{"id":17385,"date":"2014-01-29T00:15:25","date_gmt":"2014-01-29T05:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=17385"},"modified":"2014-01-28T23:51:32","modified_gmt":"2014-01-29T04:51:32","slug":"flesh-chapter-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2014\/01\/29\/flesh-chapter-13\/","title":{"rendered":"CHRISTLife – Thirteen: Who I Am in the Flesh?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Christlife<\/a>My name is Kim, I\u2019m a ______. For many years I filled in the blank with a word. \u00a0I defined myself by what the world named me until one day God spoke loud and clear. He said, \u201cYou are Kim and you are My child. \u00a0You are a new creation, the old has gone and you are no longer defined by it!!\u201d \u00a0Now that doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019ve gone back on that resolution you made some 28 days ago. \u00a0Good news! \u00a0It\u2019s ok, you can start over with Jesus. \u00a0Galatians 5:6 says,”So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” \u00a0Weary 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\u2019s like shoveling snow in a snow storm. \u00a0Darkness cannot fight darkness. \u00a0Put on His light and see what happens. \u00a0The darkness disappears.<\/p>\n

I want to introduce you to King Jehu. \u00a0He\u2019s one of the bloodiest kings to ever rule Israel. \u00a02 Kings 10:28-31 introduces him to us as the king who singlehandedly destroyed Baal worship in Israel. There’s a \u00a0HOWEVER<\/em>, though: \u00a0however<\/em>, he didn\u2019t turn away from the sins of Jereboam—the worship of the golden calves. \u00a0He may have been powerful and successful but he crashed spiritually. \u00a0He had a spiritual flaw in that he could run but he couldn\u2019t walk very well. \u00a0He craved excitement more than he craved God. \u00a0Can you relate? \u00a0God gives us direction in what He expects of us in Micah 6:8,\u201dHe 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.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.” \u00a0And 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!” \u00a0You are brand new inside! \u00a0And we have been re-created, not rehabilitated. We don\u2019t 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? \u00a0That you have a brand new life? We are made perfect because of His perfect love.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m full of hope and I am ready to spread the good news to all who I come in contact with. \u00a0Are you? \u00a0Then let\u2019s do it!!<\/p>\n

Let us pray<\/strong><\/span>: \u00a0Dear 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. \u00a0Thank You for giving us a new life, a new heart, totally recreated and totally filled with Your Spirit. \u00a0Help our lives to reflect this always. \u00a0And 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!!! \u00a0We love You and we praise You! In Your Son’s name we pray, amen.<\/p>\n