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Time Out for God Devotional Ministry By Danna Appleby Making a New Beginning Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) A Youtube for your listening enjoyment – Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9oW91Iv8D8 {Taken from Luke 15:11-32} Jesus told a story about a man who had two sons. The youngest decided he wanted his share of the inheritance and his father promptly divided everything and gave him his portion. It wasn’t long before the son set out on a journey to a distant land where he lived frivolously and spent everything he had. A famine came to the country and he got so desperate that he had no food. He decided to work for a citizen of the country and he sent him to tend to his herd of pigs. Unfortunately, the young man was so hungry he was willing to eat the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. Nostalgia set in and the young man thought of the men who worked for his father and how they had plenty of food while he was starving to death. He decided he must return to his father’s house and set out on the long journey back. He wondered what he could tell his father and decided to say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” This young man knew he had made the wrong choice in leaving his loving father and the comforts of home where his hunger pains were satisfied and all was well. He knew he had squandered everything on unrighteous living and felt nothing but shame and remorse. He knew his only option was to return to his father, to ask for forgiveness and become his father’s servant. The young man’s father endlessly watched and waited with a heavy heart hoping to see the son that had departed so long ago. Looking intently, he spotted someone in the distance coming down the road. Could it be his beloved son? But it could not be for this man was stooped as a beggar would be with rags on his back. This couldn’t be the confident, debonair son he had sent on his way. But the closer the traveler came, the resemblance was too overwhelming and the compassionate father ran down the road, hugged his neck and kissed him. The welcomed son didn’t hesitate, and blurted, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be your son.” But his father showed mercy and told his servant to bring the best robe for his son, a ring to be placed on his hand and sandals for his feet. A fatted calf was killed so they could eat and have a great celebration. Nearby, as the older son heard music and dancing, he left the field and came near the house. He called to one of the servants for an explanation of the commotion. The servant told him that his younger brother who had gone away had returned. His father was glad he had returned safe and sound therefore he called for the fatted calf to be killed for the feasting. The older brother became angry and refused to go into the house. When the father found out about it he was troubled and went out to plead with him. The eldest son said, “Father, I have been with you and faithfully served you for many years. I never broke a commandment at all and you never even gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends. But when your son came home who has devoured your money with harlots, you killed the fatted calf.” The father lovingly said, “Son, you have always been with me, and all that I have is yours. What we did for your brother was right because he was dead and is now alive again. He was lost and is now found.” What a beautiful picture Jesus paints of how our Heavenly Father longs for that one child who has stepped away from the protection of His loving arms. And what an eye opener of what we do to ourselves when we move away from the Presence of the Lord. The truth is we leap head first into the pig sty of sin. We leap into the filth of wrongdoing. Even more devastating is the fact that we leap into the judgment of Almighty God. We may have the misconception that God’s grace will cover us and we can go right on doing whatever we please for as long as we please. But this is grace at work: Grace covers us as we walk in the light and keep in step with the Spirit. If we decide to go our own way, you can guarantee there will be consequences to those actions. God will not be mocked. It is ludicrous to think we can go right on sinning and all will be well between God and you. We gamble with our souls and only lie to ourselves. The Apostle Paul put it this way when he said these things: What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! (Romans 6:15) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (Ephesians 5:8) But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) When we continue on in sin or go back to it after we’ve once been enlightened, we become a slave to that sin and that’s exactly what the devil wants. You will not be the victorious Christian you’ve always wanted to be by unrighteous living. It is not possible. The enemy waits for any loophole in your character so he can get the upper hand on you. He knows these sins can cause a stronghold and you will not be able to free yourself from it with one easy dose of repentance. These strongholds are like a claw and won’t let go without much prayer, fasting, and sometimes sessions of deliverance from those equipped for that type of ministry. I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16) Remember those ragged clothes the son wore as he journeyed home? All he had to his name were filthy rags saturated with the stench of nasty pigs. When we become a child of the Most High God, we’re to cast aside the filthy garments we used to wear and put on the robe of righteousness and royalty. This spotless garment should be worn as we await our soon coming King. Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming any day and we will hear the trumpet sound. We must stay ready with our garments washed, pressed and ready for Christ’s appearing. We need to wear our spotless garment while we work for the King and are in His service. There is no time to waste on unrighteous living. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:14) Are we not the temple of the Holy
Spirit? Are we not ambassadors of the
It’s sad to say, but there are many carnal Christians in the Body of Christ today. The Apostle Paul wrote about it so it was a problem even in his day. It would seem that many of these carnal Christians have split personalities. Everything looks good while they’re in church as they put on the garments of praise and let the hallelujahs roll. But once they leave the premises (and many times before they leave the parking lot), it’s another story. The old garment goes back on and with it comes that old familiar stench of smelly pigs. Are we not to be a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God, a sweet savor in the nostrils of our Heavenly Father? Absolutely! Father, help us surrender to You and become that sweet aroma this very hour! Hosea prophesied: “Return, O
What were the sins of
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal. 5:24) Do you belong to Christ? Decide today you will live for the Lord as if it were your last day on this earth because it may very well be. In the upcoming year, resolve to make a new beginning with your life. Decide this year will be different and don’t back down from your resolution. You may find this guide useful for making that happen: *†* I will: Love God. Abhor evil. Walk in love. Live for Christ. Walk in the light. Walk in the Spirit. Live a life of holiness. Keep my robe washed. Keep my eyes on Jesus. Be an ambassador of Christ. Set my mind on things above. Examine myself to see if I am in the faith. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20) Let us pray earnestly: “Father, this year I want to make a new beginning in my life. My main New Year’s resolution includes You. I want things to change but can only make those changes with Your help. You will not make those changes without my surrender. Take my life as I surrender to You. I cannot do anything without You doing the marvelous inward working of the Spirit in my life. I’m tired of the old life and ready for the new life Christ gave me when I first accepted Him as Savior. I repent of all of my sins. I have settled for something inferior from Your will. I have not understood what I have in Christ and who I am in Him. I am tired of being the carnal one I am and cast it aside. From this day forward I will live for You like never before. I pray for a renewed passion for Jesus Christ. I want to make a new beginning and with Your help I can. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” For study purposes: Loving God: Luke 10:27 Abhoring evil: Romans 12:9 Walking in love: Ephesians 5:2 Living for Christ: Philippians 1:21 Walking in the light: 1 John 1:7 Walking in the Spirit: Galatians 5:16 Keeping my eyes on Jesus: Hebrews 12:2 Being an ambassador of Christ: 2 Corinthians 5:20 Setting my mind on things above: Philippians 4:8 Examining myself to see if I am in the faith: 2 Corinthians 13:5 Being a sweet-smelling aroma of Christ: Philippians 4:18 I am the
Keeping my robe washed: Revelation 22:14 (NASB) Living a life of holiness: Leviticus 20:7; Romans 12:1; 2 Peter 3:11; Hebrews 12:14 |
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