A New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!" (Amp)

I love the exclamation at the end of that verse. I learned in teaching punctuation that the exclamation means the sentence before it is to be read full of emotion. So read that last sentence with awe, wonder, and excitement. What is there to be excited about? I'm glad you asked.

Being brand new in Christ means our sins are forgiven. Every time we confess our sins to God with a truly repentant heart and ask for forgiveness, we are washed clean. Being brand new in Christ means we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. Power for living comes from being united with Christ in spirit. We cannot be the person God has called us to be without the help of the Holy Spirit. We won't be effective in kingdom work without the help of the Holy Spirit. And we won't be able to have victory over our sin nature if we try to do battle without the Holy Spirit. Because we are in Christ, we are now new spiritual creations. Every day ask to be filled with God's Holy Spirit.

The fresh and new way is through the Spirit. This is such good news because now we no longer have to battle our sin nature by ourselves. We can say "No" to sin and "Yes" to Jesus. We can take our thoughts captive to Christ by praying God's Word and seeking God's perspective. We can read the Bible and have it come alive to us because we're now a part of the Story. We can begin each new day with the knowledge that we are not alone, and as we pray to our Father and surrender the day to Him, we know we walk in His protection and in the realm of His authority. Each problem can be looked at through the lens of God's love for us and how He wants us to trust Him and lean on Him.

A new creation in Christ Jesus! That's what I want to be. Off with the old; on with the new!

God's Description of a Godly Wife

God has really been convicting me lately on the way I view my marriage and treat my husband. It's a subject that keeps coming to the forefront repeatedly. I believe it's God telling me to wise up. So I've been reading up on the subject in 1 Tim 2 and Titus 2 and elsewhere and discovered that God's description of a wife is a far cry from mine. In my heart, I need to elevate my husband to his rightful place. I've decided to write down God's description of a wife and carry it with me, review it daily, put it into action. God blesses obedience, so I know He'll bless my efforts and help me change. I love my husband, and I want to be all he needs me to be and all that God wants me to be.     

Bible Study on My Own

I'm doing Beth Moore's revised version of A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place on my own. Today's homework was encouraging and I thought I'd share what helped me most.


Exodus 14:19-20 "Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, ²⁰ coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long." (NIV)

"Jehovah-Jireh provided the pillar of a cloud not only to direct the people but also to protect them. Revel in a God whose business is to come between you and your enemies!"

"Remember this foundational truth: everything God did with Israel in the realm of the seen, He does with us in the realm of the unseen. God has not ceased actively parenting His children."

"What enemy are you battling today? First, invite God to come between you and your enemy. Second, invite Him to open "the eyes of your heart" so that you will recognize Him at work (Eph. 1:18). Third, count on Jesus; He never fails. "

ELEMENTS OF A DAILY QUIET TIME

ELEMENTS OF A DAILY QUIET TIME

A.    Praise God and Thank God

1.    Praise God for one or more of His characteristics/attributes.

2.    Thank Him for what He’s done and is going to do.

3.    Sing a praise song or hymn or read a Psalm of praise.

B.    Confess Sin

1.     Confess and ask for forgiveness of your sins. Ask God to bring up

any sins you need to confess. Thank Him for His forgiveness.

C.    Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty

1.     Verbally yield your will, your desires, and your plans to God.

2.     Ask Him to hold sway over your mind and heart.

D.    Ask for the Holy Spirit’s Filling and Guidance

1.     Ask for Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit.

2.     Believe that you are filled and thank Him.

3.     Ask God for His wisdom and guidance.

E.     Read a Devotional or Meditate on a Scripture Passage

1.     Choose a devotional book or choose a passage of Scripture to read/

meditate on.* Ask God to speak to you as you read His Word.**

2.     Pray Scripture from daily reading back to God.

3.     Write any Scripture He’s impressed on your mind on a 3x5 card to

carry with you and review throughout your day.

F.     Sit in His Presence.

      1.  Rest in the knowledge of God’s love for you. “God is good to all and loving toward all He has made.” "I have loved you with an everlasting love."

G.    Intercessory Prayer

1.      Pray for those on your prayer list.

2.      Say a prayer for missionaries and saints all over the world.

H.    Prayer for Self—Petitions and Equipping for Service

1.      Bring your requests for yourself to God

2.      Ask Him to equip you for serving Him

3.      Ask Him to keep you aware of His presence in you as you go

 about your day.

