Colossians 2:20
[ Christ Brings New Life ] You died with Christ. Now the forces of the universe don't have any power over you. Why do you live as if you had to obey such rules…
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever been around someone who was looking for their eye glasses or sunglasses… and all the while they were atop their head? Or maybe you have gotten out of your car and thought, “I locked my keys inside,” then looked down and discovered your keys were in your hand! Okay, so maybe that’s just me… but the point is, sometimes we are not aware of what is right in front of us, and we continue to act just like we did beforehand.
Many people who have lost a lot of weight say that they continue to think of themselves as heavy long after they are thin. Their subconscious mind tells them, “You can’t wear that,” or “You can’t fit into that seat,” when truthfully, now they can. Or maybe you just got your learner’s permit, and from time to time (okay, maybe not often!) you may forget that you can now legally drive with a licensed adult. You may even get in the passenger side of the car before you remember that… hey… you can drive!
Old habits die hard… and sinful habits sometimes die the slowest! But we must be careful to remember that, as new creatures in Christ, we don’t follow the rules of society any more. We are part of a Higher Order. “Everyone else is doing it”… but we’re no longer “everyone else!” We’re part of the Kingdom of Heaven, and we take our orders from Jesus Christ. “That doesn’t sound very pleasant,” you may be thinking.
“If everyone else is doing things and we won’t, we’re going to be singled out, criticized, and more…” Maybe… and maybe not. Maybe you will start a new “trend” by bucking the old one. Because I assure you, if you listen to God instead of the world, you will be far happier, more contented, and peaceful… and God will protect you. Others will see this, and they just may want what you have! Being a Christian isn’t always easy, but in the long run, it represents freedom like you can’t begin to imagine!
It’s time to realize who we are… that we have been changed by the blood of Jesus, and we don’t follow the world’s rules any longer. We are new creatures in Jesus Christ. Have your transformation been completed? Whose rules are you following?
©2010 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label past life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label past life. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for July 20, 2010
Romans 15:7
[The Good News Is for Jews and Gentiles] Honor God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever gone into a store that sold expensive things… clothes, home décor, furniture, or even jewelry… and you felt others looking at you because you were under-dressed? I have told you before about seeing dirty, disheveled people in the store and momentarily judging them to be something (or someone) they were not… and then recognizing them as a friend who had been working in the yard and got grungy.
Or maybe you know someone who recently became a Christian, and you remember when they lived a sinful… even wild… lifestyle. Maybe you find it hard to shake this image of the person and see them as a holy Christian, anointed and blessed by God. Maybe you look at this person and wonder, “Who does he/she think she is?”
Let’s be honest… we are all that dirty, disheveled, sinful person… even if we “clean up well.” What God did for us… and continues to do for us… He does for every single one of His children, as much as they will allow. We need to learn to be more accepting of one another… and we must pray that others do the same. We must ask God to provide care and nurture for His children in all situations… kind store clerks… gentle, caring medical and emergency personnel… loving teachers and bosses, husbands, wives, mothers and fathers… fair judges and lawmakers… attentive friends and co-workers… Spirit-filled ministers and Christian believers who share Christ’s love with others… and much more.
What about you? Do you accept others as Christ has accepted you? Or do you have criteria that others must meet… a checklist of sorts for deciding whether or not you will show kindness and mercy to those you encounter? Read Romans 15:7 again…it starts off “The good News is for Jews and Gentiles.” In other words, Christ died on the cross for all of us… not just a certain few. If we are to be His followers, we must be accepting of everyone. How accepting of others have you been lately?
©2010 Debbie Robus
[The Good News Is for Jews and Gentiles] Honor God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Have you ever gone into a store that sold expensive things… clothes, home décor, furniture, or even jewelry… and you felt others looking at you because you were under-dressed? I have told you before about seeing dirty, disheveled people in the store and momentarily judging them to be something (or someone) they were not… and then recognizing them as a friend who had been working in the yard and got grungy.
Or maybe you know someone who recently became a Christian, and you remember when they lived a sinful… even wild… lifestyle. Maybe you find it hard to shake this image of the person and see them as a holy Christian, anointed and blessed by God. Maybe you look at this person and wonder, “Who does he/she think she is?”
Let’s be honest… we are all that dirty, disheveled, sinful person… even if we “clean up well.” What God did for us… and continues to do for us… He does for every single one of His children, as much as they will allow. We need to learn to be more accepting of one another… and we must pray that others do the same. We must ask God to provide care and nurture for His children in all situations… kind store clerks… gentle, caring medical and emergency personnel… loving teachers and bosses, husbands, wives, mothers and fathers… fair judges and lawmakers… attentive friends and co-workers… Spirit-filled ministers and Christian believers who share Christ’s love with others… and much more.
What about you? Do you accept others as Christ has accepted you? Or do you have criteria that others must meet… a checklist of sorts for deciding whether or not you will show kindness and mercy to those you encounter? Read Romans 15:7 again…it starts off “The good News is for Jews and Gentiles.” In other words, Christ died on the cross for all of us… not just a certain few. If we are to be His followers, we must be accepting of everyone. How accepting of others have you been lately?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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