“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” ( Romans 10:9)
After Jesus, was crucified, “knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished” ( John 19:28-30). Yes, mission accomplished!
What was the significance of this? Christ had taken on the entire sins of all of us. For “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” ( 2 Cor 5:21).
Once there was a traveler with a luggage who was offered a lift up at the back of the lorry. Although there was space around to lay his luggage the passenger continued to hold up on his head his luggage. In his mind he was not free to release it. This went on until one person walked up and convinced him that his passenger fee took care of him and the luggage. He could rest down that burdensome luggage and enjoy the ride.
It’s finished- Christ has done it for us! Why continue holding on to your luggage of whatever nature, when Christ has done it for you! Today go out knowing he has done it - all your sins he has taken on his body. All you need is just accept him as “Lord and Savior!”
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, knowing that in your death on the cross you have taken on all my sins, I walk free of all burden, knowing “it’s finished”, Christ is risen, and I am free, all this I pray in Jesus’ name!
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
