Hi dear readers! Sorry to be away a few days. I was on vacation. Now I'm back and ready to continue forward as we've been doing.
I cannot emphasize enough, how important this blog entry is today. This entry will give you what you need to live out your life everyday. I know because I am doing this. There is no way around this message. The Church, as a whole, has to build this into their lives everyday. We must make this a part of our daily routine. This should be top priority over everything else in our lives. We MUST "renew our minds" everyday with the Word of God.
Romans 12:2 NIV
[2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
On an everyday level, this means spend some time in God's Word every day. I recommend the New Testament to start off with. There we find out Jesus' teachings and recommendations for life in the gospels and then the rest is from Luke, Paul, Peter, John, James, and Jude, the brother of James. Hebrews is written for the Church but we do not know definitively who wrote it.
Starting in Acts and going to Revelation, there is a wealth of knowledge that cannot be fully exhausted in a single lifetime. We'll never stop learning. Also, this is not ordinary reading, as the Holy Spirit will reveal things to you as you read which will be unique to your specific situation at any given time. Under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit "teaches us all things" and "writes His laws on our hearts." One of the ways He does this is by us staying in the Word every day, making it something we do every day. How amazing is it that God interacts with us this way by the Holy Spirit inside each one of us?
Renewing our mind in the Word every day reminds us who we are in Christ Jesus, what is ours in Christ, what we have to look forward to for all eternity, what it means to be "children of God," having been born again by the Holy Spirit into the Kingdom of God. We learn how God intends to use the Church individually and collectively. We learn how He wants us to live to be a benefit to those around us. We also learn about what we are up against in this present world and the unseen realm. The list goes on and on. There are so many different facets to the Christian life that a mere glance at the Word every now and then will not help us much. We have to learn the truths and that comes through reading the Word and then doing it.
One of many things about "renewing your mind" is knowing who you are in Christ, and clinging to that hope forever.
We are saved by God's grace and are justified freely by His grace through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:21-24 NIV
[21] But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
By putting our hope in Jesus Christ, we are saved by God's grace and have been given the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
[8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast.
John 3:16 NIV
[16] For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 5:24 NIV
[24] “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
Having been born again by the Holy Spirit by believing in Jesus Christ, we are "in Christ" and the Holy Spirit now lives inside each one of us. This guarantees our "inheritance" which is to come, which is heaven.
Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV
[13] And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV
[3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, [5] who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Nobody can ever take us away from Christ Jesus or the Father. Jesus gives us eternal life forever and we will never perish.
John 10:27-30 NIV
[27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
Note:***The only way anything changes is if we stop believing in God. So always believe. Never turn back.
Colossians 1:21-23 NIV
[21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— [23] if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Revelation 2:10 NKJV
[10] Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
[6] And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
We do not stand condemned anymore because we believe in Jesus, which places us "in Christ."
Romans 8:1-2 NIV
[1] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Nothing will ever separate us from the "love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39 NIV
[38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
See? Just a small sample of who we are in Christ for all Christians.
This is so important to learn these things and refer to them often. Then we will remember who we are in Christ Jesus. James, the half-brother of Jesus said it this way:
James 1:22-25 NIV
[22] Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. [23] Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror [24] and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. [25] But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
We transform our minds by renewing them with the Word. When we do this daily, Satan and the dark realm will not be able to steal it out of our minds. That is where part of our struggle comes from.
Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV
[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Also when the trials, worries, and cares of life come, they will not distract you from the Word planted in you. It will have a chance to grow and transform you.
Luke 8:14 NIV
[14] The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
There is so much to digest and assimilate into our lives from just the New Testament alone. Don't be intimidated. There is no time frame here. Just start reading. You might keep a notebook and pen handy to jot down important things the Holy Spirit will show you as you read. The most important thing to do is stay in the Word everyday and then put what you learn into practice. Don't worry the Holy Spirit will help you with this.
I hope this will invigorate your life. This will build your relationship with God. This will build your relationships with mankind also. So, just start reading!
If you have any questions email me at: postjeff0321@gmail.com
Love you dear readers,
Jeffrey Post
