2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
‘Give me Jesus… give I Jesus… You can have all of this fallen world…Just give I Jesus…’ Oh friends, I’m chuckling here because you know how a song can just enter your spirt and keep percolating there constantly? Well that’s how ‘Give me Jesus’ has been constantly percolating in my soul since we sang it last Sunday. And why shouldn’t it eh, since Jesus is the greatest gift we’ve ever been given, and the greatest request we can ever ask. Remember Jesus’ words: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you…’ (Matt. 7:7) And His brother James says: ‘yet ye have not, because ye ask not.’ (James 4:2b) Cause even when we ask, we ask for the wrong things, so we don’t get anything.
So yes, I’m asking for Jesus! Why? Because I need Him in the morning when I rise to help me get going, so I can do His work with diligence and excellence. And all during the day, I need Jesus to keep me running smoothly, purring like a well-tuned and oiled engine. And at night, when I lay me down to rest… oh brother, I need him to cleanse, purify and reinvigorate my soul, body and spirit, so I can have the strength and energy to go out and do His work again the next day.
And most importantly people, when the breath of Jesus’ awesome Spirit has left my mortal body, I need Him, more than ever, to carry me over to the other side of the river, which ONLY He can do. To carry me to those wonderful mansions that He’s built for those who believe and have faith in His miracle working powers; those who believe that ALL things are possible with and through Him, and that in His LOVING-kindness, He works everything out eventually for the good of those who LOVE Him!
So please, please, ‘Give I Jesus nuh! Just give I Jesus…cause He’s ALL I need… You can have all of this fallen world…Just give I Jesus…all day long…each and every day…until eternity…Just give I Jesus…!’ And that’s my spiel for today! (smile)
Oh my people, my people, what a blessed and awesome day it is when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and His magnificent Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us! Brother! There’s no better day, than perhaps the one when we finally set foot in heaven! It’s such a life changing moment! As Bruh Paul puts it to the Corinthians: ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ (2 Cor. 5:17)
Mama Mia! What a transformation; like that of an ugly caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly! And that’s only possibly through the receiving of Christ as one’s Lord and Saviour! So, as Bruh Paul further states to the church at Rome on becoming a new creation in Christ. ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service. Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ (Rom. 12:1-2)
Yeh friends, remember when we become a new creation in Christ, all the old things and evil ways of our lives are thrown out, so we also have to become transformed in body and soul. Those bodies of ours which had hitherto been used as instruments of sin, now have to work instead, on God’s behalf, as channels of righteousness. We have to manifest the works of God through them if we want to be hailed as true and serious believers in Christ. Thus we need to stop conforming, ‘to resist being poured into the mold of the present thinking, value systems, and conduct of this world.’
Yes mih brethren, our lives need to take on a mighty change when Jesus comes into them. That means when His Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, we need to begin living after His Spirit and not by our old sinful systems. ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.’ (Rom. 8:5) And that makes sense people. You can’t live by both the old way and the new one; you have to make a choice. And if you’ve chosen Jesus, then you must live by the leading and guidance of His Spirit if you want to fulfill His will for your life.
As Bruh Paul continues: ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:6-8)
The long and short of the story friends, is that you can’t live like the world lives, fleshly, carnally, sinfully, and please God, because that style of living does not suit His kingdom, and if you want to be seriously considered one of His people, then you have to give up the fleshly, carnal, sinful style of living. As simple as that! Oh, we will sin and do wrong sometimes, but it will no longer be a lifestyle; our lives will no longer be dominated by sin, but by righteousness, by our living in the Holy Spirit of God! Isn’t that wonderful? It most certainly is!
And for those of us who sincerely try to live thus, let’s go home now declaring (ah Lord eh!) our Tuesday Mantra, telling the whole world who and whose we are. In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Now then, as new creations of Christ, let’s go out and share that awesome friendship, trust and LOVE of Jesus with those around us nuh. Much LOVE!
…when Jesus comes into our lives…He brings us…everlasting joy… peace…and LOVE… with heaven as our eternal home…
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