ANewCreation | Kristi's Morning Devotional

As I was reading in Colossians this morning, I immediately thought of a series of stories I read to our younger grandchildren. Two of them are old enough to read the stories for themselves but I think they really enjoy the time of us sitting together, cuddling, and I’m glad they still like to hear the sound of my voice.

Max Lucado, the Christian author, not only writes books for adults but he has a whole children’s book line as well. One of these characters is a caterpillar named Hermie. Hermie has all sorts of adventures, each one teaching him about God’s love and character.

So, I want you to think about Hermie, his transformation, and your life and your transformation as directed by God’s word.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!” II Corinthians 5:17 ERV

Let’s read:

“Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the one who made you. You are becoming more and more like him. ¹¹In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian. It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and he is in all of you.

¹²God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. ¹³Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. ¹⁵Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful.

¹⁶Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷Everything you say and everything you do should be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.” Colossians 3:10-18 ERV

Wow! That’s enough good solid teaching to live on for the next month or so. Daily application of God’s word brings transformation. Our spirit is created new the minute we receive Christ as our Savior, but our emotions and our will need to be transformed on a daily basis.

“Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.” Romans 12:2 ERV

Don’t give up. Don’t get discouraged by the process. “Let God change you inside with a new way of thinking”. The transformation takes place daily – God is working in us and through us, giving us a new way of thinking, completing the transformation.

“I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.” Philippians 1:6 ERV

Have you heard the expression “Diamonds are just a chunk of coal under extreme pressure”? Well, the adage has been around for years, but it isn’t true.

Another adage that I take exception to is one used often in Christian circles. “I’m not but an old sinner saved by grace”. Were we sinners? Yes. Were we saved by grace? Yes.

But to continue in that thinking goes against all that God has created us to be. He has called us to be new creatures in Christ. The past is gone; our present and our future are in Him and He has redeemed us, made us new; we are called saints, a chosen people, a royal priesthood.

God’s opinion of us is so much greater than our opinion of ourselves. He saw that we were valuable, priceless and worth the ultimate sacrifice.

He loved us enough to send His Son to die for us so that we could live in Him!

Now that alone should drive out any feelings of low self-esteem or worthlessness!

” Brothers and sisters, God chose you to be his. Think about that! Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence, and not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 And God chose what the world thinks is not important—what the world hates and thinks is nothing. He chose these to destroy what the world thinks is important. 29 God did this so that no one can stand before him and boast about anything. 30 It is God who has made you part of Christ Jesus. And Christ has become for us wisdom from God. He is the reason we are right with God and pure enough to be in his presence. Christ is the one who set us free from sin. 31 So, as the Scriptures say, “Whoever boasts should boast only about the Lord.” I Corinthians 1:26-31 ERV

That’s the way He feels about all of us who have received Christ as our Savior.

“Then the Lord All-Powerful said: You people are precious to me, and when I come to bring justice, I will protect you, just as parents protect an obedient child.” Malachi 3:17 CEV

He sees us as a loving father sees his children. We are not unworthy. We are dearly loved and accepted. We are welcome in His presence.

He has called us, redeemed us and made us His own. We’ve been chosen!

“We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, ²⁹and he has always known who his chosen ones would be. He had decided to let them become like his own Son, so his Son would be the first of many children. ³⁰God then accepted the people he had already decided to choose, and he has shared his glory with them.

³¹What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? ³²God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? ³³If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them?” Romans 8:28-33 CEV

Not an old chunk of coal, not an old sinner; we are the redeemed of the Lord!

Tag: ANewCreation

A Life Transformation

Not A Chunk of Coal