By God – I’ve been given this body, this life, this existence on earth. How indebted I am for all that!
And now I have been born again – “I’ve turned over a new leaf“. 1 I am exponentially, eternally grateful to God for that!
Oh my God Jesus thank you!
Baby Steps
It is not automatic, this change that overcame me when I was born of God. It is something that has been growing on me since that moment in time.
Like a newborn baby grows little by little, learning all the time, always wanting more milk, venturing outside the crib, barely crawling, “cruising” from Mom… to Dad – and suddenly… walking independently, upright!
God’s Unconditional love
Even as my two babies stumbled and fell as toddlers – I could not have loved them more! And so… God.
Even if I were to live a perfect life — God could not love me more, because His love is not based on how well I perform. He loves me unconditionally (agape). His forgiveness of me is quick stunning! What amazing grace!
I strive to make my living reflect what God is doing inside me. But, all my “striving” (ie: working at it) is not to earn acceptance by God. Can’t earn it anyway! I run to please the God I love.
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— 8 we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope”
– 2 Corinthians 5:7-8
Don’t be such an infant!
(Implied in Hebrews 5:13)
“For everyone who lives on milk is [doctrinally inexperienced and] unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a spiritual infant.”
– Hebrews 5:13
Want it
“…the runners run their very best to win”
I run to win! I’m in it to win it! It’s like Paul said,
1 Corinthians 9:24 (See: 9:24-27)
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours!
1 Corinthians 9:26
Therefore I do not run without a definite goal; I do not flail around like one beating the air [just shadow boxing].
1 Corinthians 10:14
Therefore, my beloved, run [keep far, far away] from [any sort of] idolatry [and that includes loving anything more than God, or participating in anything that leads to sin and enslaves the soul].
Fight the good fight
We all must be careful to fight the good fight, run the race well. We know and fight well — by knowing and following what God provided for us in the Bible.
Stay clear of those who would prevent you “from obeying the truth”, as Paul said: “You were running [the race] well; who has interfered and prevented you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us.”
– Hebrews 12:1
It’s a dangerous world, here! It works overtime to deceive us. We are warned to be careful not to get caught-up by “strange doctrines” (1 Timothy 1: 3 NASB ; also read: 1 Timothy 6:3-5, Romans 16:7, 2 Corinthians 11:4, Galatians 1:6).
Know the Truth, and you will recognize the false teachings. Apostate churches (NAR types) are everywhere, and they are not labelled “NAR Apostates”! They are a sneaky Pete – deceptive and wanting the unaware to believe their strange doctrines. You don’t have to!
How a Christian lives life
A Christian is a child of the King – King Jesus. Before salvation, we were not children of God. We were mere creations of God. But now, saved by His grace, we have been reborn into new life and are truly children of God.
“The way to live” once you become a newbie Christian is described well in Philippians 2:1-18. This is the “New Leaf” passage. You have become a true child of the King, and it’s time to “turn over a new leaf” by the power of God in you.
He has made you a brand new creature – and the Holy Spirit lives in you now.
– Source: Your “New Leaf”…once you have repented
What Is Your Greatest Desire?
Are you sitting on the bench… loafen?
So how does one veritably succeed to live a godly life in this not-so easypeasy place called earth? What is “your greatest desire”?
My desire
is to do
what God requires!
The Bible teaches: Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires (Matthew 5:6). God will satisfy them fully!
Matthew 5:6
“Blessed
[joyful, nourished by God’s goodness]
are those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness
[those who actively seek
right standing with God],
for they will be
[completely] satisfied.
“…those who actively seek
right standing with God…”
– Matthew 5:6
Are you sitting on the bench… loafen? Or: Are you one of “those…” actively pursuing God?
Produce the fruit!
Philippians 2:1-18
FOR MORE:
“…let us run
with endurance
and active persistence
the race
that is set before us.”
