New Creatures – I'm Following Jesus

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, December 06, 2018
Chapters: II Corinthians 5-9
Message: New Creatures

Hello My Friend,

Creature; That which is created; every being besides the Creator, or every thing not self-existent. Self existent means something that man can on their own. As amazing as science is, there is no way that man can explain how a living being is created. Yes, you can see some amazing pictures of how a baby forms in the mothers womb, but no one can explain how everything from organs to bones form themselves. This is why evolution has no merit, every living creature is made by God’s design, and cannot be replicated no matter how advanced technology gets. Everyone would know that if they just see just how amazing creation is, but the reason so many reject this great truth is that they do not want to admit they are sinners. Let me tell you, no one wants to admit the worldly life they are living is sinful, it actually takes a great deal of courage to admit that we are, in fact, a sinner, but when we do we discover something much more than that we discover Jesus Christ. Praise God! Jesus Christ does something to us the second we believe in Him and receive Him as our Saviour, we are a new creature. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” – II Corinthians 5:17-18.

“who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,” Reconcile; To restore to friendship or favor after estrangement. We all have a friend that we no longer talk to because of some kind of offense, neither one wants to be the first to say they are sorry to dissolve the matter, but if the offender humbles themselves, admits their wrongdoing then there is true reconciliation. God gets offended when we sin, it estranges us from Him, and He will not talk to us until we come to Him first, admit we have sinned, and receive His Son as our Saviour. My church has a motto, “Come as you are, leave better.” The Christian life is not one of just knowing that you accepted Christ as your Saviour and are saved from hell, it is living a life that pleases God, not our flesh.

“Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” – II Corinthians 5:5-10,14-15.

“For the love of Christ constraineth us;” When we love Jesus we no longer want to live the way the world does, and even though we know we are saved by grace we live a Godly life to please Him. The biggest difference of being a new creature is that when we live for Christ we no longer live to please our flesh, we live to please God, and in return God pleases us. Paul reminds the Corinthians, and all of us, that while we are not saved by our own righteousness it is important to continue living a life that is acceptable to God.

“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” – II Corinthians 6:1-10.

“and yet possessing all things.” Living the Christian life is one that comes with great challenges, but is the most rewarding and prosperous thing we will ever do. Those receiving the grace of God in vain are those who have gotten saved, but chose to use it to satisfy the lusts of their flesh. They abuse the gift of their salvation as a way to do whatever they please knowing that they can still go to heaven. This will all backfire on them eventually, but those who turn their lives around while enduring trials are the ones who will truly prosper not only here, but in heaven as well. Paul recalls his first letter to the Corinthians, and how much they have turned things around in a year, he warns them to not allow their affliction to make them backslide, but use it to bring glory to God.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.” – II Corinthians 7:1,9-12.

“but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.” As new creatures, we are the Light of Christ that shines through of joys, and especially our sorrows. Did you ever wonder why a person living in sin seems to prosper and get away with what they are doing, while you struggle? God knows your faithfulness, He knows that you are capable of doing what He asks you to do, therefore, He is going to keep you faithful by placing some struggles before you. Come judgment day your faithfulness is going to pay off, Jesus is going to show you how much He appreciates you for all the hard work and suffering that you endured for His sake. Paul explains this further as he continues to commend them on their faithfulness.

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.” – II Corinthians 8:9-15.

“For if there be first a willing mind,” We cannot live as new creatures out of obligation or force, remember, God knows the heart, we must do it willingly if we want to see the blessings that come from being faithful to Him. What salvation really means is that every ridiculous or stupid thing you ever did before you knew Christ has been wiped clean from your slate, you are a new creature, and that means you now have a second chance to do something amazing with your life while you are still here on earth. And it can only be truly effective when you live your life with Christ in it. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” – Psalm 1:1-3.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” – II Corinthians 5:21.

Today’s Prayer: Jesus, I know that You made a new creature out of me the second I dedicated my life to you, I know this because I am truly not the same person I was before I choose to live my life with You in it. In my attempt to live the best life I can live with You, I am constantly being tested in my faithfulness to You. While I cannot escape being tempted, I can escape the temptation as You always give us a way out of any temptation. Lord, give me the power only You can give to help me overcome the weakness of my flesh, and let me not succumb to those who want to see me fail. As I patiently wait for You, let me be the example You want me to be to bring others to You. In Your great name, Jesus, I pray, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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