It took nine months, but finally I slipped out, kicking and screaming, into the world. A new creation of God. My creation was birthed on March 31st. The end is yet to come.
Go back a bit more in time to Genesis 1. There the Bible shares that God created the heavens and earth and all of nature.
Then, the first Adam and Eve. And God did not stop creating way back there in “the great beginning”.
He has been creating and continues to create new males and females, humans, one at a time. One by one we have populated the earth, lived, and died, day after day, night after night… down through the centuries.
And now I am here. It is my time to live! I have been created by God!
God, Creator of all that is, personally formed me. Me! In the womb.
Creator God fashioned Me by His design, making me “one-of-a-kind”. God Himself chose to form me – male. He then formed in me all my personal attributes, making me “what is Me”: physically/mentally/emotionally/spiritually.
And from the get-go, all my lifetime I have been dealing with what He made me. Some of it I have not liked at all. But He made me this way. So I deal with it.
I am God’s creation. What He caused me to be born with, by His design, from that creation, has changed and developed. I have developed myself, somewhat. Still working on that!
The environment around me has twisted and pulled at me. And my family and community molded and stretched me.
The world also has been like a pressure cooker around me, pressing my mind, relentlessly trying to conform me to it’s mold. And even now, what I am now is not a fixed and dried end-product in a kiln, but rather, a malleable, changing piece of clay.
“Please be patient with me.
God is not finished with me yet!”
Just like every day dawns a new morning, I wake up anew, facing the challenges that will change me, form me, make me what I will be tonight, and tomorrow. I immerse myself in the Bible, so that I can allow God to transform me – His way.
The Bible teaches that, when I was born again, I was instantly “indwelt” by the Holy Spirit, God in the form of a spirit. So I am not ever alone.
In me dwells the same God that created the universe! I am powerful – in the power of His Spirit that works inside my soul.
I am not a helpless waif, alone and without choice. I was made a creature of choice by God. He wants me to chose Him. He wants me to follow Him.
But, I can also chose to go against Him. It’s not easy, this part of life – making choices. The world, the flesh, and the Enemy of my soul conspire against me. All of that is in constant play against me, trying to influence me away from what God would have me be.
I have decided to follow Jesus. There’s no turning back. And although that choice was made a long time ago, daily I am confronted with choices that would lead me away from my faith in Christ.
The Enemy of my soul is real, and he is at work around me. The Enemy gives me choices, options… so that I will chose his ways — instead of the choices God places before me.
Why we sing “I have decided to follow Jesus”,
My faith, following Jesus, is more important than anything else on earth. It has eternal consequences! But, I’ve got to believe anew every moment of every day.
And when I fail, I confess to God my struggles, I repent of my sins, and come back to Him by faith. I am renewed and strengthened by confession and active faith.
I Have to Believe w/ lyrics Sung by Rita Springer
I read the Bible regularly so that I know, and do not forget – what God has established as truth. My faith is explained in the Bible.
I refuse to believe the lies against my faith in Christ. I refuse to allow others to conform me to their ideals and beliefs. I allow the Spirit of God to transform my mind.
And do not be conformed
to this world,
but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove
what the will of God is,
that which is
good and acceptable and perfect.
– Romans 12:2
I refuse to conduct my living by the tainted politically correct thinking of the day. Rather, I am conducting myself with a clear conscience “in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God….” (2 Corinthians 1:12)
- What matters is Jesus – not my own thinking. I constantly have to jettison my proclivities, and choose Jesus’s.
- What matters is what is eternal – not the whimsical popular thot of the day! How stupididiotic is THAT – to allow a popularity contest determine what I will choose!
- What matters is my eternity – not these mere 7o+ years here on earth. What a fool, to live for today when eternity is coming next.
There are many influences against me as a believer. That is why I must chose to believe what God has said in His Word.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver….
1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
What about you? Do you acknowledge that God created you “as-is” for a purpose? Have you accepted Him as Lord of your life?
Further References:
Conformed/Transformed
Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance
FOR MORE:
Handy Little Chart – God Has A Positive Answer
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