I Need A New Me
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)
In the late 1800’s, there was a teenager in a village in Scotland who was constantly committing crimes. He was caught stealing livestock, and even set fire to a farmer’s house and barn. He was arrested and punished, but he continued to create havoc in the village. Finally the leaders of the village took drastic measures. They restrained the young man and took a hot brand and burned the letters “DC” on his face under his left eye. People in that part of Scotland knew that the letters meant, “Dangerous Criminal.” His brand warned everyone who saw him that he couldn’t be trusted. After several years of more crime, DC stole enough money to catch a ship to America. While in Chicago he heard the preaching of D.L. Moody and was gloriously converted to Christ, and started living for God. Whenever anyone asked him about the brand “DC” he wouldn’t tell them about his past, so nobody knew what “DC” stood for. He never married, and devoted his life to his work as a shoe repairman and as a Bible teacher of teenagers in his church. DC spent over 50 years faithfully serving the Lord. When he died, there were hundreds of young people who had been taught by DC attending his funeral. The pastor said, “Most of us have wondered about the mark on DC’s face, and we never knew what it stood for. After knowing him for all these years, I finally know what DC stands for: Disciple of Christ.” What a testimony! God can change a dangerous criminal into a Disciple of Christ.
Change is what following Jesus Christ is all about. Have you ever noticed that many of us spend a lifetime trying to experience change? Some people want to change the way they look. They’ll diet and exercise, purchase new clothes, get a new “do” with their hair, and even go through plastic surgery – thinking if they look different on the outside, they’ll feel different on the inside. These folks eventually find out that you can have all kind of things stretched, pulled, pinched, tucked, tweaked, enhanced, suctioned and peeled only to find out that it’s the stuff on the inside that really needs changed. Some people want to change they way they think and behave. They will go to therapy sessions, purchase self-help books, and listen to motivational tapes – hoping they might stumble across some piece of life changing wisdom that will bring transformational change to their life. Others want to change their status in life. They’ll change jobs, get more education, and move from one location to the next. Their hope is by changing vocation or location they will find something that brings real significance to their life. But in spite of all the things we do to try to experience change, we always come back to the one basic reality – we are still the same inside. It’s hard to experience real change when the “old me” keeps getting in the way.
That’s why we so desperately need Jesus Christ. The kind of change He brings to us isn’t cosmetic or superficial. He takes the “old me” and changes it into something brand new. Jesus is not in the remodeling business – he’s in the new construction business. He makes all things new. How can we experience this newness? Note the words of this Scripture: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” It is being “in Christ” that makes a person a new creature. The more you learn about who you really are “in Christ.” the more lasting change you will experience. The New Testament refers to us being “in Christ” 172 times, here are just a few of the benefits about your true identity in Christ: We receive grace in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:4); our redemption is in Christ (Romans 3:24); we are justified in Christ (Galatians 2:17) ; we have forgiveness of sins in Christ (Ephesians 4:32); there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1); we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); we have eternal life in Christ (Romans 6:23); God supplies all our needs in Christ (Philippians 4:19); we have every spiritual blessing of heaven in Christ (Ephesians 1:3); we will be presented to God perfect in Christ. (Colossians 1:28); we cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:35). Properly understood, being “In Christ” is the single most important issue in our life.
So what can I do if I am currently not “in Christ”?
ADMIT - that you cannot change on your own. Changes we make on our own really never last. That is why I gave up making New Years resolutions, I never keep them and I hate lying. When you finally admit that you cannot change yourself you will find that Jesus is ready, willing and able to come in and do for you what you cannot.
ASK - for Christ to come and take control. You can admit you’re wrong, you can admit you’re a sinner and you can admit that you cannot change that. But until you ask Christ to come into your heart and yield self-control to Christ-control no real lasting change will take place.
