​I am saved...
 
I Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
Titus 3:4,5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but because of His mercy He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit... 
 
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. 
 
 
Everlasting Love from Ancient Days
Daily Devotional for February 27, 2014
Morning & Evening
C.H. Spurgeon and Alistair Begg
Micah 5:2
 
“The Lord Jesus had purposes for His people as their representative before the throne, long before they appeared upon the stage of time. It was ‘from ancient days’ that He signed the contract with His Father that He would pay blood for blood, suffering for suffering, agony for agony, and death for death on behalf of His people; it was ‘from ancient days’ that He gave Himself up without a murmuring word.
 
“From the crown of His head to the sole of His foot, He sweat great drops of blood; He was spat upon, pierced, mocked, torn, and crushed beneath the pains of death. All of this was ‘from ancient days.’ Let our souls pause in wonder at God's purposes from of old. Not only when you were born into the world did Christ love you, but His delights were with the sons of men before there were any sons of men! He often thought of them; from everlasting to everlasting He had set His affection upon them.
 
“Since He has been so long about your salvation, will not He accomplish it? Has He from everlasting been going forth to save me, and will He lose me now? It is inconceivable that having carried me in His hand, as His precious jewel, He would let me now slip from between His fingers. Did He choose me before the mountains were brought forth or the channels of the ocean were formed, and will He reject me now? Impossible! I am sure He would not have loved me for so long if He had not been a faithful Lover. If He could grow weary of me, He would have been tired of me long before now. If He had not loved me with a love as deep as hell and as strong as death, He would have turned from me long ago. What joy above all joys to know that I am His everlasting and inalienable inheritance, given to Him by His Father before the earth was formed! Everlasting love shall be the pillow on which I rest my head tonight.”
 
“From ancient days” it was His plan to save us! What a comfort to the child of God!  Not a day has passed when our salvation wasn’t on His mind and in His heart!  There has NEVER been a time when He wasn’t working everything in our lives towards that goal – that moment when we would accept His offer of grace and choose to follow Him.  Once we were saved – WE WERE SAVED!  Eternally!  It’s all about Him – and His ability to “keep me from falling” – it’s not about me (or you)!  Hallelujah!

​I am crucified with Christ...
 
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. 
 
GotQuestions.org
 
“In his letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul wrote that he had been “crucified with Christ,” and, as a result, Paul no longer lived. Does this mean that Paul hung on the cross with Jesus and was crucified along with Him physically? Obviously not. What, then, did Paul mean by ‘crucified with Christ’? The life and death alluded to here are spiritual, not physical.

“In the previous verse, Galatians 2:19, Paul states that in Christ he became dead to the Law, insensible to it in the same way that physical death makes a person insensible to all surrounding objects and influences. Paul says that he became insensible to the Law as a means of justification. It lost its power over him and ceased to influence him. Paul was also dead to the world, to ambition and the love of money, to the pride of life, and to the dominion of evil and hateful passions. They lost their power over him; they ceased to influence him. They, too, were crucified with Christ.

“When we are crucified with Christ by faith in Him, we are to completely surrender every selfish desire and ambition to the perfect will of God. Self-promotion and self-pleasing desires are the greatest obstacle between man and salvation because it is the nature of man to want to please himself, and this self-recognition is a building block for sin. All sin erupts from the desire to please self, and this is what must be crucified with Christ in surrender to the will of God before salvation can bear fruit. This, as Paul attests, is an ongoing process because the spirit, which has been crucified with Christ, still resides within in the flesh, which is still very much alive (Romans 7:18–25).

“Man cannot overcome his inherited sinful nature on his own and needs the power and assistance of the Holy Spirit to make this happen, but the surrender of his own will to that of God’s will is essential for the elimination of his own desire’s powerful motivation and enslavement. This is part of repentance. True repentance is not just asking for forgiveness of sin but is also a willingness and desire for change that conforms to the will of God. It is surrender of one’s own control and will to the power and will of the Holy Spirit that is the beginning of being crucified with Christ.

