Category Archives: New Life

The Romans Challenge: Reconciled!

Posted on by
Reply 
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Reconciled- “Brought into friendship from a state of disagreement or enmity” (Webster’s 1828)

Today is Romans 5!

We were created for connection to God! Relationship is connection. Back in the Garden of Eden, God’s intent for mankind was to have relationship. When Adam and Eve chose to sin, separation from God came. This separation is all we have really known and understood in our lives. It is the norm. But God desires for us to experience something radically different than that. He wants us to be united to Him in a close and intimate relationship!

This is why Jesus came. His death, burial and resurrection provides the way for us to experience His salvation from sin. When we accept Him as our Savior, we are justified by His blood. His blood cleanses us from the sin that has separated us from God. Then we experience the most beautiful thing — reconciliation. We are brought back into the relationship that God originally desired for us to have way back at the beginning, in the Garden of Eden.

This relationship we now have with God is closely connected to Him. He gives us the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. We now live our lives literally walking and talking with God.

We go from being enemies of God, pursuing sin, to a friend of God, pursuing Him and His righteousness! We can now live our lives reconciled to God!

The Romans Challenge: Power To Do What is Promised

Posted on by
Reply 
“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There’s a saying, “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” Abraham modeled that kind of faith to us.

When God spoke His great promise of blessing through Abraham’s offspring, there was a problem… Abraham and his wife could not have children. A miracle was needed!

Abraham did not know how God would do what He promise, but “Against all hope” he believed. What looked like a situation where no good could come, Abraham put his confidence in God and what God said. He knew how things looked on the outside, but he was “fully persuaded” that God could do anything.

Sin has put you and I in a hopeless situation. In ourselves, there is no solution for the brokenness in our own lives. BUT JESUS! When we place our faith in Him, what was dead inside of us comes to life, and hope comes into hopelessness. We receive God’s righteousness — right standing with God. We are “fully persuaded” just like Abraham, that God can do anything in our lives!

Salvation is just the beginning of all the good that God wants to do in us as we have faith in Him! We can trust in God and fully rely on what He has promised us in His Word!

The Romans Challenge: Live by Faith – Connection to God

Posted on by
Reply 
“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.””
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

(Today we read Romans 1)

Sin divides. It separates. It keeps us from what we were meant to be all along, closely connected to God in an intimate relationship with Him. The gospel – Good News – is we do not have to live separated any more. Jesus made the way for us by paying the penalty for our sins on the cross.

The restoration of our relationship with God through Jesus and His gift of salvation is only the beginning! We receive what Jesus has done for us as a gift by faith. It isn’t anything we have done. He cleanses us from sin. We are made right with God. Connection is restored! BUT we were meant for more! This relationship we have with God is a daily living “by faith.” As we live connected to Him, our relationship is meant to grow!

Faith is trusting in God. It is placing our confidence in Him. It is believing what He says. Living by faith is a day in day out relationship of hearing God speak to us through His Word, listening to it – paying attention to it, and doing what He says. All of this is for our good. Because God is good, all He does is good, and His plans for us are good. In fact He is a work in our lives working ALL things for our good! (Psalm 119:68, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28)

A life of faith is a life living connected to God. It is like a baby in the womb. That baby is connected to her mom by the umbilical cord. Everything the baby needs is provided. The baby doesn’t have to second guess or worry about what will happen next. That baby is connected to her mom. We don’t have to worry or second guess. The power of the Gospel has connected us to God. The more we know Him and grow in our relationship with Him the more our faith will grow. We will rest in calm assurance that our God holds us closely to Him, and we can live our lives believing and trusting Him — We can live by faith!

New Beginnings in Acts — Almost Persuaded

Posted on by
Reply

Today is Acts 26.

Paul was brought before King Agrippa to plead his case. He once again tells his testimony of how he had an encounter with the living, resurrected Jesus. In that encounter, Jesus told Paul what his mission in life would be when he met him on the road to Damascus.

“But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” Acts 26:16-18 ESV

He was testifying of the power of God that enables us to turn from the darkness of sin- anything we do that is against God’s laws and separates us from God. He told everyone he was in contact with about what he had both physically and spiritually experienced, a God who could take eyes that are blind- unable to see God’s ways and truth- and make them see. He spoke of forgiveness from God for the wrongs we have done and being set apart for God’s purposes through faith.

This is all still available to us today. The Holy Spirit continues to move our hearts to desire to know all of what Paul was telling King Agrippa about. We have a choice. King Agrippa did too. But his response was truly a sad one.

