25/11/07

Get out of the land 'I-used-to-be'

That is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. -- 1 Corinthians 6:11


Following a list of vices, both scandalous and common, Paul finishes with this incredible word of grace. We all have a tendency to live in the land of "I-used-to-be." For some of us, our past accomplishments become our excuse to live in the arrogant afterglow of yesterday. Paul wrote Philippians 3:4b-9 for this group. For others of us, the wounds and sins of our past become the bag of rocks we drag with us through the rest of life. We take those "rancid rocks" out and inspect them once again to our misery. We use them as proof of why we can't move on with our lives. What a glorious awakening Paul gives us in this passage. In Christ, there are no more bags and no more rocks. We're clean! We're made holy! We're declared innocent of any wrongdoing. How? Why? Who? The sacrifice and triumph of Jesus and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.


[ Prayer for the Day ]

Forgive me, Father, for lingering on yesterdays, ruining my todays, and clouding up my tomorrows. Help me with my tendency to live in the land of "I-used-to-be." Give me the courage to believe that You have put my past in its proper place and want to do a new glorious thing in me today, a glorious and gracious thing that brings You honor and me salvation! In Jesus' name I thank You. Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]

Philippians 3:4b-9 [AV]
^4b If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
⁵ Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
⁶ Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
⁷ But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
⁸ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
⁹ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

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