Put Off the Old Put On the New

2-8-2009

Today I faced a Mountain

I just felt so loved this morning walking into our little church! I really missed you guys this week! Thank you Mrs. Mary Jeffreys that song "Today I Faced a Mountain" was absolutely beautiful! It is comforting to know that yes, there are mountains that will be in our way, however with God they are mere hills!

Welcome visitors! I am truly glad that you all have been coming and you guys are just so welcome here! I am glad to get to know you all. If there is anything we can do for you all please just ask. Honestly, it is just a pleasure to do God's work! A servant I wish to be. There are just so many mountains here on earth, and it seems like you get over one and there is another on the horizon. We are all on this journey with Jesus, just at different stages. Thanks be to God for seeing us through and enabling us to use our abilities he has blessed us with to help one another, even if it is just the simple knack for loving to talk, of which I will gladly claim as a blessing the Lord bestowed upon me!

Put Off the Old Put On the New

This morning there was a bit of excitement going on prior to service. We got a phone call from a member of the church to inform another member that the field behind their house was on fire! Yikes! It was heart warming to see a couple of our willing and able young men follow and assist with the putting out of the fire. This is exactly what I am talking about the abilities that God gives us are amazing even if they are seemingly small and simple! I am thankful that Brother Larry is blessed with the ability to preach. I am grateful to sit, listen, and learn from his message.

The whole sermon was educational to my Spirit, thanks! The hole in the t-shirt was a wonderfully comically analogy. We all have a couple of holes in our lives that lend to imperfection! Yes, we do and well some of us, me included our t-shirts are barely threaded together, with holes consuming the majority of the shirt! Nevertheless, through Jesus, even though we know those holes are there and He does too, we are still considered whole, and not full of holes.

Through this realization, I see now that I should just let go of all those old raggedy t-shirts with all the holes and put on and wear my new clothes that is as white as snow lacking holes of any size.

It is only through Him that we are able to live with a risen attitude. Through our rebirth in Jesus Christ, even when we sin he does not look at me and see my flesh and human nature but instead He sees my spirit, which is Him in me! I am so thankful He loves me so much that he allows His Grace to cover all my sin, fill in all my holes

" If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting on the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
Colossians 3:1-4

Simply, we just need to let go of all these old ragged clothes that we just cannot ever make whole again, and adorn ourselves with His glory. Put on our new clothes that He has given us. Wear the shirt that is white as snow and lacking any and all holes! We need to change to the point that our old self is unrecognizable. Change all our old habits and selfish reasoning that lead to all the holes in the first place. Let Jesus be our example!

“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
Colossians 3:5-7

How Do We Put All This Behind Us? Take Off the Old T-shirt With Holes?

It is hard to let go of all the earthy selfish things that we like to hold onto. It is a struggle to let go of this control we think we have over our lives. As we have talked of before it is really difficult to come to that place in our lives when we just walk blindly by faith; however, in the knowledge of the person of Jesus Christ all this is possible. If we keep learning and wanting to hear the word of God and we continue to grow and mature personally through our own relationship with Christ, it is possible to shed those ragged clothes of the flesh!

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Colossians 3:8-11

New White T-shirt, No Holes!

Let the Holy Spirit live through us! Just Serve Jesus! Yes, that is what we are to do.
We are always to be of a forgiving nature! Always have a forgiving heart! That is the one thing I really got out of this last part of the message, and the hardest!

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him!”
Colossians 3:12-17

Just Serving Jesus by growing in knowledge, strengthening our relationship with Him!

Thanks Brother Larry for your service.

Hope you all have a blessed week!

Lord, thank You for all your grace, love and forgiveness!