Last night, in Bible time, we looked at Ephesians 2:10. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
We, christians, are supposed to walk in the steps of Jesus, and put on the new man. The old man is always going to be with us our whole life. And we have to kick and punch him,and crucify him, until we get a perfect, new body. But, since we've been washed with Jesus' blood, our lives are supposed to be filled with Him because His blood washes away all our sins. We're supposed to shine as lights. 1 Thessalonians 5:5 says, "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."
Ephesians 5:8 says, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:"
We're to be different- molded into the image of the Lord. There's not supposed to be any room in our lives for Satan. Our life should be filled up with God's goodness. Romans 13:14 says, "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."
So let's go back to Ephesians 2. Let's look at some verses throughout Ephesians that talk about letting Christ dwell in your hearts. Ephesians 3:17-19- "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and ground in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
Chapter 4:22- "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;" verse 24- "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
Now, since we've put on the new man, fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting, and fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness should all be done away with. Chapter 5 verse 3 says: "...but rather giving of thanks." So, according to that verse, we should have put off all the things Paul is listing above and below, and we should have a thankful heart.
If we examined your life under a microscope, would we see that your life is filled with Christ? Or would the old man still have room to dwell in your heart and life? I know I have to examine myself constantly, and realize that I'm nothing but by God's grace. We all have to battle Satan because he is "as a roaring lion...seeking whom he may devour:" But with God's help, our lives can be filled with Him and we should be earnestly be seeking Him with our whole heart every day so that others can see, that Christ liveth in me.
Here are the awesome words to the song, "Christ Liveth In Me."
Once far from God and dead in sin,
No light my heart could see;
But in God's Word the light I found,
Now Christ liveth in me.
As rays of light from yonder sun,
The flow'rs of earth set free,
So life and light and love came forth
From Christ living in me.
As lives the flow'r within the seed,
As in the cone the tree,
So, praise the God of truth and grace,
His Spirit dwelleth in me.
With longing all my heart is filled,
That like Him I may be,
As on the wondrous tho't I dwell
That Christ liveth in me.
Christ liveth in me,
Christ liveth in me,
Oh! What a salvation this, That Christ liveth in me.
Then we sang "O To Be Like Thee."
O to be like Thee!
Blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
O to be like Thee!
Full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand'ring sinner to find.
O to be like Thee!
Lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless,
patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee!
Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th' anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing.
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
O to be like Thee!
While I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit,
fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and heaven above.
O to be like Thee!
O to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer,
pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness,
come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
This is an awesome song! You could pray this as your prayer. You know, our bodies are a living temple for God. A temple is a dwelling place for God. Isn't that an amazing thought to think, that we're temples for a Holy and righteous God? Our bodies should be meet for Him to live in them. Romans 12:1 says "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
As I was writing that verse, the song "Lord Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary" popped into my head.
"Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary,
Pure and holy, Tried and True,
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary For You.
It is you, Lord
Who came to save
The heart and soul
Of every man
It is you Lord
Who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength,
With thine own hand.
Lead Me on Lord
From temptation
Purify me
From within
Fill my heart with
You holy spirit
Take away all my sin.
Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary,
Pure and holy, Tried and True,
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary For You."
Ah, "Lord prepare me to be a Sanctuary." That should be the desire us all who love the Lord and choose to serve him. One of my favorite songs of all time. I must say, in order to be a "new man", that is a LOT of "stuff" to put off, and if we would examine ourselves, making our first priority, to be pleasing to the Lord, then we would be true to ourselves, and confess our faults to the Lord and ask forgiveness. We all fail at some time or other, some of us more than others, but the best part of all, is that when we "see" our sins, God the Father is right there, waiting on us to come to him, confessing our sins and asking forgiveness. He is faithful and just to forgive us when we ask. We must not ever think that we can fall under the influence of sin, so many times, or do something so bad, that the Lord will not forgive us. He is ALWAYS ready to receive us unto himself. He loves his children, and he welcomes us back home again, with arms out-stretched.
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