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Last week we described the new self. Your new self wants healthy, loving relationships, especially a union of love with God. Your new self has an aversion to corruption and is open to conviction of sin. I believe this was John’s point when he said: “no one who is born of God will continue to sin” (1 John 3:9, ESV). Your new self wants to know God better and is disappointed when you sin. If you continually embrace these new desires and reject opposing desires, then your new self will mature and dominate.   You can enlarge the influence of your new self by taking a few moments, especially in solitude, to “put on” your new self. Following is a guide for this. You might also use this for challenging situations. Exercise – Living From the New Self Find a place of solitude and silence. Let the concerns of the Continue Reading →

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.His love endures forever. Psalms 136:1 (NIV) Yahweh is good. All his works are good. His response to all the sin in the world is good. Everything he does for us is good. He disciplines us for our good. “In all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28, NIV). Yahweh is the source of all that is good and he gifts his good to us; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17, NIV). Why does he give us his goodness? Because he is love and his love endures forever. He does not withhold his goodness from us, but generously pours it out on us. He gave us his Son and brought us into his kingdom. He gave his Spirit to indwell us and empower Continue Reading →

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalms 108:4 (NIV) How much does God love you? Does he love you like a father who is proud of his wonderful child? Does he love you like a mother who cherishes every sign of affection from her child? Does he love you like a lover yearns to unite their heart with the beloved? God’s love is higher than all these. It includes all these types of love and more. His love is higher than the heavens, in other words, it is beyond anything we know. His love is bigger than we can imagine. It is more passionate than any human passion. It is wiser and more benevolent than any gifts that a human lover could give. We cannot even imagine how great his love is no matter how long we tried. No words, including these, Continue Reading →

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Psalms 86:15 (NIV) This Psalmist was being attacked by enemies, whom the Psalmist described as arrogant, ruthless and having no regard for Yahweh (God’s name). Then he declares the contrast between the character of his enemies and Yahweh’s character. He is completely different; he is compassionate, grace-full, patient, full of love, and full of faithfulness. For this reason the Psalmist pleads for Yahweh to help him, because Yahweh will do good while the enemies will do harm. God’s character is the anchor for our lives. Whether circumstances turn out the way we want or not, we know that ultimately we will experience God’s character. Our Father is compassionate with us so we know he will treat us compassionately. It is easy to forget God’s good character when he allows so much suffering and destruction Continue Reading →