Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman singing his song All Things New ... powerfully singing of God’s promise that He is making all things new, reconciling all thru Christ’s work on the cross and remaking all Christians into the image of His Son, Jesus.
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Highlight Verse[s]: 2Corinthians 4:16 [NLT] ... 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
... And even in his most fearful moments, David truly believed that His God was right there with him.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2Corinthians 4:16-5:9 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK ...
... God, thru Paul, encourages Christians that we are being made new - completely new - in Christ … by God’s Spirit reconciling us with God, the Father,
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Reference Passage : ... 2Corinthians 5:16-17 [NLT] ... 16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
... Paul repeating and emphasizing the newness we experiencing in our relationship with Christ.
Reference Passage : ... Galatians 5:22-23 [NLT] … 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
... God, thru Paul, explains the newness we experience as we grow in our relationship with Christ.
Reference Passage : ... Philippians 1:6 [NLT] ... 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
... In our relationship with Christ, we are being made over into His image.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Dave Branon, uses the renovation of the Notre Dame Cathedral after a recent fire to illustrate our God is making all Christians over into the image of Christlikeness. … The ODB author wrote: The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is a spectacular building. Its architecture is spellbinding, and its stained-glass windows and beautiful interior features are breathtaking. But after centuries of towering over the Paris landscape, it needed renovation—which had begun when a devastating fire caused extensive damage to the glorious old building. [see photo]
So the people who love this eight-century-old landmark are coming to its rescue. More than a billion dollars has been raised to restore the building. The stone structure must be shored up. The damaged interior and its prized artifacts need to be repaired. The effort is worthwhile, though, because for many this ancient cathedral stands as a symbol of hope.
And it’s going to take a lot of time and a lot of human resources to remake that burned out cathedral into the glorious image of worship it once was. BUT, … the work is underway and ongoing to do just that.
But all that work pales by comparison to the remake Christ is accomplishing in my heart - and yours, if you’re born-again in Christ. Because thru our Lord’s completed work on the cross and His resurrection, anyone who’s wiling to believe on Him and repent of our sins, has been reconciled with God and is being remade into the image of Christlikeness.
And if you take in, as I have this morning, the truth of those Scriptures above and the song, written and sung by Steven Curtis Chapman, perhaps you’ll join me to sing - or say - a robust HALLELUJAH, celebrating the newness God is rebuilding into our hearts for His glory.
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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, ... for Your promise of newness in Christ because of Your saving/sanctifying grace.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me to praise our Lord today for His Spirit making us over into His image. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.</ span>
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