Pastor Ellen Bilsborough
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
We live in the body. We live by Faith. Without faith we can’t even begin to please our Father. The Apostle Paul was very obvious when he wrote this text by the leading of the Holy Spirit. He personally was very involved in seeking and finding God’s highest desires and provision for every area of his life. He was bold and wasn’t ashamed about the price he would pay with his claim that “I no longer live”. He plainly testifies “I have been crucified,” but within the immediate vicinity of this text he uses the words me, myself and I a total of fourteen times.
I believe Paul knew that there is a real time to use the word I. We are so good at saying to people what we think they should be doing. We give advice to others, even when it’s not called for. When we personally acknowledge ourselves before our Father, we are declaring that we know who we are, what we are doing here and why we are doing it. Our focus is Him. This is a place of humility we all aspire to reach. The bible teaches us that we will continue to wrestle with our own natural ego and selfishness. This is why it’s so important what we think about, and what thoughts we allow daily to try to consume our minds. We cast off every thought. We shake it off of our minds and don’t allow it to take root.
With joy and blessing every individual may be born again, and when that happens we become “new” in Christ. Every week at GLC, we are blessed to see souls come to our altars and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Some for the very first time. Instantly they are made new. How blessed we are to be a part of building the Kingdom together. Our natural selves have been crucified. We are more alive than ever before and have become new. I live in Christ and He lives in me.
We live in the body. We live by Faith. Without faith we can’t even begin to please our Father. The Apostle Paul was very obvious when he wrote this text by the leading of the Holy Spirit. He personally was very involved in seeking and finding God’s highest desires and provision for every area of his life. He was bold and wasn’t ashamed about the price he would pay with his claim that “I no longer live”. He plainly testifies “I have been crucified,” but within the immediate vicinity of this text he uses the words me, myself and I a total of fourteen times.
I believe Paul knew that there is a real time to use the word I. We are so good at saying to people what we think they should be doing. We give advice to others, even when it’s not called for. When we personally acknowledge ourselves before our Father, we are declaring that we know who we are, what we are doing here and why we are doing it. Our focus is Him. This is a place of humility we all aspire to reach. The bible teaches us that we will continue to wrestle with our own natural ego and selfishness. This is why it’s so important what we think about, and what thoughts we allow daily to try to consume our minds. We cast off every thought. We shake it off of our minds and don’t allow it to take root.
With joy and blessing every individual may be born again, and when that happens we become “new” in Christ. Every week at GLC, we are blessed to see souls come to our altars and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Some for the very first time. Instantly they are made new. How blessed we are to be a part of building the Kingdom together. Our natural selves have been crucified. We are more alive than ever before and have become new. I live in Christ and He lives in me.
Posted in Easter Devotional