“This beginning brings a quickening of the Holy Spirit within man, which brings forth a new spiritual life in him as he is born again of the Spirit of God. Old, corruptible desires are replaced with a new and more powerful motivation to experience the holiness of God. Temptation for the former corruptible ways that enslaved him to sin are defeated, not by man’s own effort to battle his corruptible nature, but in surrender of his own will to God’s will (1 Peter 1:23). This proves to be a great challenge for many people because we attempt to control our sinful nature on our own with the result being repeated falls into the same old, sinful ways they are attempting to escape. If it had been possible for man to overcome his sinful nature by his own power and will, there would have been no need for Jesus to die for our sins. Man could have simply overcome his sinful nature, obeyed the Mosaic Law, and stopped sinning on his own by the power of his own will. But because man is not capable of denying his sinful nature on his own, by the grace of God man has been given this victory through the gift of spiritual rebirth if he is willing to fully surrender in repentant contrition to God’s will. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

“Many Christians want to be obedient but continue to stumble in sin because they try to hang on to parts of the old self they think they are able to control. This is a self-defeating rationale that relies on the idea that man saves himself by his own works. The Bible teaches us that nothing a man does can save his soul, and salvation is only by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8–9). Through this gift of grace, man can be born again and be given a new nature to replace the old, sinful self. He must be born again if he is ever to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3), and if he is to be born again, his sinful nature must be crucified with Christ, and he must be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.”
 
Amazing timing, no?  It’s Easter week – a time for Christians to remember that Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we could be restored to fellowship with Him.  While we’re considering the price He has paid, it’s good that we consider our response – to reckon ourselves “crucified with Christ” – and “dead to sin.”  Are you struggling with a besetting sin?  Are you trying to live for Christ in your own strength and ability – and failing?  Are you trying to be “good enough” to “merit” forgiveness?  Are you trying to walk with one foot in the world and one foot in the Kingdom – and wondering why you don’t have the victory?  Choose today to see yourself as “crucified with Christ!”

​I am a new creature in Christ...

II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  

Horizon North County
July 17th, 2013

Crossing the Finish Line
 
“‘I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles…Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.’” – Isaiah 42:6,9

“What was the first Bible verse that really impacted you? For me, it was the verse that says, ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.’

“We all like new things, and especially the idea of becoming new, but what exactly does this mean? I mean, I’m new, but it’s still me here. How have they become new? How have things now become what they never were before?

“I think actually this is where a lot of people get tripped up on this whole thing called Christianity—telling me you’re new. ‘But you’re still losing your hair. You’re telling me that you’re new but I still see that you lose your temper. What type of new are you talking about?’

“Well, look at our verses today. You can claim that personally. He’s saying, ‘Yes, I made the first call. I called out to you. I called you in righteousness.’

“Maybe you’re reading this today and, just to be totally honest with the Lord, you’re like, ‘Well, You called me, but I’m not righteous.’

“But He’s called you in righteousness. In other words, He sees you new. He doesn’t see you as you see yourself when you look in the mirror. He sees you finished. I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you this before, or maybe they have and they meant it in a negative way, but I mean it in the most positive ways of what Christ has done for you: You’re finished.

“’Well, I need to prop this up and this up and this up. I need to work on this and go to the gym.’

“No, you’re finished. Can you just relax and enjoy the fact that because of Christ, you’re done? You’re finished. You’re complete. When He sees you, He sees the finished work. He says, ‘I called you in righteousness.’ It’s not something that you can earn, okay? That’s only something you can receive. He calls you in righteousness.

“If that’s not enough then realize this: In the beginning, God’s words created everything that now is. And now, by His grace and mercy, even when we weren’t righteous, He called us righteous, declaring new things before they yet existed.
If God said it, it’s true, and He calls you righteous. Receive that from His hand today.

“Prayer - Father God, thank You for calling me righteous! I could be righteous unless You just transform me, and I receive the truth today that You have made me righteous. I’m finished! The old is gone and the new really has come!  Amen”

