Our Lord’s Cross is the gateway into His life. His resurrection means that He has the power to convey His life to me. When I was born again, I received the very life of the risen Lord from Jesus Himself.Christ’s resurrection destiny— His foreordained purpose— was to bring “many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). The fulfilling of His destiny gives Him the right to make us sons and daughters of God. We never have exactly the same relationship to God that the Son of God has, but we are brought by the Son into the relation of sonship. When our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life— a life He had never lived before He was God Incarnate. He rose to a life that had never been before. And what His resurrection means for us is that we are raised to His risen life, not to our old life. One day we will have a body like His glorious body, but we can know here and now the power and effectiveness of His resurrection and can “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Paul’s determined purpose was to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).Jesus prayed, “…as You have given Him authority over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (John 17:2). The term Holy Spirit is actually another name for the experience of eternal life working in human beings here and now. The Holy Spirit is the deity of God who continues to apply the power of the atonement by the Cross of Christ to our lives. Thank God for the glorious and majestic truth that His Spirit can work the very nature of Jesus into us, if we will only obey Him.

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April 8 2015

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Thank you God, for this devotional that reminds me that Your Holy Spirit is living inside of us, and transforming us.  However, as You might suspect, and probably intended, I do take issue with Chambers on one or two issues. Nonetheless, I am drawn to the notion that it is the Holy Spirit living inside of me that is responsible for my transformation. I am not transformed because I obey; I obey and am transformed because I can do no less when I am connected to You.  However, I also know that when I am not connected to You, when I am seeking my own kinds of salvation and rescue;  church, family, the right partner, career, financial security, or other kinds of “substitutes” I am left wanting…..

And God says…”One of the most amazing aspects of the sacrificial cross of Jesus is that it also made possible your resurrection and transformation as well.  How does it work? As you are learning, your connection to Jesus comes when you surrender all the other choices you have allowed to lead your life; the church,  your job, partner, finances, friends, family, health, even Christian fellowship. When you have chosen priorities like these or perhaps even less noble or less “wholesome” priorities the results are always the same; failure and frustration, coupled with a dose of fear.”

But when you surrender your own ways and means, seek to be connected to Me, and then operate/live out of curiosity (I wonder how God is going to lead me today? Or I wonder how God will work this out for my good?) and the obedience that can only come out of connection and the power of the Holy Spirit, you begin to experience and live out the very transforming power of God in your life. It is a bit like operating 30 stories up without a net, or stepping out of the boat onto the water every day; but what a glorious and exciting way to live. Seek first the kingdom of God (an intimate and personal communication) which is Jesus, and I will provide and deliver everything else you require this day.”