My name is Kim, I’m a ______. For many years I filled in the blank with a word.  I defined myself by what the world named me until one day God spoke loud and clear. He said, “You are Kim and you are My child.  You are a new creation, the old has gone and you are no longer defined by it!!”  Now that doesn’t mean I no longer sin, it just means that my old flesh is gone and I am no longer separated from God because of it.

How many times have you made up your mind to not give in to those same habits? I imagine that some of you are frustrated right now because you’ve gone back on that resolution you made some 28 days ago.  Good news!  It’s ok, you can start over with Jesus.  Galatians 5:6 says,”So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”  Weary soul, you are fighting your flesh in flesh and victory doesn’t last long, and the battle comes back with force as you try again to fight it. It’s like shoveling snow in a snow storm.  Darkness cannot fight darkness.  Put on His light and see what happens.  The darkness disappears.

I want to introduce you to King Jehu.  He’s one of the bloodiest kings to ever rule Israel.  2 Kings 10:28-31 introduces him to us as the king who singlehandedly destroyed Baal worship in Israel. There’s a  HOWEVER, though:  however, he didn’t turn away from the sins of Jereboam—the worship of the golden calves.  He may have been powerful and successful but he crashed spiritually.  He had a spiritual flaw in that he could run but he couldn’t walk very well.  He craved excitement more than he craved God.  Can you relate?  God gives us direction in what He expects of us in Micah 6:8,”He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” God wants us to walk with Him, in good times and bad. Your excitement should come from a relationship with Jesus. This is where we are transformed.

We all face limitations. But God promises that all these trials and hardships are temporary. Paul tells us that we will all have new bodies and when Jesus returns and the trumpet sounds, we will be transformed immediately. On earth, spiritually we have been transformed. 2 Corinthians 5:4 says,”While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God Himself has prepared us for this and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit.”  And 2 Corinthians 5:17 says,”This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”  You are brand new inside!  And we have been re-created, not rehabilitated. We don’t just turn over a new leaf but we actually begin a new life with Jesus. So the question is this: Is it noticeable to all who know you that you have changed?  That you have a brand new life? We are made perfect because of His perfect love.

I’m full of hope and I am ready to spread the good news to all who I come in contact with.  Are you?  Then let’s do it!!

Let us pray:  Dear God, we all have sinned and come short of Your glory. But because of Your perfect love, You sent Your perfect Son to die with all our sins on Him. He was separated from You so we are no longer separated from You. The veil was torn and we now can come directly to Your throne.  Thank You for giving us a new life, a new heart, totally recreated and totally filled with Your Spirit.  Help our lives to reflect this always.  And when we are tempted again to take our old, worldly name back, remind us that we are made in Your perfect image and we were bought at a price and we are Yours!!!  We love You and we praise You! In Your Son’s name we pray, amen.