Delivered through Christ

In my last post, I shared how after many years I am just understanding fully what it means to be born again. I now continue sharing the other things I learned.
A next truth I learned was what are the old things that pass away that's mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:17, 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold all things are become new'.
I knew I was a sinner under God's judgement. I was was a slave to sin. The new truth I realized was that I was a sinner not only because I committed sinful acts, but I was born a sinner and completely helpless to make myself right before God. Also, because I was born a sinner, I couldn't help but commit sinful acts. It was my nature. This is true of every human being.
That was a hard pill to swallow. Although I should have gotten this truth from reading about Adam and Eve sin in Genesis, I didn't. Not that specific one. I generally thought I am a sinner because of what I did and how I lived. I also generally thought that even though I gave my heart and life to Christ, and repented of my sins, that I will always be struggling with my old nature, and never be free of it, as Paul declares in Romans 7:24&25.
'Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.'
I don't have to be struggling. ..... I am delivered through Christ. Whoop.
When I was born again, I was delivered from the hold that sin and its consequences had on me. I now belong to Christ. I don't have to live according to the flesh anymore, once I remain in Christ.
Rom 8:9, 'You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.
Are you born again? Are you in Christ? If yes, then your sinful nature has no hold over you. You belong to Christ. 
In my next post I will share more truths I learned.
Be blessed and learn from Christ.

Now I Know!

Recently I have been reading and then studying a booklet that explains, using scripture, what happens to anyone when we become born again. My first response was, "I am finally getting all the answers I had when I first gave my heart to Christ". That was followed by great excitement. My eyes were opened to where I was before Christ and where I am after I was born again. The details of what took place in my life. I had no more reason to doubt and wonder over certain things.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature  (creation): old things have passed away; behold all things are become new'
Three main things to point out regarding our life with Christ.
1. New Creatures/Creations
2. Old things passed away
3. All things are become new
The first one I always knew. I am a new creation, I am brand new. However, I wasn't completely sure what all that meant. How does that play out in my life? And, unfortunately, I didn't received any specific information on the topic. The years passed, and I began to feel stupid for even thinking about my questions, much less ask them.
"I am supposed to be a mature Christian by now", I told myself. I can't entertain these questions. And so the years passed.....
Reading this booklet explained all that for me, and although it wasn't completely new information, I realized that had I known this, it would have affected my life differently, and the things that I struggled with would have been eliminated.
Being in Christ means the life I use to live before is gone, done. No matter how good it seemed in my eyes and the eyes of others, I live that life no more.
I CANNOT be in Christ and still live how I use to live before I was born again. The two CANNOT be mixed. I MUST now live the life Christ calls me to. I MUST learn from Christ how I am to live now. I CANNOT rely on my way, my thinking, my reasoning. I MUST follow Christ and learn from Him, and obey always and in everything.
Has the old life you used to live before you gave your heart to Christ passed away? Fully?
If you are still struggling with living your old life, you are not doomed, there is hope. You must, however, truly repent of that life before God who knows your heart, and ask Him to teach you how to live as a new creation.

Missing in Action

It has been about a month I think since I last posted. From an amazing conference with OCC, to being sick for a week (still recovering), and all the work I had to catch up on in between, my days have been very occupied.
God's faithfulness in leading and molding me never ceased, and my love for Him deepens each passing day.
His commitment to correcting wrong mind sets, and wrong or distorted doctrine, and traditions that have taken the glory from Him, is very consistent and real.
I walk more freer because of this. I walk more sure and confident in what He has called me to do, and having the grace and strength not to give into traditional pressures, or just simply what others think. It is especially hard when it comes from fellow Christians. I am also seeing more and more that being a Christian is simply walking according to the Holy Spirit leading in EVERYTHING. The Holy Spirit is not just the power of God, He is our guide in every moment of everyday. He is the One who reveals and explains and points out the truth about Christ and our heavenly Father.
When I truly walk according to His leading, and as I learn to do so with each passing day, certain scripture like Galatians 5: 22&23 becomes more and more real in my life. A scripture that I memorized in my childhood.
Whose guidance are we walking by? Our own? Facebook? Others?
To really be the Christian God called us to be, we must be guided ALWAYS by the Holy Spirit.
Let's check our hearts, and ask God to reveal anything that is not of Him. ANYTHING. You might be surprised.  I pray for God’s grace to walk in obedience to Him when He shows you your heart.
Be blessed.