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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Three Things That Revolutionized My Christian Life


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By Michele Rayburn

There are three things that have revolutionized my Christian life and walk: God’s unconditional love, God’s total forgiveness, and a Christ-centered life.

1. God’s Unconditional Love

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

This one thing alone revolutionized my Christian walk…knowing that God loves me no matter what. I do not feel insecure in His love for me. I am not afraid that He will stop loving me. And because I believe that I am secure in His love for me, His love compels me to keep pressing on, and I am better able to experience the blessings that come with it, namely the fruit of the Spirit…the love, joy, peace.

2. God’s Total Forgiveness

When we understand God’s total forgiveness, then we will be set free to receive His love. I think it would be almost impossible to receive God’s love if we do not believe that we are totally forgiven of past, present and future sins.

The Lord said that He will “remember our sins no more”. He paid for our sins. He is not looking to condemn us over and over again when we sin for “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1). And “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Our sins are not just temporarily covered, but we have been permanently redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. He will not hold our sins against us. So we should walk in the joy of His forgiveness.

3. A Christ-Centered Life

We need to realize our new standing in Christ, that we are new creations, righteous, holy, Saints, “no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:7; see also Romans 6:6-23).

2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new….For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

When we “fix our eyes on Jesus” rather than on our sin, when we reckon ourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord, sin will not reign in our mortal bodies (Romans 6:11-12).

A Christ-centered life, rather than a sin-centered life has given me the spiritual strength that I need to live for Christ.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Legalism Destroys Love


Remember that love is a fruit of the Spirit. When we walk by the Spirit, and are filled with the Spirit, we love. We can't help but love, just like we can't help but have the other fruits of the Spirit, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

But we're talking about love. And because love is a fruit of the Spirit, it is killed by Legalism.

Why?

Because Legalism quenches the Spirit. Legalism denies the grace of God, it elevates self-righteousness, it makes us think that we can earn God's love and favor, and shows unbelief in His Word that He already loves us and has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.

And when Legalism quenches the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is quenched, and love is the fruit of the Spirit.

So next time you see in yourself or others a lack of love...be reminded of Grace. You can abound in love if you remember that you are not under Law but under Grace (Rom. 6:14).