Ephesians 4:21-24 - If you have heard of Him and have learned from Him, put away the old person you used to be. Have nothing to do with your old sinful life. It was sinful because of being fooled into following bad desires. Let your minds and hearts be made new. You must become a new person and be God-like. Then you will be made right with God and have a true holy life.
Last Friday I spoke a bit about who we are in Christ. When we decide to settle down and learn from the Lord and allow Him to show us our shortcomings, it can be a painful journey. Maybe that's why some choose not to go there. There's a plan in the works, however. It is the transformation that takes place to make us "God-like." I mentioned Friday that some might think Christians arrogant to be considered saints of God...and now this, "God-like." It's not always our desire to change, but always the Lord's. And it's a process. Yet when you begin to immerse yourself in the Word you begin to see the process is nearly unattainable. You can clean up one area of your life but then another one shows up. Ah well.
The process can either be like "pow" and it's right in your face and you are floored with convictions and change or it can slowly begin to sink in (like in my case...everything is slow). When one's heart and spirit begin to ache with the realization that this is what you are and you don't like it and don't want it, it's easy to want to push the process aside. Thankfully, if you are serious about the Lord, the Holy Spirit will bring it back and bring it back until you decide to tackle it. We will never be finished in the change God wants from us.
I think I'm in that place after all these years. There is a dissatisfaction about myself. I constantly feel I'm not good enough in Christ. But maybe that's so I cannot become puffed up. I know who we are can come from how we were raised. But as Christians we are to let go of the old person and believe we are "new in Christ." That's not always easy. We can become settled in our ways...comfortable...and it's hard to change. It's a conscious effort on our part to do what we know is right. Change is what God requires.
I know some changes have taken place and I know I'm in the process of changing. Some things I was able to tolerate I can't anymore and I know I have to come up with a solution. It's the solution where I need some help.
I'm thankful the first steps have been taken in this process. Like I said before, everything happens slowly in my life it seems. Maybe I drag my feet or run from change. I don't know. No doubt a day will come when the change required will be more difficult.
We will always struggle with sin. It's our human nature, it's our flesh, not our spirit. Romans 7:15, 17-20 tells us: I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. If that doesn't describe me!
There is discipline in this challenge. Our hearts and souls will be pierced to show us when change is necessary. If we fail to respond, we have basically rebelled against God. Chastening is difficult and we don't like it! That's our pride getting in the way. If we humble ourselves and allow the work of chastening to take place, we come out ahead. We are becoming more Christ-like. Again, easier said than done sometimes.
Hebrews 12:5-8, 11 - "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Last Friday I spoke a bit about who we are in Christ. When we decide to settle down and learn from the Lord and allow Him to show us our shortcomings, it can be a painful journey. Maybe that's why some choose not to go there. There's a plan in the works, however. It is the transformation that takes place to make us "God-like." I mentioned Friday that some might think Christians arrogant to be considered saints of God...and now this, "God-like." It's not always our desire to change, but always the Lord's. And it's a process. Yet when you begin to immerse yourself in the Word you begin to see the process is nearly unattainable. You can clean up one area of your life but then another one shows up. Ah well.
The process can either be like "pow" and it's right in your face and you are floored with convictions and change or it can slowly begin to sink in (like in my case...everything is slow). When one's heart and spirit begin to ache with the realization that this is what you are and you don't like it and don't want it, it's easy to want to push the process aside. Thankfully, if you are serious about the Lord, the Holy Spirit will bring it back and bring it back until you decide to tackle it. We will never be finished in the change God wants from us.
I think I'm in that place after all these years. There is a dissatisfaction about myself. I constantly feel I'm not good enough in Christ. But maybe that's so I cannot become puffed up. I know who we are can come from how we were raised. But as Christians we are to let go of the old person and believe we are "new in Christ." That's not always easy. We can become settled in our ways...comfortable...and it's hard to change. It's a conscious effort on our part to do what we know is right. Change is what God requires.
I know some changes have taken place and I know I'm in the process of changing. Some things I was able to tolerate I can't anymore and I know I have to come up with a solution. It's the solution where I need some help.
I'm thankful the first steps have been taken in this process. Like I said before, everything happens slowly in my life it seems. Maybe I drag my feet or run from change. I don't know. No doubt a day will come when the change required will be more difficult.
We will always struggle with sin. It's our human nature, it's our flesh, not our spirit. Romans 7:15, 17-20 tells us: I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. If that doesn't describe me!
There is discipline in this challenge. Our hearts and souls will be pierced to show us when change is necessary. If we fail to respond, we have basically rebelled against God. Chastening is difficult and we don't like it! That's our pride getting in the way. If we humble ourselves and allow the work of chastening to take place, we come out ahead. We are becoming more Christ-like. Again, easier said than done sometimes.
Hebrews 12:5-8, 11 - "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Heavenly Father, let us yield to Your chastening that we might become the person You desire. The old man is gone, let the new man come forth. Let us become disciplined in change that we might show more of our Christ-like, God-like characteristics. Thank You for Your chastening.....
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