Broken Hallelujahs from Broken Hearts

July 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Psalm 51:14-17

This is my all-time favorite version of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I think I love it so much because, beyond the musical talent and trained voices, these women give it all to God through their song. Their voices drip with thanksgiving to an awesome God.

Have you ever thought what being vulnerable in your praise can do for you? Do you find yourself holding back when it comes to offering your voice and praises to God?

Today’s message is short. Pray David’s prayer. Offer your soul  to God as you worship him in song. And may God unseal your lips to praise him. As you soak it his glory may you feel small and recognize just how amazing the God you serve is.

Filed Under: Christian Life, My Kind of Music Tagged With: ,

Can Jesus Love James Holmes Too?

July 24, 2012 by 7 Comments

 

Columbine. Virginia Tech. Fort Hood. Now Aurora, Colorado. All sites of mass murders, plots to kill dozens of unsuspecting, innocent victims. The impact of the trauma changes whole cities and campuses for decades. Families  are changed for a lifetime.

The outpouring of love for the survivors and victim’s families is evident from coast to coast. We weep with those who weep. Our hearts are broken for their tragic loss.

But what about Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, Sueng-Hui Cho, Nidal Hasan, and now James Holmes? These gunman shed innocent blood. How should God’s people feel toward the perpetrators of these crimes? How should Christians respond to their evil?

Let me tell you, there’s a lot of venom being spewed toward James Holmes on the TV, through the radio waves, and via social media. Should we join the condemning masses?

No doubt God condemned, and even punished murder since the beginning of time. God dealt severely with Cain’s sin after he killed his brother Abel in the opening of the book of Genesis.

There is another, lesser known murderer of the bible, King Manasseh.  Manasseh single-handedly led God’s nation into pagan idolatry. Undoing all the religious reforms of his father, Manasseh built altars and temples to false Gods. As he practiced witchcraft and sorcery, the scriptures tell us “Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire.” Manasseh’s killing spree was not contained in a moment or even day, but an entire reign as king.

Manasseh also murdered many innocent people until Jerusalem was filled from one end to the other with innocent blood. This was in addition to the sin that he caused the people of Judah to commit, leading them to do evil in the Lord’s sight (2 Kings 21:6, 16).

Then God moved. Jehovah El Gemuwal, the Lord God of Recompenses came in. He punished Manasseh with holy wrath.

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ignored all his warnings. So the Lord sent the commanders of the Assyrian armies, and they took Manasseh prisoner. They put a ring through his nose, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon (2 Chron. 33:10-11).

This once powerful, prideful king was led away in chains with a ring through his nose, forced to serve his enemy as a slave. YES!! We love that part of God don’t we.  We love it that he comes in and punishes the wicked and humbles the proud. They deserve it!

But story of Manasseh doesn’t stop there.

But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request. So the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God! (2 Chron. 33:12-13).

What? Are you serious? What kind of God let’s a mass murderer get a do-over? The great God of second chances is who. The God of mercy. The God of all-consuming grace. The God  who, “does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” ( 2 Pet. 3:9).

If you claim to follow Jesus the Messiah, remember this, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation” (Rom. 5:8-9).

So when you are tempted to curse James Holmes remember this, you have the same creator who desires you both to come home.

 

Filed Under: Christ-followers & Culture Tagged With: ,

Are You Oppressed?

July 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. – Elie Wiesel, concentration camp/holocaust survivor

I have always respected the work of Elie Wiesel. When I came across this quote on a friend’s Facebook page last week I couldn’t help but think of the spiritual implications to us all.

One of the qualities of God that I love so much is that he is a God of the underdog. He is the God of the downtrodden, the outcast, and the oppressed. Psalm 72:4 cries to God saying, “Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy,and to crush their oppressors.” Our God cares about and moves on behalf of those who endure suffering and humiliation.

I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness… And you will be a light to guide the nations.You will open the eyes of the blind.You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons. “I am the Lord; that is my name!” (Is. 42:6-8).

The thing is, oppression doesn’t just happen to racial minorities or those who are economically destitute. Spiritual oppression happens to us all and we don’t even realize it.

  • “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him” (Prov. 5:22).
  • “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” ( 2 Cor. 4:4).
  • Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death… (Rom. 6:16).

Satan uses our desire to hold us captive. Some of us are in bondage to addiction, unholy relationships, doctrinal legalism, bitterness, lack of forgiveness, fear or pride. The list could go on and on. As the god of this world, our enemy locks us in chains of  physical and emotional sins to keep us from the full life that is offered to us by our heavenly Father.

