Lately, I’ve been encouraged and hope-filled anew by the Word of God.  I feel compelled to share with you these words which have served to strengthen me this week.  My commentary is before, of what I believe the Lord would have us to believe.  I pray it serves you as it has me.

We have a secure standing before Christ, a firm unshakable identity.  We need to walk as if we always have the Spirit with us (because we do) and therefore, as those who are free from anything that is not righteousness. (Romans 6 is to be applied here)  As if we believe He really is changing us to look more like His Son (because He is!).

When we walk with this firm confidence, what praise, what glory we can give to God – we are caught up in His grace, His awesome work on the cross for us!

Listen to the boldness and surity with which Paul is writing– we are these things, He is doing these things in us, he has done these things.  Let us obey the commands Paul gives, such as to “behold the new things that have come”, instead of looking back at the old man Christ died for that we drift back to in times of disbelief.  He doesn’t look at us that way, why do we?  Let us not hold onto the fleeting, unsatiable appetites that so easily tempt and snare us.  Paul also affirms the hard trials of life. He doesn’t belittle or dismiss them.  They are real and every person experiences them.  But he reminds us of their purposes, how we should endure them.

When we do fall, let us do as Paul has begged and be reconciled to God, quickly and joyfully accepting His forgiveness, reminding ourselves of these truths all over again.

I have been enthralled anew by the rich Truth in these verses.  God has done a mighty work in our hearts – something only He can do that we can’t conjure or imitate.  What grace!  What mercy!  I wanted to put exclamation points after so many parts, but thought it would be hard to read.  I wanted to add commentary after each part, driving home the point of what Paul is saying.  But I trust God will do that in your heart.

God is answering my pleas for faith to believe His Word.  Pray that I will walk in Truth, because I believe His Truth.

These words are for you, too.  The context might be different, but the Truths are applicable for all men.  I believe if you and I can walk in the Spirit, believing His Word, we will not only be free, but will have the fruits of the Spirit.  For only when He is not quenched, are they manifest in our life.

I’m praying that as you read, you will be encouraged and filled with hope anew, as I’ve been.  I am hanging these up in my kitchen today.

BE ENCOURAGED!!!!

1 Corinthians 3:15 – But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  17  Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, ARE being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

4:1 – Therefore, since we have received this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lost heart,  2 but we have renounced the hidden things because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God…6  For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; 8  we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not despairing; 9  persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed;  10  always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.  11  For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh…

16  Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  17  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,  18  while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

5:1 – For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  2  For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven;  3  inasmuch as we, having put it on shall not be found naked.  4  For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.  5  Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a pledge.

6  Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord–7  we walk by faith not by sight–8  we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.  9  Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.  10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad…

14  For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;  15  and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.  16  Therefore from now on, we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we know Him thus no longer.  17  Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.  18  Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,   19  namely that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.  20  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

21  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

7:1  Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Amen and amen.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!!!!!!