ALLOW - God to have every area of you life. God will not force His way into anyone’s heart. The more you open yourself up to His reign and rule in your life, the more lasting change you will experience.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
In the late 1800’s, there was a teenager in a village in Scotland who was constantly committing crimes. He was caught stealing livestock, and even set fire to a farmer’s house and barn. He was arrested and punished, but he continued to create havoc in the village. Finally the leaders of the village took drastic measures. They restrained the young man and took a hot brand and burned the letters “DC” on his face under his left eye. People in that part of Scotland knew that the letters meant, “Dangerous Criminal.” His brand warned everyone who saw him that he couldn’t be trusted. After several years of more crime, DC stole enough money to catch a ship to America. While in Chicago he heard the preaching of D.L. Moody and was gloriously converted to Christ, and started living for God. Whenever anyone asked him about the brand “DC” he wouldn’t tell them about his past, so nobody knew what “DC” stood for. He never married, and devoted his life to his work as a shoe repairman and as a Bible teacher of teenagers in his church. DC spent over 50 years faithfully serving the Lord. When he died, there were hundreds of young people who had been taught by DC attending his funeral. The pastor said, “Most of us have wondered about the mark on DC’s face, and we never knew what it stood for. After knowing him for all these years, I finally know what DC stands for: Disciple of Christ.” What a testimony! God can change a dangerous criminal into a Disciple of Christ.
Change is what following Jesus Christ is all about. Have you ever noticed that many of us spend a lifetime trying to experience change? Some people want to change the way they look. They’ll diet and exercise, purchase new clothes, get a new “do” with their hair, and even go through plastic surgery – thinking if they look different on the outside, they’ll feel different on the inside. These folks eventually find out that you can have all kind of things stretched, pulled, pinched, tucked, tweaked, enhanced, suctioned and peeled only to find out that it’s the stuff on the inside that really needs changed. Some people want to change they way they think and behave. They will go to therapy sessions, purchase self-help books, and listen to motivational tapes – hoping they might stumble across some piece of life changing wisdom that will bring transformational change to their life. Others want to change their status in life. They’ll change jobs, get more education, and move from one location to the next. Their hope is by changing vocation or location they will find something that brings real significance to their life. But in spite of all the things we do to try to experience change, we always come back to the one basic reality – we are still the same inside. It’s hard to experience real change when the “old me” keeps getting in the way.
That’s why we so desperately need Jesus Christ. The kind of change He brings to us isn’t cosmetic or superficial. He takes the “old me” and changes it into something brand new. Jesus is not in the remodeling business – he’s in the new construction business. He makes all things new. How can we experience this newness? Note the words of this Scripture: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” It is being “in Christ” that makes a person a new creature. The more you learn about who you really are “in Christ.” the more lasting change you will experience. The New Testament refers to us being “in Christ” 172 times, here are just a few of the benefits about your true identity in Christ: We receive grace in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:4); our redemption is in Christ (Romans 3:24); we are justified in Christ (Galatians 2:17) ; we have forgiveness of sins in Christ (Ephesians 4:32); there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1); we are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); we have eternal life in Christ (Romans 6:23); God supplies all our needs in Christ (Philippians 4:19); we have every spiritual blessing of heaven in Christ (Ephesians 1:3); we will be presented to God perfect in Christ. (Colossians 1:28); we cannot be separated from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:35). Properly understood, being “In Christ” is the single most important issue in our life.
So what can I do if I am currently not “in Christ”?
ADMIT - that you cannot change on your own. Changes we make on our own really never last. That is why I gave up making New Years resolutions, I never keep them and I hate lying. When you finally admit that you cannot change yourself you will find that Jesus is ready, willing and able to come in and do for you what you cannot.
ASK - for Christ to come and take control. You can admit you’re wrong, you can admit you’re a sinner and you can admit that you cannot change that. But until you ask Christ to come into your heart and yield self-control to Christ-control no real lasting change will take place.
ALLOW - God to have every area of you life. God will not force His way into anyone’s heart. The more you open yourself up to His reign and rule in your life, the more lasting change you will experience.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 7:29 PM
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