“Encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13).
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Wednesday, June 1, 2005
"Being Renewed"
"Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Colossians 3:9,10).
In an age of microwaves, fast food, instant messaging, etc. etc. we are accustomed to having what we want very quickly. I get up very early each morning to prepare these messages and tend to keep on checking my coffeemaker to see if the coffee is ready yet!
Our culture is conditioned to this and one of the discouraging aspects I have seen in ministering to people is the affect of this mentality on the long-term stability of many. I have met those who "check out" Christ and the church and after a couple of weeks or months move on to some other perceived "magic bullet" they hope will make their life better. I specifically recall witnessing to a man many years ago who said, "Well, I guess I could give it a try and see if it makes my life better." Jesus spoke of this phenomenon in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.
But we are all in a process, one that sometimes seems very slow to us. The Bible teaches that faith in Christ results in an immediate transformation the moment that we earnestly believe. This is the aspect of our salvation that is past. We are saved from the penalty of sin. The Bible also teaches a future aspect of salvation when we are saved from the presence of sin. This will take place when we are called to heaven.
We are also experiencing an ongoing aspect to salvation in being saved from the power of sin. This is the aspect of "being renewed" that the Apostle Paul refers to in our daily verse. We may at times get impatient regarding the pace of this renewal. Some issues in our lives just aren't working out as we expect or as quickly as we would desire. But God calls us all to faithfulness and steadfast obedience. Yes, my friend, we are being renewed! Let us stay faithful today.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: “I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God’s Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life’s goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity.”
© Copyright 2005 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
"Living today anchored in God’s solid foundation"