New and Improved part 4
Abundant, eternal, everlasting, Resurrection Life is the gift of God. And God doesn't give His Son(s) junk. When He made all things new, He also made all things improved. He defeated death in order to make life everlasting. Eternal. And He gave us His Spirit--the Spirit of truth... the love receptor--so that we could receive (and release) His love. So that we could experience a life that's full of love. An abundant life. See, Jesus didn't come just so we could keep on struggling. He came to improve the human condition. He came to heal the sick, to feed the poor. He came to make things better. Everywhere He went, that's what He did. He made things better. He wasn't just a thermometer, taking the temperature of the room. He was a thermostat. He SET the temperature. And He equipped and empowered us to do the same thing. Remember when Peter walked past a sick person and his shadow fell on the man and healed him? That's the kind of love we have inside of us. And when we believe it's in there, it overflows out of us. Effortlessly. Naturally. Just by us being there. Just by us being... us. I'm telling you: God made you SPECIFICALLY you. When He made all things new (and improved) He didn't make all new things. He took you just as you were and filled you with Himself. So that when you present your body as a living sacrifice you begin to see that the key word is "living." Dead to sin and alive unto God. Being who you are, but doing in a way that glorifies the Father. I'll use myself as the example, as I often do. I'm a writer. And some people (believe it or not) think I'm a pretty good writer. But it wasn't until I started writing about Jesus that I actually accomplished anything. See, it wasn't about me being someone else. It wasn't about me NOT writing. It was about me being me. It was about me letting Jesus be HIM in me, and through me, and as me. And now I've published a bunch of books, and even sold a few copies of them! Because I presented my body as a living sacrifice. Because I started to live in Him and let Him live in me. Still being myself, but doing in a way that I knew would make Daddy proud. Letting Him have His will and His way in my life. And in that way partaking of His Divine Nature. In that way EXPERIENCING His life. That life of love. Letting Daddy love me and loving whoever I come into contact with. Receiving and releasing the gift I've been given. The gift of a new life. Newness of life! The gift of knowing who I am so I don't have to try to be someone I'm not. The gift of knowing God as Father and knowing that I am His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see. Was dead... but now I live, because Jesus lives in me! I'm new. I'm not a sinner... I'm a saint. The old man is dead and gone. Buried in the watery grave of baptism. The new has come forth and it's better than anything we could ever ask for or even think! Because it's love. Love, love, and more love. A life overflowing with LOVE!