– Hebrews 12:1
It’s not an easy road
“Life is not an easy road. No. It is not. While in this “temp tent” we will always deal with the downward pull of the enemies of our soul. But when we sin, God’s discipline helps us correct our path, teaches us, encourages us, and builds us up to further maturing”
– Source: God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception
____________________
How I “do life”
“…life here is not a simple walk through the park, through a Garden of Eden. Never has been since the apple of Eve, the Fall of man.
I must guard my heart. I must guard my willfulness. I must guard against the sins that easily beset me. I must guard against the desire of my heart. I must guard my steps. I must be watchful over how I “do life” (Ephesians 4:17-32). Or righteousness will be quite sporadic, a distant ideal, pie-in-the-sky by-and-by.
I want to be a more righteous man – now. (I refuse to wait until I get to Heaven.) So I guard my soul. I celebrate victories, and I settle failures quickly. (Well, I aim to anyway.)”
– Source: The well-guarded soul
____________________
God is my refuge and strength
Excerpt: The Lord has promised my sins cannot condemn me to hell.
Sin can no longer condemn me to hell, because God has declared me free of His condemnation. God declared this! I am not saved because I keep myself free of sins. No. Rather, I am saved because He, The Judge, within His heavenly justice system — has declared me “FORGIVEN”! If The Judge declares you free, who can condemn you further? Not goin’ to happen!
Romans 8: verse 1
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
…The death of God on the cross, and then the resurrection of God from the tomb — was done to satisfy the justice system of God which has condemned all mankind as unacceptable. Naked and alone, we are not holy enough for His Kingdom. Through that death, of a perfect God, a perfect sacrifice — God provided a way of escape from His punishment. Have you accepted this yourself, personally? Are you actually following Christ, or just playing a game?
______________
Hebrews 6:18-19 I find Refuge in Him
Why all my pain and sorrow, my sickness and worries
Forgiveness by God Excerpt: Anyone at anytime with sincerity and truth – can find forgiveness in Jesus for anything. The key word there? Sincerity. God sees the thoughts and intents of our heart. No foolin’ with God.
The Inclusive yet Exclusive salvation of Jesus
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception
You cannot lose what God keeps secured
Why we never lose our salvation
Getting born again Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – in John 3:3; John 3:7
The man of God, the lion, and obedience
The non-stop work of God inside you and me
What God asks of us in the Bible
Your “New Leaf”…once you have repented
What God has going on with us here on this planet
Life without faith in Jesus leaves us in a big lie
Fight the good fight Excerpt: Careful out there: a lot of walking shipwrecks. Many have “rejected [their moral compass]” – and their faith is a total shipwreck. What a total loss. You and I, however, are to stay engaged, fight to keep our self in the true faith, strong in the Lord, not waivering.
Being 100% given-over to Jesus
Living the good life – with courage and confident hope
I am well in my soul -How ’bout you?
Who We Are …Who we are matters. What we say we believe, matters less.
What We Are To Be “…set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God” (Romans 12)
Being Who We Are …Excerpt:
When we choose to yield our life to Christ, He changes us completely (I Corinthians 5:17). In an instant, in that specific moment in time, we are forever changed. Forever. And nothing can change that! (Romans 8:..35)
What God asks of us in the Bible
Hebrews 5:13
For everyone who lives on milk is [doctrinally inexperienced and] unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a spiritual infant.
Practicing sin, not following Christ Excerpt:
Are you practicing sin? Is there sin you constantly practice? Have you grown accustomed to accepting [“your” sin] as okay with God? Are you okay with the practices of your life? Scripture teaches us very clearly what is obviously …NOT following Christ. In fact, we are warned that “that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” You are not following Christ if this is characteristic of you: Galatians 5:16-21. [If we do not continually repent of our sinful ways, maybe that shows we are “practicing sin”.]
Do not attend apostate churches
The Gurus in Christian churches
Footnotes
- Per Google search: Why do people say “turn over a new leaf”?
Way back in the 16th century, pages in books were referred to as leaves. So tuning over a new leaf meant that one was turning to a blank page. This idiom was used to signify a major change in behavior, or a new stage in life.
Leave a Reply