But there is good news. The oppressor has already been defeated. Your chains have already been broken. The price on your head has already been paid. I will let the Word of God speak for itself. Please take a moment to mediate on these words.

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Eph. 2:1-10)

Now that is amazing grace. While we chose death, obeyed the devil and followed our sinful nature, God responded with grace. What will your response be? Will you accept the gift of freedom? A mighty God launched the ultimate D-Day rescue mission for your soul. Will you remain captive to your oppressor or take the hand of  your Savior and step into the light of true freedom?

Filed Under: Christian Life, Spiritual Warfare Tagged With: ,

Vacation Bible School

July 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Mt. 19:9

For the week of July 16-20 I will be taking a Vacation Bible School break from posting anything new. I will be swamped with little people.

See you on July 23rd!

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What Were You Born For?

July 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

If you are struggling to find your purpose or wondering what the plan for your life is, I want you to consider the life of Hadassah, better known as Esther.

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. –  from Esther chapter 4

The plan God has for you may not look like anything you’ve imagined. Esther’s sure didn’t. It may not be obvious to you. His plan may be filled with challenges and obstacles. But I have no doubt that fulfilling his purpose will accomplish so much more than any plans of your own.

Take a moment today and ask your Redeemer to fulfill his purpose in your life. And let Him start that work today.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Eph. 2:10

The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me. Psalm 138:8

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Pastors are People Too!

July 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

You may call yours pastor, some preacher, other their minister, but if you’re a regular church goer, you’ve got someone who leads your church in  preaching and teaching.

I happen to call my minister, husband. God has appointed me to be the wife of one of his messengers. I’m married to man who has dedicated his life to the preaching of the gospel and serving churches. It’s a life that I desired since I became a Christian some twenty years ago, but I really didn’t know what I was in for.

Many of us look to the preacher as the face of the church. He’s the representative of what the church stands for.  With that burden, comes hundreds, even thousands of opinions of what that should look like. Too often I hear complaints, not just from my church, about the preacher.

  • He’s not personable enough.
  • He didn’t come see me in the hospital.
  • His lessons are too long.
  • His preaching is too dry.
  • He didn’t shake my hand.

As these complaints settle in the heart of the complainer, they grow disgruntled. Many of these complaints lead people to give up on their church and go find one that fits their needs better. Maybe that’s even been you.

As a woman who see’s behind the door of a minister there are somethings I think you should you know from my experience.

Unless you lead a church, you will never know the burden that man is carrying.

Paul said, “For my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them” (Rom. 9:3). I’ll be honest, I’m not sure if my husband is quite ready to swap souls for you, but he wants to be there. I’ve watched him fast for weeks, giving up food, so that he could be open to hearing God’s leading in his life. I’ve witnessed him endure days of sleepless nights over a wandering sheep. I’ve seen him weep tears for a weary brother. He sacrificed his money, time, family, and his will for the good of church that God has placed him in.

Leading Spiritually Comes at a Cost.

Paul expressed his fears openly for the church. “For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior. Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.” (2 Cor. 12:20-21).

The cost of leadership often comes in the form of God’s humbling. My husband prays over, ponders, and meditates on ways and methods to help sinners be transformed. But the fact is, some of them don’t want to be. After months, even years of teaching and serving a person, my husband has felt the sting of their betrayal and the grief of their departure from Christ. By no means, does he take their eternal salvation lightly. He has said before, “Dealing with physical death is nothing compared to a spiritual one.”

Self-Denial is a Must.

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (Phil. 3:7-9).

My husband sacrificed a career, financial stability, privacy, and relationships in his obedience to God’s call to minister. The transformation is a long, painful process. My husband didn’t just wake up one day and I say, “Let’s give our lives to ministry” and God paved a clear path. Our road has been filled with hardships that have forced us to stop relying on ourselves and rely on the Savior.

Self-Denial is a Battle.

The same apostle who wanted to give up his soul for his brethren, who grieved over their sin, and counted his own life as garbage also said this:

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin (Rom. 7:21-25).

I have watched the battle between the flesh and spirit waged in my husband’s soul. I have seen God crush him to rid “self” from his thinking. I have seen Satan attack his mind and torment him. I have also seen God deny him relief from anxiety and panic disorders, much like Paul’s thorn in the flesh. “So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud” (2 Cor. 12:7). God continues the refining process day by day.

Teachers Will Be Severely Judged.

