1LoverofGod
Well-known
**I received this Devotional by Pastor Jack Hibbs in my email this morning, And worthy of sharing as a reminder of God's Love for us and His Grace that He wants us to be His Children through our faith in His Son Jesus.
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him" 1 John 3:1 nkjv
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Monday, January 22, 2024
Life is full of mysteries. For me, one of the most significant is sanctification—the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming believers into the image of Christ. How the Spirit works to get more of the nature of Jesus into us so that His nature will be lived through us is fantastic. It’s a life-long process that the Bible says begins in an instant.
The moment we enter the family of God by faith, we become a sanctified member of the body of Christ. Remember the thief on the cross? He was about to die with no opportunity for daily sanctification to take place. Nevertheless, Jesus said, “…today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). That man went to heaven because he was immediately sanctified.
Sanctification is never accomplished through human exertion. If your Christian walk is one of constant striving to the point of frustration, then you’re doing it wrong. By that, I mean that if you’re trying to be like Jesus in your strength— trying to be better and do better—that is not a work of the Lord. No matter how much you sweat, you will only wind up worn out and bitterly disappointed.
It is Christ’s presence in us that remodels our lives. The more we surrender obediently to God’s Word and yield to the Spirit, the greater Jesus’ life will be manifested in us, to His glory.
Let’s agree today: Lord, do Your work in us and help us keep our hands off whatever You desire to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Awaiting His Return,
Jack Hibbs
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him" 1 John 3:1 nkjv
__________________________________
Monday, January 22, 2024
Life is full of mysteries. For me, one of the most significant is sanctification—the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming believers into the image of Christ. How the Spirit works to get more of the nature of Jesus into us so that His nature will be lived through us is fantastic. It’s a life-long process that the Bible says begins in an instant.
The moment we enter the family of God by faith, we become a sanctified member of the body of Christ. Remember the thief on the cross? He was about to die with no opportunity for daily sanctification to take place. Nevertheless, Jesus said, “…today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). That man went to heaven because he was immediately sanctified.
Sanctification is never accomplished through human exertion. If your Christian walk is one of constant striving to the point of frustration, then you’re doing it wrong. By that, I mean that if you’re trying to be like Jesus in your strength— trying to be better and do better—that is not a work of the Lord. No matter how much you sweat, you will only wind up worn out and bitterly disappointed.
It is Christ’s presence in us that remodels our lives. The more we surrender obediently to God’s Word and yield to the Spirit, the greater Jesus’ life will be manifested in us, to His glory.
Let’s agree today: Lord, do Your work in us and help us keep our hands off whatever You desire to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Awaiting His Return,
Jack Hibbs