“…In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”” Acts 26:28 ESV

Paul’s desire was not simply to be free of his chains. His desire was that everyone he came in contact with would know the Jesus he knew. Paul wanted them to experience the relationship with the Holy Spirit he was experiencing. His response was this to the Kings question.

“And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”” Acts 26:29 ESV

This is why I write these things to you. I know from experience the power of God who broke off the chains of sin by which I was held captive. I can tell you the difference of walking in the darkness of my own ways as opposed to walking into the light of God’s path- His ways.

Do not be “almost persuaded” to surrender your heart entirely to God! King Agrippa walked away from Paul’s testimony of Jesus that day unchanged. May we see the value of what he spoke and seek out the relationship he described. It is the only way!

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts — Too Good to Not Believe!

Posted on by
Reply 
“They said to her, “You are out of your mind.”” Acts 12:18 ESV

Today is Acts 12.

Things were looking pretty bleak… Herod the king, had James the brother of John, killed. He was one of the 12 disciples that followed Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was Peter’s friend. Then Herod decided to arrest Peter too. BUT, “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.”  (Verse 9)

Four squads of soldiers, chains, and the iron gates of the city are no match for God. An angel sent by God came to Peter and led him out of the prison and into the city. It was so incredible that Peter thought it was just a vision he was seeing until the angel left him, and he stood free in a street of a city.

When Peter arrived at Mary’s house, the servant girl who went to the door to answer his knocking was amazed and left him there outside. She reported the miracle to those inside, and they said, “You are out of our mind.”

God is a God of miracles! These miracles are “mind blowing”!  People who hear them may have a hard time believing that what has happened is true or could even occur. I have seen “mind blowing” miracles in my own life. God still works wonders that the world would tell you are impossible. For me, a woman held in the chains of a prison of anxiety — meds,  secular therapy, eastern meditation apps, mindfulness, you name it… I’ve probably tried it… has seen the chains drop off, walked passed the guards, and am standing totally free! Some may say, “you are out of your mind.” Because it doesn’t match the pattern of the world.  A person in prison should stay there… But God!

Earnest prayer was made on Peter’s behalf, and God answered! God is still the same! He answers prayer!

He is too good to not believe!

 

Life or Death… Choose

Posted on by
Reply

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV

This morning I am made keenly aware of the truth within these words. I have contemplated how often I have seen situations where the fruit of these choices are being displayed in my life and the lives of others. There is a blessing of life when we choose God’s Life. God offers us His spiritual prosperity, blessings, and enjoyment of Himself when we choose Him as our life. These blessings are poured out not only upon ourselves but on our children and their children and so on. BUT we must choose to pursue Life in a relationship with Him!

We have another choice which is death and curses. It is living our lives separated from the author and creator of life, God. This life is lived as we focus on ourselves- our wants, our desires, our ways- instead of God’s. It is a life with no relationship with God, apart from Him. When we choose that life, apart from Him, we live far from peace, joy, and love. We are in turmoil. Our emotions reflect that— anxiety, anger, bitterness, worry, etc. Our relationships with our family, coworkers, children, and spouses reflect that turmoil. When we choose our way instead of life we choose turmoil, and that turmoil will consume us and pour out on everyone we are around.

The question we need to ask ourselves is: What have I chosen for my life? God’s Life in relationship with Him or the death of choosing to not follow Him 💯, separated from Him?

Life or Death… Choose

Posted on by
Reply

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV

This morning I am made keenly aware of the truth within these words. I have contemplated how often I have seen situations where the fruit of these choices are being displayed in my life and the lives of others. There is a blessing of life when we choose God’s Life. God offers us His spiritual prosperity, blessings, and enjoyment of Himself when we choose Him as our life. These blessings are poured out not only upon ourselves but on our children and their children and so on. BUT we must choose to pursue Life in a relationship with Him!

We have another choice which is death and curses. It is living our lives separated from the author and creator of life, God. This life is lived as we focus on ourselves- our wants, our desires, our ways- instead of God’s. It is a life with no relationship with God, apart from Him. When we choose that life, apart from Him, we live far from peace, joy, and love. We are in turmoil. Our emotions reflect that— anxiety, anger, bitterness, worry, etc. Our relationships with our family, coworkers, children, and spouses reflect that turmoil. When we choose our way instead of life we choose turmoil, and that turmoil will consume us and pour out on everyone we are around.

The question we need to ask ourselves is: What have I chosen for my life? God’s Life in relationship with Him or the death of choosing to not follow Him 💯, separated from Him?

The New Life is a Life of Knowing God!

