Pastor John D Jakes

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Today we think of the power of God’s grace. The power of grace is both extremely encouraging and seriously convicting.  The encouragement of grace is that God promises to transform us.  God has created us for a purpose.  Sin may mar and corrupt that purpose.  Sin may make us feel hopeless and purposeless. God’s promise is that grace will transform what sin has twisted.  Grace will take a life of no purpose and fill it with purpose.  Grace will transform what is marred and make it whole.  That is quite a promise. The most encouraging part is that Paul declares it in the present and past tense. It has already happened and is currently happening. You and I have purpose and are right now being restored!

Now for the conviction – how often do I continue to wallow in my brokenness?  How often do I stay with my destructive patterns and habits?  How often do I fight God for something I don’t really want rather than take from His grace the thing that I know I need?  How often do I stay with a comfortable counterfeit life when God offers real life?  This conviction, of course, comes to those of us who believe.  I think we cling to our old ways because we start believing that the transforming power of grace is only for the young believer.  We start believing that once you are an older Christian you kind of get set in your ways – just like the stereotype about older people.  Have you bought into that lie?

My scripture for this week’s thought is most appropriate here.  If we are in Christ, we are a new creation.  New!  Not new 20 years ago. We are new today! That newness is the secret to the transforming power of God’s grace.  We aren’t just recycled.  We aren’t just redone.  We are new!  We weren’t just new when we became believers. We are perpetually made new in Christ. Christian, may that be more than just a convicting statement for you.  May this also encourage you.  If you have felt that your growth in Christ is somehow limited by your life history or habits, know that God has made you completely new. If you have felt set in your ways, know that this newness can be yours even now. It can now be your joy to discover what that newness will mean for you in your life.  Look for it.  Discover it.  Rejoice in it.

Something to think about,

Pastor John