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| This was taken on the other side of the road from the Sison stopover. I remember feeling seriously groggy and just bad all over during this trip... I felt so bad that I didn't mind if the sun shone on me while I was in the window seat on the final hour to Baguio. As soon as I got home I did some serious sleeping... but not before thanking God even for the opportunity to behold and shoot such scenes. |
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:5-11)
Jesus Christ is my Savior. His finished work was a complete work that ensured that we are free from sin, as the east is literally separated from the west (Psalm 103:12). Our sins are no longer associated to us, as we are alive in Christ, with a life to live unto God. Our sins are no longer imputed upon us, and we are truly blessed (Romans 4:8, Psalm 32:2). By His death, resurrection, and ascension, we have been guaranteed life, and life abundant; this is a Truth we stand upon regardless of what theft, death, and/or destruction we see (John 10:10).
We have not only been guaranteed life out of death, but we have been made a totally new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are no longer slaves to sin - that old self is dead and gone! No, we are alive in Christ, and all things have become new.
The promises that have been given to those who obey under the Old Covenant are ours - this was not made possible by our doing, but solely because of Christ's obedience. All this and so much more can be found in the Bible, the Word of God as inspired by the Holy Spirit.. We continue to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, day by day. I believe we ought to keep going back to the fact that we are openly enjoying the boundless and timeless abundance of God's blessings, according to the riches of His grace.
We are completely blessed, constantly. Our Heavenly Father, the God of our Salvation, He daily loads me with benefits (Psalm 68:19). His love never ends, His love is steadfast through all of our days. His tender mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) and out of His fullness we have all received grace upon grace, grace on top of grace (John 1:16) - grace that does not replace grace but complements and complements and adds upon grace!
We are blessed in Christ! God is so good!
It is this goodness that ought to lead us to the end of ourselves! It is in the face of this goodness that we would grieve at the futility of our own 'righteousness'.. Before the absolute goodness of our Heavenly Father, we would lay down, cast aside all our efforts and fully receive what Christ has earned for us! It is in this goodness that we are led to repentance (Romans 2:4) - it is in this goodness that we are led to naturally change our minds about who we are, who Christ is, and who we are in Christ!
As the Holy Spirit causes our hearts to yearn and receive more of the grace of God seen in all things, I am led to link this to another verse I heard yesterday: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." (Psalm 37:23)
We are new creations in Christ, and as we are in Christ we are blessed - we are also given direction in Christ. Our steps are lovingly directed and seen by the Lord. In fact, in Christ we move, and not only do we move, but we have our being, our meaning in Christ (Acts 17:28). As I mentioned in previous posts, in Christ we have life, and this life is our light (John 1:4).
So I can keep going in this life fully confident. Though this world is crumbling and dying, though a thousand fall at my side, the evil will not touch me (Psalm 91:7), for my God, my Good Shepherd, is always with me - His rod and staff comfort me (Psalm 23:4). I shall not fear - I shall be strong and courageous, for God is with me (Joshua 1:9)! I am in Christ, and in Christ, nothing can ever separate me from our Father's perfect love (Romans 8:39).
Whatever I do, I know that our Father will prosper the work of my hands. Because of Christ's obedience, my storehouses are blessed, and everything I put my hands into is blessed (Deuteronomy 28:8). Indeed, I am blessed to be a blessing! Every thought of greed and selfishness, every thought that exalts itself above God is brought to Christ's obedience (2 Corinthians 10:5)! We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), and as we walk with each other, we are constantly reminded that our Heavenly Father causes all things to happen for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
The point of all this is - we are blessed in Christ! Christ is Who we ought to focus on, Christ is Who we ought to preach to ourselves and to others, all day, every day! He is more than a doctrine, more than a teacher - All this is more than just a religion, and I dare say it's more than just a relationship - Christ HIMSELF is our life, and not only is this life, this is true life, life abundant!
Christ is our Way, Christ is our Truth... and Christ, Jesus Christ - He is our life, our being, our entirety, our everything!
Let us look to Him. Let us look to Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
This is a thought brewing and brewing in my head, and I believe it is something to hold on to for the coming year. I believe that it is not by my might or by my power of wisdom that this would come forth, but it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that it will explode.
I believe another call for us this year and the next is for us to own this message. To own the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News of God's grace seen through His Son. I love Joseph Prince, Tullian Tchividjian, Andrew Wommack, Andy Stanley, Creflo Dollar and the rest of our brothers and sisters boldly presenting grace and truth through Christ... however, it is necessary (at least for me personally) for me to dig into the Word personally to establish my foundation.
May the great glory of our loving Abba Father continue to embrace us through this time. Halleluyah.
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email me at jibee@rocketmail.com.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26