God's Promise: New Life

 

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun." NLT

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." ESV

 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come" The old has gone, the new is here!"  NIV

 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." NKJV

2 Corinthians 5:17

    This promise is that when you become a Christian your past is removed from God's memory.  Any sin you committed is gone.  Now you have a fresh start.  You are like a new born baby able to start over.  In your journey, you will not be perfect.  God knows that, but repent to maintain your righteousness.  Sin should affect you differently.  You should not be okay living in your sin.  You were given innocence and through this new perspective you will see things differently.

    Salvation starts here.  You do what you can to get closer to God and let all the past go.  When you get to heaven it will be easier.  Nothing that is hard, holds you back, or evil will be present there.  You may not be able to envision it perfectly since your entire world has been influenced to some degree by sin and evil.  That is okay.  Lean into God.  He has the vision for you.

    The promise of a new life is having a life joined with Jesus.  You start walking your life in faith.  You become bold and strong in His name.  You align yourself with the victor and it empowers you to do good, share love, and be like Jesus in this world.  You will no longer fit in the world.  

    You probably will not fit in with religious people either.  Your faith is more than a set of rules.  It is how you live your life.  Find people that walk in faith and they will become the church with you.  They will be your support system within the religious world.  The closer you get with God the more lonely the world becomes.  However, your relationship with God fills you in ways that the world never could.  You can be alone and not lonely because you always have Jesus.

    The fundamental truth that you have this promise is that your identity is found in Jesus.  Your heart changes to hurt over what is evil and desire what is good and right.  You judge evil, but you do not judge people.  You allow the Holy Spirit to teach you to love like Jesus.  It does not happen at once, but He does change your heart as you give everything the world has control over to Jesus.  You change as you spend time in God's Word an prayer.  Do not judge people in the church for not being where you are or people in the world for not understanding.  You focus on Jesus and the path God created for you.  Let God handle everything else.

Isaiah 43:18-19, 65:17, Romans 8:9, 16:7, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:6, 6:15, Ephesians 2:15, & Revelations 21:5

God's Promise: Fellowship

 

"God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." NLT

"God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." ESV

1 Corinthians 1:9

    The promise of fellowship is a promise of faithfulness.  No matter who you are, God is faithful to His Name and His Word.  God's faithfulness is where you find security and rest.  His character does not change.  He is steadfast.  His love never stumbles, gets bored, or stops.  He teaches you how to be faithful and have fellowship.  He gives you the strength to endure and find the way out of temptation.

    This promise is an invitation or partnership with God.  His invitation is a divine call to be a part of His family, united with other believers, and to become strong in faith.  It takes your Christian walk to the next level.  You need to lean on other Christians to be strong, but your partnership with Jesus.  If you accept this promise, then you are on a journey to becoming the person you were created to be.

    Fellowship with Jesus is a holy unity.  It is like a marriage.  You have to be committed and work to maintain the partnership.  It is an honor to be partners with God, not just a body serving a purpose.  You are not a slave or servant,  You are valued, loved, and empowered with Spiritual Gifts to enable the relationship to work and grow.  In a healthy marriage you flourish.  In fellowship with God you flourish in a supernatural way.

    Fellowship gives you since of belonging.  It also is a responsibility.  It means you take on the needs, concerns, and issues of other people in your church to support and pray for each other.  It means that you pick up the cross and follow Jesus.  It means you fight the good fight out of love.  You face it and don't run because of what Jesus did for you.  He did not abandon you, so you do not abandon your faith journey with Him.  

Isaiah 49:7, John 15:4, 17:21, 1 Corinthians 1:8-9, 10:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Hebrews 10:23, & 1 John 1:3, 4:13

God's Promise: Righteousness

 

"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.  Romans 10:9-10 

    The promise of righteousness is the promise that you will be made right with God if you believe and do not hide your faith.  God is not ashamed of you when you are at your worst.  He is perfection, so why would you be ashamed of Him.  He declared that if you don't acknowledge Him in life, then He will not acknowledge you on judgment day.  

