Passage of the Day:
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21.
Reflection:
Prior to becoming a high school Bible teacher, I wanted to help any students who were overwhelmed by all of the terminology in the Bible. Since I was lost when my own faith journey began, stumbling around in the darkness of the great unknown, I felt compelled to write a pamphlet entitled Finding a New Life in Christ. I compared today’s featured passage to doing laundry, taking off dirty clothes by putting on Christ. This is where faith begins.
Prayerful Action:
For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”[b] 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”[c] 8 and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”[d] They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for, 1 Peter 2:6-8.
Fueling Your Faith this Spiritual Season:
People don’t have a come to Jesus moment when times are going great in your life. Rather, most people suffer their own prodigal experience where you hit rock bottom, Luke 15:14-16. Unfortunately, when you do turn to Jesus for the first time, Romans 10:9-11 or come back after a season, there is plenty of dirty language and stains that need to be addressed. This is where the assurance of faith and reconciliation with God provides hope for all come to the feet of Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30. After confession, James 5:16, comes the daily process of taking off the old and putting on the new, Colossians 3:1-4.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Listening to Christian music has helped my transition from living according to human nature toward the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:5. Like the Alcohols Anonymous model, take one day at a time, taking off your old self and practices by covering your life in prayer to put on Jesus daily.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 