Therefore
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away;
behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB
This
means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life
is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
In Context:
Because we understand our fearful responsibility to
the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope
you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving
you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a
spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are
crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for
your benefit. Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that
Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He
died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live
for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for
them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one
time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we
know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new
person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a
gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given
us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling
the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he
gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's
ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we
plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to
be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through
Christ. 2 Corinthians
5:11-21
We just
experienced Resurrection Sunday yesterday…better known as Easter Sunday. Easter
is really a pagan holiday and the holiday that Christians celebrate is
Resurrection Sunday, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead. The beginning of His new life…and our new life.
Resurrection Sunday
But very early on Sunday morning the women
went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the
stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn't
find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly
appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed
with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking
among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the
dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be
betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise
again on the third day." Then they remembered that he had said this. So
they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what
had happened. Luke 24:1-9
Why
are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? Are you looking
for someone who is dead or alive? Jesus is alive…and because He is ALIVE, one
day anyone who believes in Him will also be alive forever! Eternally
alive. Believe. Are you looking for Him? David gave this advice to his son, Solomon.
As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of
your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD
searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek
Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you
forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 NASB
 |
| Seek God in His Word...the Bible. Be like a workman....separating the words to understand them. |
The same advice is good for us. Seek
God…serve Him with your entire heart and mind. If you turn your back on Him…He
will reject you. No one wants to be rejected...left behind…or unloved. Even God
must be loved…as commanded through Moses and then later described in the story
of the Good Samaritan.
These are the commands, decrees, and
regulations that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey
them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and you and your children
and grandchildren must fear the LORD your God as long as you live. If you obey
all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. Listen closely,
Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will
have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD,
the God of your ancestors, promised you. Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God,
the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all
your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves
wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Deuteronomy
6:1-6
The man answered, "'You must love
the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and
all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27
There is no other thing that is more
important in life than to love God. Do you love Him and seek Him with all your
heart? Are you in Christ…and becoming
a new person? Have your old habits
passed away?
Prayer ~ Jesus Christ, You are my Savior and I seek
You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. I am a new person since I
got to know You…my old ways have changed and new habits and attitudes are
forming. Thank You for being my Lord and Savior.
Daily
Bible Reading: Psalms 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21
© 2019 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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