented by the Romans, but for our Lord it would mean taking the sins of the world upon Himself. Just prior to His crucifixion, we witness the Son’s mysterious request of His Father. Christ asked if the cup of crucifixion could be taken from Him. Yet our Lord yielded His will to the Father knowing that it was His mission on Earth to redeem all who would believe in His sacrificial death. The lesson for us is significant. Even when we face terrible suffering, we know God can deliver us; however, we must also trust Him if He chooses not to. Only by holding our Father’s hand in the valley can we endure to see the light of the mountaintop ahead.

What troubling circumstance are you facing today, and how can you depend on God no matter what His will brings?

Dennis Fisher

Trials Are Worth It!

James 1:9-12

God’s Word says that trials are an opportunity to build endurance and grow in wisdom, so we should face them with joy (James 1:2-4). But are they worth it? Does it pay to go through all the pain, heartache, and struggle to let God do His work in your life?

The answer is yes, because when God is at work, His plan is to bless His children. The steps en route to that blessing can be burdensome, though, so it’s important to stay mindful that He has good purpose for your adversity. Seven truths will help you to rejoice, even in the midst of difficulties. Know that trials …

• Are under God’s control; He limits their length and intensity.
• Have a purpose and are not endured in vain.
• Will result in good.
• Can strengthen your faith and develop Christlikeness in you.
• Are an opportunity to demonstrate perseverance under pressure.
• Will encourage your dependence on God.
• Aren’t for you to face alone; God will go with you the entire way. And through His grace and power, you will ultimately be victorious.

Remember that God is a caring heavenly Father. He loves us too much to give in to complaints when there is something awesome He wants to do in our life. And He hopes that when the difficulty has passed and we’re where He wants us to be, we will recognize the blessing and say, “Thank You, dear God, for not doing what I wanted You to do!”

Satan’s Strategic Master Plan

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3) 

The magnificent book of Genesis sets the foundation for Scripture, revealing the “Roman numerals” upon which the rest of the Bible’s message is built. Apart from the actual events of the creation week, the fall of Adam and Eve, and the subsequent horrific growth of sin and the awful judgment of the Flood, the gospel message would make little sense.

Paul’s warning showcases the importance of Satan’s strategy to ensnare humanity in the same trap. The Devil’s tactics change with time and culture, but the strategy remains the same.

First, Satan always attempts to make us doubt the Word of God (Genesis 3:1). If we question the accuracy, the meaning, the authenticity, the historicity, or any other shade of “all scripture” (2 Timothy 3:16), then we begin edging onto a slippery slope that will only lead to the next stage.

Second, Satan always confronts the doubter with a denial of the Word of God (Genesis 3:4). When one begins to deny the authority, the capability, or the will of God to carry out His Word, the slide into the final phase is inevitable.

Third, Satan ultimately heaps denigration on the Person of God Himself (Genesis 3:5). Once one embraces the thought that the Word of God is not trustworthy and that God either will not or cannot do what He says, it absolutely follows that God is either a liar, a hypocrite, or a capricious and whimsical ogre.

May God protect us from the “wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). HMM III

Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called

Ephesians 4:1-8, 11-32

So far from being ashamed of being shut up in a dungeon like a felon, Paul again repeats, as his choice title of honour, the words, “the prisoner of the Lord.” It is inexpressibly delightful to be allowed to suffer for him who suffered to the death for us. Paul uses his afflicted condition as an affectionate plea with the Ephesians to give heed to his counsel.

Ephesians 4:1-6

True believers are one; Christ has only instituted one church, he has quickened it with but one Spirit, and set before it one sole hope. The Lord is the alone Head of the church, she has not two Lords, neither has Jesus revealed more than one faith, or commanded any other than one baptism: hence believers should anxiously maintain unity, and endeavour each one to promote the good of the whole.

Ephesians 4:11-13

All the ascension-gifts come to us for the building up, not of many sects, but of the Lord’s one church. His choicest gifts are holy men, qualified for various gracious works, which they carry on for the perfecting of each believer, and of the whole body of the faithful.

Ephesians 4:24

Being made parts of a new body, of which the Lord Jesus is the head, we cannot act as we once did, or we should belie our profession altogether. Filthiness must be now abhorred, and holiness panted for; is it so with us?

Ephesians 4:26

We may be angry at wrong without sinning thereby, but if anger be a selfish resentment, it is always sinful, and if it lives beyond a day it cannot be justified. One of the hardest things in the world is to be angry and not to sin.

