Life style changes

“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

This is the first month of the New Year 2015!  Time to make resolutions… But is a resolution something we follow through on?  So many times we say we are going to walk more, start exercising, eat less, stop eating so many sweets, stop smoking, start reading our Bible more…

There are so many things we want to do and we think they will be easy to do, so we plan to start to do this in the new year.  I for one know these changes are not easy. You see 5 years ago I made a change, not in January, but July. I changed my exercise habits and eating habits, and it paid off. I lost 100 pounds, and have kept it off. But I did not start exercising or go on a diet I made a lifestyle change. If I had not changed my lifestyle, things would have been bad, very bad.

Yet we seem to forget that we are already new. Christ made us a new creation, when He followed through and was faithful to the plan that was set in motion from the beginning of time.  We have all been given a new lifestyle to live, one in Christ!  He has accepted us as is, and continues to work to perfect us. We just need to allow Him to continue the good work He started in us. So remember that as one year passes away, and the new one comes upon us, that you are a beloved child of God, a new creation!  You are a wonderful work of art being ever molded and shaped into the perfect ideal for you in the eye of God.

a new thing

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise. (Isaiah 43:16-21, NRSV)

I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert…

Have you ever been to the desert? Any desert?

There are not many rivers in the deserts… This is partially what makes them deserts.

But if God wanted to, He could make a river in the desert, and His living water would flow there!

You see things can change all the time, and just because something has never happen that doesn’t mean it won’t or it’s not possible for God.

All things are possible for God.

So hold not to the things of the past, but look to the future and wonder with amazement at all that God will do!

Now

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! (2 Corinthians 6:1-2, NRSV)

I remember being told many times as a young child, “You won’t learn this any younger.”

I always wondered what my parents meant by this. But now I find myself wanting to say it to my children.

And that is what this verse reminds me of.

Now is the time to accept the grace you have been given and live the life God has set before you.

You will not be able to do it any younger, and the best time to do it is now.

Life will only get better when you give up control and follow Him.

Now is the acceptable time and you can’t do it in the past and why wait for tomorrow?

Now is the time!

saved

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14, NRSV)

So do you need salvation?

I mean really what are you a slave to?

And what is it we need to be saved from?

Hell?

Well maybe, but what is it that would end us up in Hell?

Impiety?

Worldly passions?

According to Titus we need to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly…

Jesus came to teach us how to live in the life God has set before us and to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people for good deeds.

He has to purify us and save us from ourselves!

We need to be sanctified, or made more like Him, to save us from our own sinful desires, that would draw us from Him.

So yes we need to be set free from our own desires, and lifted to a mind like His.

Thanks be to God that Jesus came to set us free!

According to…

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:22-40, NRSV)

As a new parent, or even on the third child, if someone came up to us and took our child from us, and we did not know them, I have to admit I would probably be like, “What do you think you are doing, give me my child back…”

And then to be told that this child is destined for the falling and rising of many in my nation and a sword will pierce my soul too, then I would really freak out!

But Mary and Joseph seem to take Simeon and Anna in stride. I mean after being visited by angels to announce Jesus’ coming, Simeon and Anna were just another proof to them that God was upholding His promises.

Christ had come and according to God the promises would be fulfilled, and Mary and Joseph get to be a wonderful part of the in breaking of the Kingdom of God.

Would you be as ready? Because you are a part of the in breaking of the Kingdom of God!

Allow Him to shine through your life!

Faithful

I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome above all that are around him? O LORD God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O LORD? Your faithfulness surrounds you. (Psalm 89:1-8, NRSV)

I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations!

I will forever sing of your wonderful love and proclaim it from the mountain tops!

God made a covenant with His people, and He has kept it!

We can praise the heavens and the faithfulness of our God. For He is steadfast and trustworthy to the promises He has made to us His people.

So praise God and make sure everyone knows that He is faithful, and worthy of our love!

Grace

wpid-20140314_113229-1.jpgFor the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14, NRSV)

Grace has appeared!

He has brought salvation with Him!

The baby in the manger has brought us salvation and grace, and He will show us through His life how to renounce impiety and worldly passions. He will teach us to love God and to follow the commandments. Not the letter of the Law, but the meaning of what God intended for our lives.

To live lives that show the love that God has for all of creation.

As we await His return, let us follow His example and live by grace!

witnesses

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:8-20, NRSV)

The shepherds in Jesus’ day were the poor people. They were the lowest of the low, and God chose them. He chose them to see the messiah, Jesus Christ. God didn’t call any celebrities. He didn’t call any stars. He didn’t call any kings (except the wise men, but that’s a different story). He called the shepherds; the lowest of the low to come celebrate the birth of the King of Kings. Come celebrate with the shepherds, and rejoice that Jesus was born to the lowly for the lowly. Come celebrate on the ground with the lowly, and sing the praise that you are the lowly. The lowly were chosen because they were so far down, all they could do was look up. Get down off your high horse, and see that you are the lowly. You don’t have to be ashamed; just see that you are lowly, and you are beautiful. JUST LIKE THE SHEPHERDS!

(This devotional was written by my oldest daughter. This makes a father proud!)