“Since you have been raised to NEW LIFE…WHERE CHRIST IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, not on things on the earth. For YOU DIED, and YOUR LIFE IS HIDDEN with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore PUT TO DEATH your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Col. 3:1-5) Being “Born Again” is a WORK OF GRACE BY GOD, it’s not something we are capable of doing! This is what gives us “NEW LIFE” but what happens after this is up to us! We are told to set our minds on things above, which we discover by reading the word! We are taught that our way of thinking needs to change, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” (Phil. 2:5) We need to take control of what we think about and what we learn, “Therefore, my beloved, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING; for it is GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13) In our battle of control of our thoughts remember, “…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (physical feelings) but mighty in God…BRINGING EVERY THOUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corin. 10:4-5) WILL, it’s so important for us to understand this, because if we don’t learn how to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, we won’t live the life Jesus died to give us—a life of peace with God, peace with ourselves, great relationships, real joy and the ability to become all God has created us to be.
SO WILL, LET’S READ THE WORD, PRAY, AND LISTEN TO THE WORD…
-Bill Stockham