“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Corinthians 5:17 KJV). I don’t like the way you dress and behave. What does that have to do with your eternal destiny? Certainly a prostitute will change their dress after coming to Christ, and a whoremonger will change their behavior after repenting. But, the inside must change before anything changes on the outside. Character is reproducing the life of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit on the inside. You are fruitlessly wasting time to achieve a new outward look, when your character is not first transformed by the Holy Spirit on the inside. We need to be looking to the Holy Spirit for that change. The Holy Spirit inspires us to obey. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). That means you expect Him to “put [His] Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in [His] statutes, and ye shall keep [His] judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). This is the promise of the New Covenant. If there is no change in us, then we are not cooperating with the Holy Spirit. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). We need to embrace it and allow God to change the world. Amen.
New Creation in Christ
Why New Heavens and New Earth?
New Heavens and New Earth mean creating a brand new existence for everything by the word of the Almighty. “And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5 KJV). Isaiah twice prophesied of New Heavens and New Earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17). This is not refurbishing or remodeling the old earth and heavens. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (21:1). Why is “new” so significant? In the Unseen Realm of the spiritual, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Corinthians 5:17). Only the Almighty can fashion a fresh, new physical world to match our new spiritual nature without the scar tissue and sin provoking tendencies of the past. In addition, the memory of His past mercy, love, and grace will still dwell in the consciousness of angels and saints to fortify against the possibility of any future rebellion in the heavenlies. “Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Micah 4:3). LORD, we long for “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2Peter 3:13). We pray the time will come, and You will be glorified forever. We eagerly listen for You to say, I make all things new. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Who Came First?
God our Creator made man [Hebrew, âdâm] on the sixth day. The LORD God formed Adam out of the dust of the ground, then He specially created Eve from one of Adam’s ribs. But, He allowed the man to name her, establishing man’s priority as the head of the woman. “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1Corinthians 11:3 KJV). May the Body of Christ function as well in these Last Days, as He intended in the Original Creation.
Identity Crisis: Who Are You?
LORD, I am who You say I am (John 1:12). You are the Most High God (Genesis 14:18), the “High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity” (Isaiah 57:15 KJV), who has condescended to dwell with mankind (Revelation 21:3). You have created me in Your image (Genesis 1:27) that I may magnify You in choosing to walk with You in obedience (Genesis 17:1) and reverential trust (fear of the LORD: 2Chronicles 19:9). I am saved by Your grace through faith in You to walk in holiness (Ephesians 2:8-10). As a nation, we are blessed to be called by Your name to humbly pray and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways that You may turn (2Chronicles 7:14) and rain righteousness upon us (Hosea 10:12). As a Church, we are Your mirror to reflect Christ’s righteousness, love, and saving grace to the world (2Corinthians 3:18). A husband represents the headship of Christ to their wife (Ephesians 5:23). Parents represent Christ’s lordship to their children (Ephesians 6:1). Men ought to respect the biological uniqueness of women to bear the seed of humanity (1Timothy 2:15), as women need to respect the biological necessity of man providing the seed for the propagation of the human race (Genesis 2:18). LORD, may we understand who You are that we would know who we are. Magnify Your name. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Documentary: Objectified
Objectified (2009, 75 minutes) is a “documentary film [by Gary Hustwit] about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them.” In the first couple of minutes, Jony Ives, former Chief Design Officer at Apple, Inc., said, “When you see an object, you make so many assumptions about that object in seconds. What it does, how well it’s gonna do it, how heavy it is, how much you think it should cost. The object testifies to the people that conceived it, thought about it, developed it, manufactured it. Ranging from issues of form, to material, to its architecture, to how it connects to you, how you touch it, how you hold it. Every object, intentional or not, speaks to who put it there.” Amen. “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalm 139:14 KJV). LORD, thank you for reminding us how great a Creator You are and how You tenderly remember our frame that we are but dust! Magnify Yourself! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.
Center of the Earth
Is Jerusalem the center of the earth? We know Creation took place in the Middle East at the confluence of four named rivers, one of which was the Euphrates (Genesis 2:14) in a region once called the Cradle of Civilization and still identified as the Fertile Crescent. Biblical history establishes Jerusalem as the “city of David” (2Samuel 5:7), the capital of Israel and where Solomon built the Jewish Temple. For Jews, Jerusalem is the center of their earth. And, for Christians, the Gospel would spread starting from Jerusalem “unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8 KJV). Jesus ascended back to heaven from the Mount of Olives east and just outside of Jerusalem (1:12) and will descend to the same spot at His Second Coming (Zechariah 14:4). Rome destroyed the Jerusalem Temple (70 AD). The Crusades took and lost Jerusalem. Islam built the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Three of the main religions of the world are monotheistic and Jerusalem centric. Modern Israel claims Jerusalem as its capital, and the United States moved its embassy to Jerusalem in the 21st century. Any wonder David the Psalmist enjoined, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6)?
Brainwashed By Propaganda
Brainwashed by propaganda to determine our reality is another way of saying, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Corinthians 5:17 KJV). Human government either will deny its purpose to promote the common good and punish the evil; or, it will seek the good of the few and punish those who object. Speak the truth that promotes your neighbor’s good as equal to your own. That is the love that holds society together. The cooperation of human beings is essential for any human government to exist. The cultural or moral values of the population shape the agreement upon which human government stands. Change the hearts and minds of the people, and human governments change. For this reason, it is most essential to stay focused on the underlying power of the Gospel to transform us into those who do the will of God. Good human governments will appreciate this and promote environments that encourage it. “And 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” (Romans 12:2 KJV). LORD, may Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen and amen.
Our Hearts Are Always Parked Or Dwelling Somewhere
Our hearts are always parked or dwelling somewhere. That is our abiding place, where we remain or continue with Christ. Until we move away from that place, we are complete or perfect in Christ. “Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:21 KJV). The simplicity of our walk with Christ is straightforward and not to be complicated like modern attempts to analyze humanity. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Corinthians 5:17 KJV). Our transformation is supernatural because it is the product of God and not man. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [Greek, metamorphoō, transfigured, changed] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2 KJV). Allow God’s Spirit to reorganize your thinking. As much as we know how, allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, so we can arrive at the supernatural conclusions the Holy Spirit has prepared for us. I like using the suggested cross references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (available with most Bible software and online).
We Need A Miracle 