2018 a Year to Die and Rise with Christ
2018 a Year to Die and Rise with Christ
Everyone has the best wishes of 2018 for themselves and for some people.
My wish for me this year is that I will die to myself and be identified with Christ and rise in Christ. This is a wish that I have to ask your permission before I can wish the same for you.
So do you want to die to yourself this year and rise with and in Christ?
Let’s take a pop quiz. Which did Jesus say? A. For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. B. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
I can see you are confused just as I was when I took the test. Without truth, we get confused. The answer is B. Check it out Matthew 6: 19-21.
This year, as we die to self by identifying with the death of Christ on the cross, we will be more prepared to put our treasure in heaven, in Christ, and for the glory of the Father. Then and only then would our hearts follow. In all your planning and wishing for 2018, have you asked “where will my treasure be directed?” Treasure is that which is most important to you. Treasure is the worthwhile thing for us to have and do this year.
Here is a bad example of the heart following the treasure. “Police in Massachusetts said a woman ditched her own mother's funeral on Friday to break into her home and steal a safe filled with items worth $90,000.” Read the full story . Yes, where your treasure is, your heart will follow.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:1-10
If, since, therefore you are in Christ then let us do the above in Colossians 3. By God’s grace, some things must change and must be different in us in 2018. It cannot be business as usual in 2018.
Remember Abraham and his son Isaac? This is what God said to him as he was about to sacrifice Isaac, “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ” Genesis 22:12.
God doesn’t what our dead bodies. He has already killed his Son on our behalf.
God is asking us to be “living sacrifices” in 2018. That means we must take care of our bodies and offer them to God. See Romans 12:1-2.
Where and what will you spend your energy and vitality during 2018? What will consume you in 2018? What will you withhold and not offer to God in 2018? Who and what is your Isaac in 2018? Where will your treasure be in 2018?
By God’s Grace, I plan to put my treasure in heaven in 2018. People are the most precious and treasured, so I plan to help send them to heaven by introducing them to Christ. I plan to use every opportunity and resources to live for Christ and tell many about Christ and his gospel. If we make sharing the gospel a goal in 2018, we will reach it.
We will defy the recent statistics that says that only about 39% of born again Christians believe and accept personal responsibility to share the gospel. Even worse, only about 21% of those do share Christ. It’s says 61% of born again Christians do not even believe nor accept personal responsibility to share the gospel. “Go and make disciples” is only a suggestion not to be obeyed.
That’s very alarming because we know for sure that those who do not believe and trust in Christ do not share the gospel. So, how can we say we are Christians and followers of Christ and consistently year after year still not talking about Christ and introducing him to people?
What will be our offering and sacrifice that is acceptable to God in 2018? Let’s stop jumping up and down wishing everyone happy new year! It doesn’t seem to me that the process of being “a living sacrifice” will always be happy but it will be acceptable and pleasing to God. When God is pleased we will be full of joy which is better than happiness.
Remember only faith pleases God, let’s step out in faith and do what we have never done before and out of our comfort zone in 2018. “Put to death” and “rid yourself” require action and faith without works (action) is dead. What in the above list (Colossians 3), do we need to put to death and get rid off in 2018? We have made enough excuses for the anger, lusts, greed, etc.; and have tolerated it 2017. Lord, help us change in 2018.
When our love for people exceed our fears then we will share Christ with any who may be on their way to hell without Christ. For perfect love will cast out fear. Who will you look forward to seeing in heaven because you introduced them to Christ? Please pray for them in 2018.
So, with your permission, I wish you a year of dying to self and rising with Christ for the glory of God. Thank you for praying the same for me.
Thank you Lord for bringing us into the year of 2018 and for forgiving all our sins because of Christ’ sacrifice for us. We repent of missed opportunities of 2017. Father, help us this year to put our treasures in heaven and help us to be living sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to you. Amen.
Everyone has the best wishes of 2018 for themselves and for some people.
My wish for me this year is that I will die to myself and be identified with Christ and rise in Christ. This is a wish that I have to ask your permission before I can wish the same for you.
So do you want to die to yourself this year and rise with and in Christ?
Let’s take a pop quiz. Which did Jesus say? A. For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also. B. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
I can see you are confused just as I was when I took the test. Without truth, we get confused. The answer is B. Check it out Matthew 6: 19-21.
This year, as we die to self by identifying with the death of Christ on the cross, we will be more prepared to put our treasure in heaven, in Christ, and for the glory of the Father. Then and only then would our hearts follow. In all your planning and wishing for 2018, have you asked “where will my treasure be directed?” Treasure is that which is most important to you. Treasure is the worthwhile thing for us to have and do this year.
Here is a bad example of the heart following the treasure. “Police in Massachusetts said a woman ditched her own mother's funeral on Friday to break into her home and steal a safe filled with items worth $90,000.” Read the full story . Yes, where your treasure is, your heart will follow.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:1-10
If, since, therefore you are in Christ then let us do the above in Colossians 3. By God’s grace, some things must change and must be different in us in 2018. It cannot be business as usual in 2018.
Remember Abraham and his son Isaac? This is what God said to him as he was about to sacrifice Isaac, “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ” Genesis 22:12.
God doesn’t what our dead bodies. He has already killed his Son on our behalf.
God is asking us to be “living sacrifices” in 2018. That means we must take care of our bodies and offer them to God. See Romans 12:1-2.
Where and what will you spend your energy and vitality during 2018? What will consume you in 2018? What will you withhold and not offer to God in 2018? Who and what is your Isaac in 2018? Where will your treasure be in 2018?
By God’s Grace, I plan to put my treasure in heaven in 2018. People are the most precious and treasured, so I plan to help send them to heaven by introducing them to Christ. I plan to use every opportunity and resources to live for Christ and tell many about Christ and his gospel. If we make sharing the gospel a goal in 2018, we will reach it.
We will defy the recent statistics that says that only about 39% of born again Christians believe and accept personal responsibility to share the gospel. Even worse, only about 21% of those do share Christ. It’s says 61% of born again Christians do not even believe nor accept personal responsibility to share the gospel. “Go and make disciples” is only a suggestion not to be obeyed.
That’s very alarming because we know for sure that those who do not believe and trust in Christ do not share the gospel. So, how can we say we are Christians and followers of Christ and consistently year after year still not talking about Christ and introducing him to people?
What will be our offering and sacrifice that is acceptable to God in 2018? Let’s stop jumping up and down wishing everyone happy new year! It doesn’t seem to me that the process of being “a living sacrifice” will always be happy but it will be acceptable and pleasing to God. When God is pleased we will be full of joy which is better than happiness.
Remember only faith pleases God, let’s step out in faith and do what we have never done before and out of our comfort zone in 2018. “Put to death” and “rid yourself” require action and faith without works (action) is dead. What in the above list (Colossians 3), do we need to put to death and get rid off in 2018? We have made enough excuses for the anger, lusts, greed, etc.; and have tolerated it 2017. Lord, help us change in 2018.
When our love for people exceed our fears then we will share Christ with any who may be on their way to hell without Christ. For perfect love will cast out fear. Who will you look forward to seeing in heaven because you introduced them to Christ? Please pray for them in 2018.
So, with your permission, I wish you a year of dying to self and rising with Christ for the glory of God. Thank you for praying the same for me.
Thank you Lord for bringing us into the year of 2018 and for forgiving all our sins because of Christ’ sacrifice for us. We repent of missed opportunities of 2017. Father, help us this year to put our treasures in heaven and help us to be living sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to you. Amen.
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