    It is simple be proud of your relationship with God and you will reap all the benefits.  Fear is something that could silence you, but that is why the commandment do not fear is so important.  It takes practice.  You will die one day because everyone does.  The question is are you willing to die for your faith?  Jesus died for you.  You should never need to die for your relationship with God, but if put to the test would you?  

    It was Jesus' death and resurrection that allows you to be righteous.  It is your faith and relationship with God that gives you that righteousness.  Do not hide it.  Salvation is what makes it where you are sealed in righteousness by the Holy Spirit.  Be proud and tell the world how Jesus changed your life.  Give those who are lost in their sin the opportunity to find righteousness even if it threatens your safety.  Trust God to protect you physically or at least your soul.

    Righteousness is lived out by how you love.  Do you love like Jesus which is sacrificial?  Or do you love like the world where it is all about what benefits you and makes you happier?  Loving like Jesus is a journey.  As long as you are growing in your relationship and learning how to love like him, then you are living out the gift of righteousness.  There is no righteousness without salvation.

    Your salvation justifies you.  Give other people the opportunity to choose for themselves to be justified or stay slaves to their sin.  Salvation is sincere and based on faith.  Your actions and words should support that, but it is personal.  You deal with your issues while telling the world how God rescued you spiritually and redeemed your soul.  That is your testimony.  That is the beginning of your faith story.  Getting baptized and telling your testimony to people is the first steps of obedience after salvation.

Matthew 10:32-33, Luke 12:8-9, Acts 8:37, & Romans 10:9-10

God's Promise: Good Things

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to the purpose for them."  Romans 8:28 (NLT)

    This is a promise of all good things to those who love and follow Jesus.  The passage is very controversial, but you can keep it simple to gain the truth and wisdom that comes from it.  If you love God then you are obedient.  If you are obedient and accept salvation, then you will be blessed to be a child of God.  When you are a true Christian, then nothing can separate you from God's love, provision, and blessings.  

    God knew from the beginning who would accept or reject His gift.  He never had favorite.  It is you who gets to make the choice to be in right standing and blessed or be an enemy of God and cursed.  If you choose to reject God, then you are already cursed.  Nothing will give you what you want for eternity.  You soul longs for God.  Until you turn to Him, you will never be fulfilled.  If you reject Him, then on judgment day he will reject you.  Nothing will ever allow you in His presence again at that time.  

    You live in a fallen world which means that you are not in the presence of God, but you are not in the absence of God either.  You can see His creation everywhere.  We have the Holy Spirit if you are a Christian.  At the same time, you experience evil and all that Satan has brought to corrupt what God created.  Depending on the choices you make now will determine what judgment day will look like for you.  Accept Jesus, allow the Holy Spirit to live within you, and obey God and you get an eternity of uncorrupted perfection with God.  If you reject Him for any reason, then you will never see His face again after you are thrown in the pit with Satan and his demons.

    The world is broken by sin.  It comes with pain, agony, hardship, suffering, brokenness, and anger.  You can anticipate better days or accept status quo.  How you face life depends on you.  You can have hope for the final redemption or you can live like you will never face consequences for your choices.  God loves you and His love has given you purpose.  It is time to embrace it and accept the good along with the bad in life to be able to have the perfect eternity.  Jesus is the only way to your calling, justification, and divine blessings.  Christians work together for the good of God and find strength to pursue all that is good.

    

Romans 8:28-35, 9:11-24, & 2 Timothy 1:9 

God's Promise: Peace

 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” NIV 

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart because I have overcome the world."  NLT

"I told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  You will have suffering in his world.  Be courageous!  I have conquered the world."  CSB

John 16:33

    The promise of peace is not a promise of a perfect life.  It is the promise of hope that gets you through the hard times.  It is a promise of a happy ending.  It is a promise that you can find peace of heart and mind even if life is chaotic, dangerous, or difficult all around you.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  He is the living promise. 

    Jesus gave this promise during the last supper.  He knew that in a few shot hours he would endure abuse, lies, injustice, and a criminal's death to make sure that this promise would happen.  He lives out the promise by being in peace while he endured horrible things.  He shows you the way.  You are lucky that you will probably never face what he faced, but if you did would you face it like him?