“Not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly” (Ja. 3:1). That judgment is eternal. And my husband lives with that reality every day. God is watching him closely. His words, motives, teaching, and heart will all be judged before the throne of God one day with more severity than you or I will face.

So, the next time you criticize, question methods or motives, instead of complaining about my husband, please hold your tongue and just pray for him. Instead of an obstacle, be an encouragement. Instead of a critic, a supporter. When he needs corrected, by all means do so, but please do it in a manner of understanding love, because you have no idea what it’s really like to be him.

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Expect to Get Lice: Serving Others in the Name of Christ

July 10, 2012 by 4 Comments

So my plans for Monday’s new series of articles sort of got derailed. I say sort of, because I think God just gave me a crash course in the past 24 hours.

I was planning on writing about radical teachings of the bible that get ignored. I was thinking something along the lines of “sell all you have and give it to the poor.” But now I see that’s not where God wanted me to go, at least for today.

Yesterday I felt the nudging of God… well actually it was more like a smack, to aid a little girl who had lice.  It was one of those moments when you are driving a long and planning your own quiet evening then the Lord says, “No thank you, I have other plans for you.” I have learned, at this point in my faith, to go with the nudging.

This little girl is a foster child who couldn’t stay at church camp because she had nits. God reminded me he prepared me for this moment a few years ago. We were plagued with a particularly resistant lice bug for months. So I called her caretaker and offered to pick nits. I spent 5 hours last night shampooing, combing, and picking. Unfortunately, even after treatment and all my efforts, another nit was found when we tried to return her to camp. She could not stay. She was offered no compassion. No help. And for the second time in 2 days was rejected.

Now, I don’t want to debate policy and procedures on contagious diseases and communal living, but I do want to use my small platform here to defend those who have no voice. “The Lord defends the rights of orphans” (Dt. 10:18) and so should I.

“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed” (Psalm 82:3).

So here it goes… when we put the name “Christian” on anything, we better make sure that it re-presents Christ to those we serve. I understand that whether we are talking homeless shelter, soup kitchen, or kid’s camp there are policies that have to be in place for health and hygiene. But, if there is nothing else that anyone hears from me today, hear this:

PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN POLICY! 

As we serve we must remember all of our words and deeds shape other people’s view of the God we claim. Even more, every child we encounter will have their perception of the heavenly Father shaped by us. What message is received by a child who has been rejected by physical family, then rejected by a potential spiritual one?

I will let James, Slave of Christ, say his part:

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans… in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you…

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? But you dishonor the poor!

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,  and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

Think about how Jesus interacted with social outcasts. No one wanted to touch lepers, the diseased, crippled or the blind.  But notice how Jesus treated them.  He ate with them. He healed them. He spoke words of life to them. He led them to a family of God where they would never be rejected again.

How about if one of those outcasts happens to be a child?

On the other hand, if you give one of these simple, childlike believers a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Mark 9:24 MSG

So today, my prayer for all of us who put on the name of Christ, is that we will serve others with his spirit. Honestly, we’d be better off to stop serving than to blaspheme his name with our hypocrisy and law keeping (Rom. 2:17-24).

My friends, if you are called to ministry, expect to get dirty. And if you are called to minister to children, expect to get lice.

Filed Under: Christ-followers & Culture, Serving Others Tagged With:

Slave or Free? What Does it Mean to Follow Christ?

July 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

“As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.” Eph. 6:6

Sometimes I try to “sell” Jesus to people based on all the promises that he gives for an abundant life, freedom, or forgiveness. Those are all totally wonderful blessings, but I have realized they are only perks of a life of commitment. The commitment is to become a “slave of Christ” and to do it voluntarily.

I have also realized that dedication isn’t just for priests or nuns. It is not just for monks living in a mountain monastery somewhere. The call to become a “slave of Christ” is for every man and woman who seeks to follow Jesus.

So what does a modern-day “slave” look like? Well, according to its definition it is ”one who is devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.”  Now I have to ask myself if that describes my relationship with Jesus. Am I devoted to him so much that I throw my own interests in the trash? Do I make my plans for the day, or even my life based on what MY goals are? Have I really sacrificed it all to him?

Things like:

  • My happiness
  • My marriage
  • My job
  • Being right
  • My comfort

Interestingly, Paul and Timothy (Phil. 1:1), James (Ja. 1:1), Peter (2Pet. 1:1) and Jude (Jude 1:1) all open their epistles by identifying themselves as a slave of Christ. What if we did that? “Hello, may I ask who’s calling?” “Yes, this is Serena, Slave of Christ.” What IF my identity wasn’t in just being religious, modest, or a church-goer? What IF my identity was “Slave of Christ”?