When I first really surrendered my life to Christ in August of 1981, I thought this meant that I didn’t have to face anything that had happened in my past – that I could just keep a lid on all of that “stuff,” and move on into a new life with Christ.  And I tried – I really did – but over time I realized that I was dragging a dead man behind me – that while GOD saw me as righteous and new, I needed to see myself that way.  I couldn’t do that carrying around all that dead weight.  I had to start facing that “stuff” – and allow the Lord to wash away the filth, grime and pain that had been accumulating in my soul for years.  As I did that – as I gave Him full access to my heart – and my hurt – I was freed up more and more to walk in that newness of life He had already given me at my conversion.  And – He’s still in that process!  Although I’ve done a lot of work, there are still times when I snap – when I don’t act like that “new person” He says I am - and I need to repent and start over.  The difference for me is that now I don’t beat myself up when I mess up – I confess – repent – and move on, KNOWING that I AM a new creature in Christ – that He has forgiven me, and that He always will!  SO – if there are issues in your life that have been slowing you down – holding you back – preventing you from experiencing that “newness” He’s promised, maybe it’s time to see who/what you’re dragging around behind you.  Let it go.  Get help if necessary. Learn new ways of moving on “in Christ.”  Look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself – “I AM a new creature in Christ!”

​I am the temple of the Holy Spirit...
 
I Corinthians 6:19,20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.  
 
Temple of the Holy Spirit: The Body
by Todd Carey
 
“Did God give us human bodies to use and abuse as we like, or does He expect more? How does He expect us to view and care for the marvelous bodies He designed?
 
“The apostle Paul said that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
 
“Many people believe, ‘It’s my body, and I can treat it any way I like.’ But what does our Creator God say?
 
Fearfully and wonderfully made
 
“‘Fearfully and wonderfully made’ is how King David described God’s creation of human beings (Psalm 139:14). David praised God for this marvelous work called the human body. There are several references in the Bible where the body is actually likened to a temple (John 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19).
 
“There is a purpose behind everything God does, and the creation of the human body is no different. A major purpose in this life is to grow in the righteous character of God. Through His dwelling in us by the power of His Holy Spirit, we are helped in achieving that purpose in life that will enable us to live forever in His family.
 
“The apostle Paul shed light on the purpose of the human body when he told the brethren in Corinth, ‘For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you’’ (2 Corinthians 6:16-17).
 
“Paul explained that God will dwell in men by the power of His Spirit. If our bodies are to serve as a temple or dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, does God have specific expectations about how we treat and care for our bodies?
 
Health knowledge
 
“There is more published today on health matters than at any other time in human history. The many studies and advances in the health sciences mean we have a much better understanding of what we can do to gain and retain a level of good health. This includes regular exercise, proper diet, getting enough rest and proper emotional health.
 
“When we do what is necessary to maintain physical health, we find our minds are sharper and better able to think, remember, learn and focus. The need for a sharp mind is just as important for spiritual matters as physical!
 
“But our world is filled with opportunities for us to abuse our bodies. Many of the typical ‘fast foods’ are quite limited in important vitamins and minerals and are instead filled with fats, sugars and chemicals that actually destroy good health.
 
“High-stress lifestyles require people to push harder and work longer hours to accomplish more and more. According to the National Sleep Foundation, drivers who are drowsy are just as impaired as drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Researchers have discovered that chronic sleep deprivation contributes to high blood pressure, heart attack, obesity and likelihood of a stroke, in addition to significantly decreased cognitive function. Lack of proper rest equals health problems!
 
“While the Bible does not condemn all use of alcohol (see “Is Drinking Alcohol a Sin?”), it does condemn the abuse of alcohol. Modern research is replete with descriptions of the negative consequences of too much alcohol.
 
“Likewise, the results of abusing drugs and other substances, legal or otherwise, have been abundantly documented. Some substances attack the muscles, some attack the lungs and heart, and many attack the brain itself. In time, the result will be health that is diminished and a body that may be broken beyond repair. This is not how God intended that we care for His wonderful creation!
 
Your body is to house the Holy Spirit
 
“Paul taught members the need to remember what was dwelling in them and how they would be held accountable for their care of their spiritual temple. ‘Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are’ (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
 
“We human beings are accountable to God for the way in which we care for our bodies. The analogy of a temple points to the temple in Jerusalem that Paul knew at that time. This temple was a rebuilt version of the magnificent temple Solomon had built long before.
 
“Later on, in 1 Corinthians 6 Paul warned the Church about sexual immorality, stating: ‘Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!’ (verse 15). And again in 1 Corinthians 6:18 he wrote, ‘Flee sexual immorality.’
 
“His meaning is clear: Sexual immorality is a sin that defiles our bodies—making a mockery of the temple in which the Holy Spirit is to dwell.
 