Posted on by
Reply

We can KNOW God! That statement seems to be a little out there if we only look at it through our human eyes, but it is so very true. In fact, to KNOW God is what we were made for, anything short of KNOWING Him will end in death and eternal separation, or hell.

What is KNOWING God? It is first hand experiential KNOWING. It is living a life of intimacy/ closeness to Him. This is the kind of KNOWING that Jesus spoke of:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 NIV

This KNOWING is the New Life. It is eternal life. It is the kind of life we all long for and desire. But it will not be realized within us unless we allow Jesus into our lives. If we keep Jesus at a distance and are content to just do good deeds or live a “good” life, or be a good person, we really don’t know Him.

Jesus warned us of us “trying to be a good person” on our own without really knowing Him.

“”Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23 NIV

What a sad outcome to a life! They never KNEW Jesus! The truth of the matter is what we do to make ourselves feel and look good are described as a bunch of “filthy rags” in comparison to a Holy sinless God. (Isaiah 64:6)

That is why if we want to experience the New Life that is eternal life, we must know God through a close and personal relationship. We must come to Him, believing in Jesus His Son, asking Him to forgive us for and cleanse us of our sinful lives. We must invite Him to come and live in us so we can KNOW Him. Then the New Life of knowing Him will grow. As we seek Him in His Word, He will change us to be what we needed to be all along. As we pray to Him, listen to Him, and OBEY Him, we will KNOW Him!

That KNOWING produces the promise in us New Life that is eternal. We will live connected to Him with no fear of eternal separation from Him or death in hell because we will KNOW our God and and His eternal life!

The New Life is a Life Free From the Power of Sin.

Posted on by
2

We were created to be united or one with God. Before Adam and Eve chose their own way above God’s way, they were one with Him. Sin entered our world when they made the choice to follow themselves and they were separated from God. That separation is death.

“And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”” Genesis 2:16-17 NIV

With death, or separation from God, comes darkness and destruction into our lives. That is because God is the author of Life itself. We cannot truly LIVE apart from Him.

Sin Destroys!

For those of you who have attended an Ashes to Beauty Encounter weekend, the testimonies of sin’s destruction, in the lives of the women, are proof of that point. Truly if we examine ourselves, we can see it in our own lives. Anytime I have chosen my own way instead of God’s, I have experienced the misery of sin in my life. That is why God repeatedly warns us of what exactly sin is.

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 NIV

God does not speak of sin because He wants to be a cosmic killjoy. He want us to walk free of sin so we can be close to Him, united to Him once again.

Although the consequences of our sins are painful, we often find ourselves not willing to repent from them. Because the truth is, we love to sin. We want to do our own thing. We do not want to obey God. I say this from my own personal experience. I had to get my fill of sin in order to see how desperate I was for the New Life that God offered to me.

I needed to see that the fruit of this New Life that is empowered by the Holy Spirit, the very things I longed for, could be in me.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

I had to get sick of it! I had to get desperate! That is when I determined that I needed to love God with all my heart, mind, and soul. That is when I repented from my sin and asked God to cleanse me and empower me to live free! That is when I began to experience the New Life in it’s abundance!

Are you where I was? When you look deep inside, are you living in peace, joy, and love? Or is your heart full of fear, anger, rage? Do you run to God with life’s ups and downs or are you trying to deal on your own and in your own way? This can be through self effort, self medicating- alcohol, drugs, self help books, etc. Are you sick of it?

There is New Life in Jesus that frees us from the power of sin!

The New Life is a Life of Faith.

Posted on by
Reply

Jesus has offered us the New Life, His own life that is abundant. The New Life is more than we could ask, think or imagine. It is His life working in us!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 NIV

This Life is a life of faith. Faith is defined by Andrew Murray as being, “Nothing other than the certainty that what God says is true.” It is believing the truth of the Word. It understands that each and every promise in the Bible is for the one who believes, as well as each and every command. If we want to live the New Life and experience it’s fullness we must receive the Word by listening, reading, studying, memorizing, etc. Faith comes by the Word of God. We must believe it is true through faith.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 ESV

When we truly receive the New Life in Jesus, we experience His intimacy and closeness, His power to break the chains of sin off of our lives, His freedom. When we are born again we have new desires. That desire is to no longer do things our old way following ourselves, but we desire to follow God. We want to please Him. We want to OBEY! This requires Faith. It requires seeking God in His Word.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV

The New Life is a life that is a life of Faith that seeks God first. It is not a passive life. It is a pursuit! It grows as we seek God and believe what He says in His Word: The New Life of Faith!