What if, instead of feeling like I was entitled to my income, health or family, I felt like I was an “unworthy servant”?

“When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’” Luke 17:7-10

Jesus isn’t asking us to do anything that he wasn’t willing to do himself. The student isn’t greater than the teacher.  Jesus devoted himself to you, disregarding his own interests. He took his will, trashed it, and went to the cross. Now the call of every Christian is to follow him.

The beautiful thing about this voluntary slavery is that once we have endured the pain of submission and sacrifice he will count us worthy. No longer will we be slaves, but he says, “I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:18).

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” 1 Pet 5:6

Filed Under: Christ-followers & Culture Tagged With: ,

What Joy for the Nation Whose God is the Lord!

July 4, 2012 by 2 Comments

“What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD…” Psalm 33: 12 

Join me in prayer, on this our Day of Independence, for our nation. May there be a great awakening among my countrymen to recognize God is the Lord and the only true source of freedom!

 

Filed Under: Christ-followers & Culture

Magic Mike or Tragic Mike? Part 2: How Do I Break the Chains of Sexual Sin?

July 3, 2012 by 3 Comments

Yesterday’s post, “Magic Mike or Tragic Mike? The Christian Woman and Her Entertainment”, struck a nerve with some. The feedback  I received was mostly positive. I’m thankful that so many people took time to read it and share their thoughts publicly and privately. I am thankful for the comments that challenge me and even the ones that I disagree with.

One of the responses especially stirred my thoughts and convicted me that the message needed a follow-up. He said:

For most of my life, the majority of the messages I have heard about the Bible could fit into this three-point outline:

  • God is good.
  • You are not very good.
  • Do better.

Although I believe this outline to be a declaration of truth, I find that repeatedly declaring my shortcomings doesn’t necessarily help me “do better”.

In my years of ministering to women I have heard a broad range of confessions of women who knew they weren’t very good. Many of these women have confessed a vast chasm of sexual sin. They escape to another world of fantasy. Some would rather please themselves than be intimate with their husbands. Yet others have indulged in affairs. Many women are keeping secrets of the heart.

Maybe today you are burden with a sexual sin that is hidden. Maybe you want to get out but you have no idea how. I don’t want to leave you with another laundry list of your faults. I don’t want to pile more guilt on top of your shame. I don’t want to simply leave you the message “do better.” I want to tell you how.

Let me introduce you or possibly re-introduce you to Jesus.

As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

You may feel like the weight of pressure feels like a stoning. But Jesus can do the same for you as he did for this woman caught right in the act of adultery. He sparred her. He released her. He urged her to “sin no more.”

Jesus also said, “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest” (John 10:10). You know, living vicariously through a book isn’t life to the fullest. Spending your thoughts day dreaming about a man who isn’t yours isn’t living life to the fullest. Giving your body away to man who is not your husband isn’t living life to the fullest. There is so much more that could be yours.

If these words are piercing your spirit, know this, the desire you have isn’t wrong. The desire to be loved, to share your life, and to be romanced isn’t a flawed desire. In fact those desires come from your Creator.

The vast desire and capacity a woman has for intimate relationships tells us of God’s vast desire and capacity for intimate relationships. In fact, this may be The most important thing we ever learn about God–the He yearns for relationship with us. “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God” (John 17:3). The whole story of the Bible is a love story between God and His people. He yearns for us. He cares. He has a tender heart.- Stasci Eldredge Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul

The problem comes when you settle for a counterfeit version of love. Those cheap imitations will only leave you thirstier than when you arrived.

Remember what Jesus said, “I came so that YOU could have life- indeed, so that YOU could live life to the fullest.” If you want to experience the deepest love that this life has to offer it comes only through surrendering to the one who wrote the most intimate love story of all- Jesus. He is the one who rode in on a white horse and laid down his life for you. He will give you the love that you’ve always dreamed of. He alone can give you what your heart yearns for.

But how?

Jesus stands with his arms extended. Now it is up to you whether or not you will join yourself to Him. It is not about “doing better.” It is not about following a code of conduct or even modifying your behavior. It is about uniting yourself to a God big enough to fill all the holes in your heart.

  • God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 1 Cor. 1:30
  • My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20
  • And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. Gal. 3:27
  • For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. Eph.2:6
  • Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. Phil. 3:8-9
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