Daily Devotional Day & Night

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying another beautiful hump day. I'm doing well, a little sleepy as usual. I'm a little thrown off because I was off on Monday. I wasn't aware that it's Wednesday already. I'd like to wish a Happy Birthday to all of the August birthdays. I know someone's birthday is today, but I'm not sure whose (I apologize). My family is giving a Memorial Cabaret (party) to celebrate my Uncle Elroy's birthday on Saturday. He passed away back in May from cancer. Uncle Elroy was a very talented Bass Guitar player, and played with many of the local bands in the DC area, so this is going to be a nice party, with live music, and lots of close family and friends. I'm looking forward to it. I pray you enjoy the rest of your day, and cherish the remainder of the summer.

Today's scriptures are about our new Christian life. Why is becoming a Christian referred to being "born again"? When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior He enters our heart, and starts to create in us a new creature. We're to surrender ourselves to the Lord, and allow Him to transform us from our old ways. He wants us to understand that we've made a commitment to Him, and are taking on a new lifestyle, because we're now representatives to Christ. Our Faith walk is a personal Journey, as well as something that should be shared with our fellow brothers and sisters. Most of Paul's letters to the Corinthians and Romans were his teaching them how to conduct themselves as good representatives of Christ. Romans 1 and 1 Corinthian's one both start off with him introducing himself as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and praising the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul teaches us everything from the way we should conduct ourselves in everyday life, to what he considers love and sin, as well as how to start churches and ministries. Paul started off as a Tax collector, and one of the biggest sinners of all. He used to be an advocated of killing people that believed in Jesus Christ, and He ended up being one of the biggest contributors to the New Testament of the Bible. God chooses all of us because of our strengths, and we each have a calling for our life, and it's up to us to conduct ourselves in a respectable manner, in order to complete the tasks at hand. God isn't asking us to be perfect, but He does ask us to try and walk upright. When we commit to our Christian walk, we should have every intention on changing our lives for the better. We must put in our best effort to lay down our old ways. In most cases we must change the way we dress, the places we hang out, and the people we hang out with. He stresses that we follow in the footsteps of Christ, just as so many other disciples have done. We're blessed to have salvation through Jesus, because this allows us many chances to get it right. The first step to becoming a new creature in Christ is by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. That starts with a simple prayer, confessing that we sin, and asking Jesus to be one with us, by coming into our hearts and transforming us into Righteous human beings. The next step is to be baptized with water. Baptism signifies a few things, 1) the water represents the purifying our souls, because the blood of Jesus is often referred to as living water, that washes away our sins. In most cases the Priest or Preacher submerges us completely in water, and lifts us up. 2) It signifies the burial of our old self with Christ, and the resurrection of our new self. It's argued that baptism is necessary to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but in my opinion it isn't. We enter the Kingdom by the blood of Jesus, and that alone. It’s stated that we’re to be baptized in the bible, so it’s and necessary act of obedience, but not a requirement. I strongly recommend if you haven't been water baptized, then you do so as soon as possible. This thing doesn’t change us overnight, but it’s the only way to begin. I've heard plenty of people say, "I joined the church, and I got saved and baptized but I don't feel anything". In most cases there isn't going to be a big Spiritual production, because being born again starts a process of creating a new person. For some it happens rapidly, and for others it's a slow and study pace. It all depends on what God has in store for you, as well as your obedience. The third and final step to creating a new creature is by "seeking first the Kingdom of God". It's written in Romans 6:1-4: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. To walk in newness of life, we must find out what that means to us. The Holy bible is God's living Word, and without it how are we to know what's the proper way of living? Remember we learned a few days ago that wisdom is the most valuable thing to have? No one could take your knowledge away from you, and learning about God is the most important step in creating a new you. Jesus paid with His life to give us this opportunity, and it's up to us to take it. We have a freedom that a lot of Christians before us didn't have. Most of us own multiple bibles that are just lying around our homes, which we rarely open. It's an awesome tool and gift to us, to help us get to where we need to go. If you're saved, and know that you haven't tried to change any of your ways, I'm sure you feel the nudges from God. If you aren't save and you're reading this, this is your nudge, just follow the steps, and enjoy your journey on becoming a new you. Know that we're not perfect, and God doesn't expect us to be, He only wants us to try. My favorite verses today are: I beseech you, ... brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:1-2)

ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455049&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=5336537&ct=7241223

I love you!