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New Year, New Man
2009 can be whatever you want it to be but one thing for sure is that it will be what you make it. What are you going to make? It seems that as Christians and especially men, we don’t do many things on purpose. Sit down and chart a path. You have heard it said, “If you don’t have a plan you are planning to fail.” Make a list and set some goals. Share them with a trusted believer and review it often. Not just a list of things to get done but a list of changes and expectations you have for yourself. You will never “become” unless you do it on purpose. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. [2] Do not conform any longer 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.
Offer, Obedience, Occupation. Those are the three tenants in this passage. Offer yourself to God on purpose. Not just part of you but all of you. In offering yourself you will be acting in obedience to Him. “This is your spiritual act of worship.” Worship does not come through singing or shouting, it starts in obedience. Finally you will be able to see what God is trying to do in and for you (your occupation). His way will be clear because the relationship you have fostered with Him.So go forth this year planning to be a better man for God!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Pastor Joe Lane
New Life Christian Center
Muskegon, MI
www.newlifemuskegon.com
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“Change You Can Believe In”
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away and behold, all things have become new.” First Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
For the past year or so, much to do has been made concerning the dynamic of change. Many of the declarations regarding change has been made by politicians, pundits, and prognosticators who eagerly attempt to define change, what it will look like, and how it will impact people from every walk of life. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the reality that we must face. Oftentimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. Change then becomes one thing in word and absolutely another in deed. We desire it; we work for it, wear the buttons and the pins but still wonder if the change that we are seeking will ever come to pass. Year end resolutions and commitments to change become boggled down 30 days after the first day of the year. Where is the change that we can count on and believe in? Change that cannot be sustained is not change at all. It is merely a brief episode of unrealized hopes and dreams, underscored by a lack of commitment to achieve the very thing that we confess.
Real, absolute, and sustained change can only be found by the individual who is willing to place themselves in Christ. “In Him also we have an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. Ephesians 1:11 (NKJV) The term “in Christ” defines the spiritual position of every believer. We are placed in Christ when we confess Him as Lord and Savior. But that is not the end of the story. Not only are we in Christ, but He also places himself in us. We become intertwined in an irrevocable relationship that cannot be broken. It is at that precise moment that we become candidates for change that can be believed in. It becomes more than a slogan, a chant, or a meaningless declaration. Being “in Christ” is the safety, security, and salvation of every believer. “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” I John 3:24 (NKJV)
Being “in Christ” is not exclusive but inclusive where He makes himself available to “any one.” When we come to Christ He has the power, patience, and perfection to begin making us over again into a new creation. True change occurs when God begins working on us and changing us on the inside. Others may not see it, know it, or believe it but eventually His working in us begins working out of us. Now one cannot be passive during this process. Sometimes change in certain areas is instantaneous and sometimes it is progressive where He works on us over time. But we must be yielded to the hands of God through Jesus Christ and the power of regeneration and transformation until old things have become brand new. When we begin a “new” life of devotion to Christ it means that not only do we have new attitudes but we also have new actions. The old things that we used to do with zeal will become things that we just don’t want to do anymore.
Change that you can believe in is not found “in” a new year’s resolution. It is not found in a new relationship. It is not found in a new job. It is not found in a new house or car. It is not even found in new friendships or associations. If you want to change your life forever, place yourself in a meaningful relationship with Christ. You will never be the same again.
Jay Duane Driver
Fresh Fire Ministries
Houston, Texas
www.freshfireministries.net
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God's Expectation for Men
The tragic state of affairs that now exists among men is severely compounded by the fact that there is so much work to be done for the Kingdom of God and so few men who are willing or available to receive the call of God with regard to their purpose or assignment. While God births in every man a special and unique gift or gifts, there are three distinct areas of expectation that God desires every man to fulfill.
First of all, God has called every man to be a Priest. When we speak of the priest, it is the idea of one being a spiritual intercessor for his home or family. Every man is called to be the one who goes before God on behalf of his wife, children, and other family members. To become a priest you must first know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Only then can you begin the process of meeting the expectation of the spiritual intercessor and to fulfill what God has placed in your hands to accomplish.
Secondly, God has called every man to be a Protector. Men must provide a "covering" of security, safety, and sanctity for their home. Men must be prepared to defend their families and everything that God has placed them stewards over from a Biblical frame of reference. The word of God and only the word of God must be the weapon of our warfare against spiritual wickedness and earthly adversaries.
Lastly, God has called every man to be a Provider. It is imperative that every man work and provide resources to sustain life and their responsibilities. These resources are not always monetary although those are vitally important. We also must provide spiritual resources that will build up our families and bring God honor and glory. We must provide our talents and availability so that God will get out of us everything that He has invested.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV)
May God grant you grace for the moment and joy for the journey.
Jay Duane Driver
Fresh Fire Ministries
Houston, Texas
www.freshfireministries.net
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