Ephesians 4:28

The cure for dishonesty is industry, and the remedy for a disposition to steal from others, is to learn to give to them.

Ephesians 4:29

Do we always attend to this? Are not some jests which are commonly heard very far from edifying?

Ephesians 4:32

Let this be written up in our chambers, and practiced in every room in the house. What a heaven will our family then become.

 

Fill every part of me with praise,

Let all my being speak

Of thee and of thy love, O Lord,

Poor though I be, and weak.

 

So shalt thou, Lord, from me—e’en me,

Receive the glory due;

And so shall I begin on earth

The song for ever new.

 

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Lost in astonishment I see,

Jesus, thy boundless love to me;

With angels I thy grace adore,

And long to love and praise thee more.

 

Still may I view thee on the cross,

And all beside esteem but loss;

Here still be fixed my feasted eyes,

Enraptur’d with thy sacrifice.

 

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Grace led my roving feet

To tread the heavenly road;

And new supplies each hour I meet

While pressing on to God.

 

Grace taught my soul to pray,

And made my eyes o’erflow;

‘Twas grace that kept me to this day,

And will not let me go.

 

Grace all the work shall crown,

Through everlasting days;

It lays in heaven the topmost stone,

And well deserves the praise.

 

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Bless’d are the pure in heart,

For they shall see our God;

The secret of the Lord is theirs;

Their soul is Christ’s abode.

 

The Lord, who left the heavens

Our life and peace to bring,

To dwell in lowliness with men,

Their Pattern and their King;

 

He to the lowly soul

Doth still himself impart,

And for his dwelling and his throne

Chooseth the pure in heart.

 

Lord, we thy presence seek;

May ours this blessing be;

Give us a pure and lowly heart,

A temple meet for thee.

 

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A fulness resides in Jesus, our Head,

And ever abides to answer our need;

The Father’s good pleasure has laid up in store,

A plentiful treasure to give to the poor.

 

Whate’er be our wants, we need not to fear;

Our numerous complaints his mercy will hear;

His fulness shall yield us abundant supplies;

His buckler shall shield us when dangers arise.

 

When troubles attend, or danger or strife,

His love will defend and guard us through life;

And when we are fainting and ready to die,

Whatever is wanting his hand will supply.

 

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Worthy art thou, O dying Lamb?

Worthy, O bleeding Lord;

Eternal, Infinite, I AM,

Ceaseless to be adored!

 

Fulness of riches is in thee!

From thee all mercies spring:

And grace and love, divine and free,

And power enlivening.

 

Out of the deep of every heart,

Let praise to thee ascend:

Till thou to heaven shalt us translate,

Where praises never end!

 

God Is Really on Our Side

Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul. (Psalm 71:13)

It was a gracious revelation to my human spirit when I discovered that the Word of God was actually on my side, operating in my behalf!

I was reading Psalm 71 and I came to this amazing statement: “Thou hast given commandment to save me!” My heart has been warmed with that realization ever since. I believe that the Word of the living God has gone throughout all the earth to save me and keep me! Let the theological experts raise their eyebrows—I do not care! The living Word has charged Himself with responsibility to forgive, to cleanse and to keep me!

Let us not be guilty of underrating the Word of God operating on our behalf. I dare to say that there is not an uncontrolled stroke or force anywhere in all of God’s mighty universe that can take eternal life away from a trusting, believing, obedient child of God.

Let us thank God for the Word! It is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword!

 

Sins of Ignorance

And it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance. Num. 15:25

Because of our ignorance we are not fully aware of our sins of ignorance. Yet we may be sure they are many, in the form both of commission and omission. We may be doing in all sincerity, as a service to God, that which He has never commanded, and can never accept.

The Lord knows these sins of ignorance every one. This may well alarm us, since in justice He will require these trespasses at our hand; but on the other hand, faith spies comfort in this fact, for the Lord will see to it that stains unseen by us shall yet be washed away. He sees the sin that He may cease to see it by casting it behind His back.

Our great comfort is that Jesus, the true priest, has made atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel. That atonement secures the pardon of unknown sins. His precious blood cleanses us from all sin. Whether our eyes have seen it and wept over it, or not, God has seen it, Christ has atoned for it, the Spirit bears witness to the pardon of it, and so we have a three-fold peace.

O my Father, I praise thy divine knowledge, which not only perceives my iniquities, but provides an atonement which delivers me from the guilt of them, even before I know that I am guilty.