Care for the body
 
“The human body needs to consume food for energy virtually every day. But not everything that crawls, runs, flies or swims was (not initially) designed by the Creator to be consumed by people.
 
“We also care for our bodies with proper sleep and exercise and appropriate social activities. It is no secret that even the things we think about can impact our health. Solomon wrote, ‘A good report makes the bones healthy’ (Proverbs 15:30). What we choose to think about and even the words from family and friends can affect our health.
 
“Paul wrote: ‘Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things’ (Philippians 4:8).
 
“God promises to give a peace of mind that can help us cope with stresses and trials that sometimes war against our temple of the Holy Spirit. Thinking about things God wants us to think about will promote spiritual health to the temple.
 
Limitations
 
“Of course, there may be limitations to what we are able to do to preserve our health. Part of the equation is genetic or may involve environmental factors that are beyond our control. For example, the New Testament gives us the example of a man blind from birth, through no fault of his own (John 9:1-3).
 
“In the same manner, some health weaknesses may not be caused by lack of self-discipline or failure to follow practices that would honor God, but may result from genetic predisposition or factors in our environment or life situation over which we have no control. However, given those constraints, God expects us to do as we are able to follow balanced guidelines pertaining to diet and exercise.
 
A temple like no other
 
“The temple Solomon built was magnificent! Many parts of the temple were overlaid with pure gold, including the altar and the inner sanctuary (1 Kings 6:21-22).
 
“Our bodies, which are to be the temple of the Holy Spirit, are also quite special. Anything that contains God’s presence is deemed holy. The body that receives the gift of the Holy Spirit is special to God and is to reflect His nature.
 
“How would you describe the current state of your temple—your body? We have the freedom to choose how we will care for this precious body lovingly designed by the Creator. It is His intent that we care for it and use it properly. Fearfully and wonderfully made is this body God created—the temple of the Holy Spirit!”
 
That’s a lot to digest, so I won’t add anything more (I think he said it all)!  Be blessed – and take good care of YOUR temple!

I am dead to sin...

Romans 6:1-4,17,18  What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

I'm Dying to Know...
Joni Eareckson Tada
December 8, 2014

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."           Galatians 5:24

“We use words in strange ways. Take the word dying. Your daughter in tenth grade says she's dying to know the football captain of the neighboring high school. Your son in Little League might be dying to meet the national baseball commissioner. Or perhaps you are dying to know what the loud quarrels next door are all about.

“It's an exaggeration, to say the least. You're not really willing to kick the bucket in order to find out about your neighbor's problems, but there is one use of the expression that is no exaggeration at all. Are you dying to know the Lord?

“The apostle Paul spoke of this when he said, ‘I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection... becoming like Him in His death.’ Paul realized that in order to know Christ fully, it meant crucifying the old man. Mortifying his sinful nature with all its passions. Nailing worldly affections to the cross. Reckoning himself dead to sin and alive to God.

“We say we want to know the Lord's love, to feel His favor, to experience His joy and peace. We want to know His presence and His smile. But could we say we are dying to know Him? If so, Jesus asks you to meet Him at the cross.
___________________________________________

“What does it take to know Jesus in an intimate and personal way? The Bible calls it being crucified with Christ, but you could call it "saying no to sin." Ask the Lord to give you His resurrection power and help you squelch anger, stifle gossip, and put a lid on those mind games.

“The power of Your resurrection, Lord, is what I need when I say ‘no’ to sin. Let me become like You in your death, crucifying every passion that displeases You. I want to know You. I am dying to know You.”

“Dying to know You.”  What a powerful statement – and a difficult one to actually live out.  Dying to self doesn’t come naturally – it’s a daily – hourly – choice, and I have to admit that in the last week I’ve not been very successful at doing it.  My flesh is pretty powerful – and my spirit is often too weak to put up a fight.  Sad, but true.  There are two things I remind myself of when I fail – I’m aware of my failure (so there’s hope for change the next time) – and God’s grace covers a multitude of my sin.  But I LONG to KNOW Him – to live in victory – to walk in His power!  So – I have to keep “killing myself” – allowing Him to work in me in a way that conforms me into His image.  Painful?  Yes – absolutely.  Worth it?  YES!