Raised To New Life

Mt. Ngauruhoe, (Mt. Doom), NZ

But God is so rich in mercy,

 and he loved us so much, 

that even though we were dead because of our sins,

 he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. 

Eph. 2:4,5 (NLT)

To grasp the glorious truth that we have been raised to new life in Christ is the most freeing and empowering thing. 

I've spent so much time trying to crucify my old sinful nature, to change my behavior, but the trying never got me anywhere. But focusing on the truth that I have already been raised to new life has made all the difference.  Now, I'm not concentrating on dying but on living! - and that life is the life of Christ in me.

Lord, thank you for giving us new life through the power of your death and resurrection. May we walk in the joy and freedom of that new life today.

My old self has been crucified with Christ.

 It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

 Gal. 2:20 (NLT)

Spirit

Queenstown, New Zealand
October 2015

But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, 

because if I don’t,

 the Advocate won’t come.

 If I do go away,

 then I will send him to you.  

John 16:7 (NLT)

On one occasion, while he was eating with them,
 he gave them this command: 
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, 
which you have heard me speak about.
 For John baptized with water, 
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) 

The greatest gift ever given is the gift of the Spirit.  Jesus told his disciples that he needed to go away so that he could send the Spirit to them.  He told them to wait, and not do anything until the Spirit had come upon them.

Without the spirit in our lives we are left to our own devices.  We usually make a mess of things.  Even if we try our hardest to be good and do the right thing it always falls short.  

God has given us his Spirit so that we can live happily and peacefully in this world.  His Spirit gives us the most amazing inner strength and wisdom to handle whatever life throws at us.

Let us be thankful and learn to trust in and rely upon and draw from his Spirit this Thanksgiving day and every day.

Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to live in us. Help us today, Lord, to live and walk in your Spirit.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,

 who will never leave you.

 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. 

John 14:16 (NLT) 

  The Spirit alone gives eternal life.

 Human effort accomplishes nothing.

John 6:63 (NLT)