Your New Life In Christ

“This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life He has promised through faith in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 1:1 (NLT)

The introduction of Paul’s second letter to Timothy spells out the difference between Christianity and every other major religion in the world.  Do you see it in this passage?  “This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life He has promised through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:1 (NLT).

As an apostle, chosen by the will of God, Paul says that he was sent out to tell others about the life God has promised those who put their trust in Jesus Christ. I am so thankful that Jesus didn’t come just to show us how to live.  He came to offer us His indwelling life!  He didn’t come to offer us a new religion.  He came to establish a relationship with us through faith!  In John 10:10 (NIV), Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John adds this in 1 John 5:11-12 (NLT), “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.”

Does this describe your Christian experience?  Are you experiencing the full and meaningful life Jesus offers?  Countless Christians have somehow fallen from grace to a life of striving and religious ritual, thinking their efforts will achieve God’s favor.  But favor is the undeserved grace of God lavished on those who would simply receive the life of His Son! 

If you have the Son of God, you have life!  The life you have is none other than the life of the Son of God restored in you, making you a new creation in Christ Jesus. Have you received Christ’s life? The challenge is to live that life in all its fullness!  Every day becomes a fresh new opportunity to wake up and say, “Good morning, Lord!  Take my life and make it Yours.  Live Your life through me!  Take my body and have a blast today! These hands are Your hands to work with.  These eyes are Your eyes to see with.  My mind is Yours to think with.  These feet are Yours to walk with wherever You would have me go.  And my heart is Yours to love with.  All that I am is Yours, so that I may experience all that You are in me!  In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

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To read this devotional online or catch up on past ones, visit https://kerryshook.org/blog.

Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.