*When facing difficult circumstances or fighting a spiritual stronghold, look up verses concerning your problems in a concordance or go to www.biblegateway.com & do a word search for verses that speak to your situation. Read & copy these verses to meditate on during your quiet time and pray them back to God. Review them during the day.

 **For a deeper quiet time, re-read the daily passage of Scripture slowly 3 or 4 times. Reflect on what you’ve read. Does a particular word, phrase, or verse repeatedly catch your eye as you read? God wants to speak to you through His Word. What is God inviting you to do? How does the passage apply to your life? Record your thoughts in your journal. Submit to God’s leading.  Submission allows transformation.

Confession and Forgiveness

Life has a way of beating us up, doesn't it? I know I've felt beat up a time or two this year. Difficult, stressful situations wear me down. They tend to bring out the worst in me. I'm forced to see things in me that I thought were dead and buried since I've begun walking with the Lord. It seems there are some things in me that just refuse to die. Then, when the dust has settled, I wonder, "How can I face the Lord after this?" But I go to the Lord anyway because He is everything to me. Without Him I have no hope of changing, no hope of surviving.

I thank God that He loves me so much that when I come to Him and confess my sins, He does not shame me or despise me. He welcomes me, forgives me, and loves me. I may get disciplined, but I would rather have the Lord's discipline than live without being reconciled to Him.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Nothing is better fuel for the Enemy's fire than the discouragement that comes from sin, especially if we sin after we've made a fresh commitment to the Lord or have been walking in joyful fellowship with Him. But I've learned to immediately go to the Lord and confess so that "times of refreshing" can come...and the sooner the better! <smile>

Just look at how compassionate our God is:

"He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." Ps. 103:10-14 (ESV)

Thank you, Father, that you do not deal with us according to our sins. Thank you that you remove our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. Thank you for your compassion to those who stand in reverent awe of you. Thank you for remembering that I am dust. Help me to live each day in submission to your perfect will and authority. Help me align my mind, heart, and soul with your Word. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I may have the power to live as you want me to live. In Jesus' name. Amen.

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

New Pages, New Template

I just found out how to add pages to the top of my blog posts so that I can have the Scriptures I used to defeat my panic attacks just a click away for those who also want to use them! I also changed my template for Spring/Summer. I feel so tech-saavy now. :)

More On Anxiety

I found some information on Dr. John Piper's website and this is a somewhat condensed version. I love his quote so much. I underlined it below:

Dr. John Piper— John is the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minn., an author of more than 30 books and more than 25 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org.    “God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.”

Anxiety is a form of unbelief. Finding out the connection between our anxiety and our unbelief is in fact very good news, because it is the only way to begin the battle with the real cause of our sin and get the victory that God can give us by the therapy of his Word and his Spirit. When anxiety strikes and blurs our vision of God's glory and the greatness of the future that he plans for us, this does not mean that we are faithless, or that we will not make it to heaven. It means our faith is being attacked. At first blow our belief in God's promises may sputter and swerve. But whether we stay on track and make it to the finish line depends on whether we set in motion a process of resistance. Whether we fight back against anxiety. It is a spiritual battle. We battle anxiety by meditating on God’s Word and asking for the help of His Holy Spirit. We believe the promises of God and we pray for the help of His Spirit.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

FIVE PILLARS OF FEARLESSNESS (from Isaiah 41:10 above)

                    1. God is with me.
                    2. God is my God.
                    3. God will strengthen me.
                    4. God will help me.
                    5. God will uphold me.

Anxious about being too weak to do my work:

Deut. 33:25 As your days so shall your strength be. (NKJV)

2 Corin. 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

Anxious about decisions:

Ps. 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Anxious about my ministry being useless and empty:

Is. 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Anxious about new business or meeting:

Is. 41:10 (see above)

Financial Anxiety:

Matt. 6:30-33 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Anxious about growing old:

Isa. 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Anxious I may fail God, fall away from God:

Ph. 1:6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

1 Thess. 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Heb. 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Footnotes:
a. Hebrews 7:25 Or forever

Anxious about all unknowns:

Deut. 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Anxious about victory/ facing opponents:

Pr. 21:31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.

Ro. 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org