    The reality is that life is full of trouble, trials, and conflict.  You bring the majority of it upon yourself by attitude, decisions, and how you react.  However, sometimes bad things happen that you had no part in making it happen.  Now is the time to decide on how you will handle it.  Make a choice and then take the steps to make the choice a reality.  You have to decide for yourself how you will follow Jesus and face persecution for that relationship.

    Following Jesus was never easy.  It requires a lot of sacrifice, but it is the only way to true peace and the happy ending.  Jesus is the source of peace.  When you remain loyal to him, he is loyal to you.  He will protect you from the worst of it.  He never promised that you would live forever.  He promised that he would be with you.  His way leads to eternal victory even if you loose your life for faith now.  It takes courage and resolve to follow Jesus in faith.  Take comfort in having peace with God because of Jesus.

Isaiah 9:6, John 14:27, 16:33, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:14, Colossians 1:20, & 2 Timothy 3:12

God's Promise: True Freedom

 

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." NIV

 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."NKJV

"So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." NLT

John 8:36

    Jesus stated this promise during a discussion with religious leaders.  It is a simple statement that holds a lot of power, but that was Jesus.  He was flamboyant.  He was simple and impactful.  He always told the truth.  He was kind, but not nice.  He words were promises and direction to freedom.  Faith and salvation through him are the only true freedom you will ever experience.  His freedom frees you from sin habits, inherited sin, and strongholds.  There is nothing more powerful than that.

    Sin bounds you into slavery.  It is a kind of slavery that you may not even realize that you don't have control over your life.  Everything is about how Satan has manipulated you and how he can keep controlling you.  He hates you and takes pleasure in any hurt, harm, or doom he can cause in your life.  He turns Christianity into a religion that doesn't look anything like Jesus' life.  The truth is that if you do not follow Jesus, then you are not a true Christian.  You can claim the religion, but you can't claim the title that makes you an inheritor in Heaven.  You have to open your eyes to the truth and accept it to become truly free.

    Jesus came to set you free because he loves you.  He wants you to live, thrive, and become strong.  The strongest thing in life is love which is taught by Jesus.  The love that Jesus gives and shows you how to obtain is liberating.  Love is more than politics, society rules, and religion.  The love that Jesus provides opens your eyes to the truth where boundaries become a gift.  Forgiveness enables you to move on with your life.  Death is no longer something you need to fear.  God's love is truth and it will keep you from the bondage of sin if you allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out.  

John 8:30-36, Romans 8:1-2, 2 Corinthians 3:7-8, & Galatians 5:1

God's Promise: Salvation

 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." NIV

"For this is how God loves the world: He gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."  NLT

John 3:16

    The promise of salvation is conditional.  It is an opportunity for every living person, but it is conditional because you have to walk in faith.  You have to allow God to change you from your heart, mind, and soul.  It is equal to everyone, but not everyone will accept the terms.  It is your choice.  God has left it up to you.  You can't blame God if you do not have salvation.

    This promise came to Nicodemus when he was having a meeting with Jesus.  Nicodemus was a Pharisee.  He knew who Jesus was and wanted to know more.  However, the Pharisee political party aka religion hated Jesus, so Nicodemus had to sneak to meet Jesus.  He did not have time to beat around the bush.  He needed to make the most of the time he had.  That is where Jesus met him.  Jesus didn't have time to play around either.  His time was limited in a way that no one understood yet.  

    Jesus meets each of us where we are in our sin and when you take the step of faith into salvation, he leads you out of your sin.  He took everyone's including your sin upon himself.  He took your punishment, so that you have the freedom to follow Him.  He went 99% of the way.  All you have to do is that one percent step into faith.  It is his love that transforms you and motivates you to change.  When you see sin for what it really is, you no longer want anything to do with it.

    Salvation is a promise made in love.  It is a gift that only God can give.  It can only be obtained through faith and walking life with Jesus.  It is sealed by the Holy Spirit living within you.  Nothing can imitate true salvation or God's sacrificial love.  This is why every religion is dead.  Christianity is not a religion.  It is a way of life.  It is a personal relationship with God.  It is only natural for Christians to gravitate toward each other because you need others that believe like you do and help you not stumble in your journey.

John 3:16, Romans 5:8, & 1 John 4:9