Who I Am In Christ Devotionals

  For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. 1 John 5:3-4 I CAN keep His commandments. I am a blessed believer, child of the King. I am light (Ephesians 5:7). I have to say that every now and then to remember it. He's the one who said it. If I don't repeat it, I start thinking that I'm just a regular person. No. I'm a new creature. Brand new. And He asks me to keep His commands. So you know what? I can. I've often been the guy who reads right over that thinking, "Never mind. I know better; I'm going to fail." See, I was believing lies. I can keep His commands and they are not a burden. In fact, I'll say that His commands breathe life and freedom into my heart and mind. Everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. Now John says, "...everyone (did you catch that? EVERYO...

  “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. - 1 Corinthians 2:9‭-‬10‭, ‬12‭, ‬16 Freely Given Does God love me? Yes. There's no question. Do I love Him. Yes. But I'm sloppy at it at best. Still, he keeps sanctifying me. Making me holy. And I can't imagine what He has prepared for me and His church. I'm sure that applies to the afterlife, but it looks to me that the context here is more about the now. He reveals things to me by His Spirit. He does. That's right. He does. This happens most directly through His word. But also through songs and discussions with believers. And lis...

  Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him--in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus-- to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:21-24 Being Sanctified I am a believer. So, I am putting off my former way of life, my old self (today). I know when I was saved, I put off the former self, I was renewed. I was justified. An act done by God in the courts of heaven. Amen. Yet, I am still being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit does that in me too. It is too much. I am drawn back to my old self. But He is there gently calling me to put off, put off, put off. Daily. My "adamnish" doesn't just vanish. Jesus is scrubbing, washing, cleansing. But this verse tells me what it looks like from my end. He tells me to put off my former way of life. And I am a believer. If he (He) tells...

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 I Am Clay I am in Christ. I am a new creation. This is His promise. The old has passed away. He says, "Behold!" Look here. Don't miss this: The new has come. Since I am new, it follows that the Lord will work that new creatureliness out in me. And I don't fully know what that means. What will He do in me today and how will it grow over time? I'm clay. I am a work that He is doing. May He work deeply! Other than, living a holy life, set apart. I know that bringing every thought captive to the Lord must be part of being a new creature. In times of stress, I sometimes forget this. I know it is not appropriate for a child of God, a new creature, to forget God when in stress. He brings profound peace even in times of stress. But rather, I must lay it out before Him. I must turn my will and life over to Him as I walk. Live Like The Creature That...