Friends in Jesus,
I did not mean to do it! How often we hear this disclaimer but did you mean not to?
When the Church in Jerusalem heard about the gentiles receiving the Lord Jesus in Antioch they sent Barnabas; “Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.” Acts 11:23 This simple but all important exhortation is lacking amongst so many believers today. To illustrate the importance
of this lets look into the life of King Rehoboam.
“So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and
forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city
which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s
name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek
the LORD.” 2 Ch: 13,14 He didn’t purposely do evil but he didn’t purpose not to either. You may
also read 2 Chronicles 15: 2 & 12,13
When we fail to follow after Christ, we become like a leaf in the wind, without guidance. We may
not purpose to become worldly or materialistic but it’s easy to go with the current of this world
unless we purpose not to. We don’t want to be worrying about our finances and how we are going
to make ends meet but if we are not seeking the Kingdom of God first then we cannot wait in faith
for our Father to add all that is needed in this life.
We are to walk with Christ in the same way we received Him, in faith and purpose of heart.
(Col.2:6) This is how we can become rooted, grounded, and built-up in the faith! (Col.2: 7)
We need to be free from religious spirits and fleshy efforts and all that keeps us from simply
resting in Christ Jesus. (See Col.2; 8) Quite trying to be Christ like, SOMETIMES WHAT WE
THINK IS A NOBLE THOUGHT IS ONLY MANIFESTING OUR LACK OF CONFIDENCE THAT
CHRIST IS IN US we cannot reform the old man. Start believing you are truly in Christ and Christ
is in you, this is the mystery that has been baffling the worldly wise from the beginning. True
holiness and righteousness is only found in Him. Grace is found when in faith we cleave unto Him.
“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning
every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in
Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me
mightily.” Col.1;26-29
Because we are complete in Him, that is perfect and we cannot improve upon that.(Col 2: 10)
Jesus said: “be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” MT. 5: 48
This is only accomplished by those who rest in the finished and perfect work of Christ Jesus.
“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb.10: 14)
Let the old man rest.
“ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over
them in it.” Col. 2: 13-15 If we fail to accept our death in Christ, then we will always be struggling
and alienated from the life in Christ. By his death and our death with him the old account is settled.
Get a life!
Being dead in sins and quickened (made alive) together with Him, it is paramount that we cleave
unto Him who is our life.
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead,
and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory.” Col 3: 1-4 “For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Many professing believers are not manifesting the life of Christ. Because they have not “put off the
old man with his deeds.” They are not hid, they walk about with no shame of their nakedness,
many believe their figs leaves (religious or fleshy works) have them covered.
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate
affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the
wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time,
when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man
with his deeds;” Col. 3:5-9 Many put off the fornication, covetousness and the obvious
un- Christian activities. But they fail to put off the anger, wrath, malice, and etc, in their effort to
reform the old man. They lie one to another and claim the righteousness of Christ but in fact they
are not manifesting the life of Christ.
We can by all means “get a life now” our Lord Jesus has made all provision for us. By believing he
died for us, we can put off the old man in faith, and by believing he rose from the dead and has
raised us up in Him, we can put on the new man.
“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:” Col.3;10 I DO NOT HAVE TO CHANGE, I NEED TO BELIEVE THAT I CAN PUT
ON THIS NEW MAN WHICH IS RENEWED AFTER THE IMAGE OF HIM WHO CREATED HIM.
When we simply believe, we will simply obey. Lets get a life by going into our prayer closet and put
on the new man that has been provided for us. We cannot put on what is not available but we
better put on what has been made available. I don’t know about you but I don’t want my
nakedness to show anymore.
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness,
humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And
above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God
rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in
word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him“. Col 3: 12-17
Look what we have in our prayer closet, bowels of mercies, if we pray for this in faith believing, we
will not be refused. Bowels of mercies is truly a godliness that will manifest who we are in Christ
Jesus and cannot be mistaken for the old man. Kindness will draw many unto salvation.
Humbleness of mind certainly was not found in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is
a true identifier of Christ’s presence.
Meekness is so beautiful that the English language fails in describing her loveliness. When the
child of God puts on meekness who would dare to harm him. Longsuffering will bring glory to God,
In a world where everybody is suffering most of them without hope. Forgiveness, don’t you want to
display what we received without merit, again and again. Forbearing one another, it will be great to
have the strength to carry our loved ones. Charity is indeed above all, because it is not just love
but its love in action. The bond of perfectness, oh to be perfect in love what a glorious hope.
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts,” isn’t it wonderful that we do not need to be without
peace. The new man in Christ can permit peace to rule. If we are without peace we need to return
to the prayer closet.
The child of God who allows the word of Christ to dwell richly in him will be able to teach and
admonish others. Many hear but they don’t allow the word to dwell in them. However those who
do will be endowed the privilege to do all things in Jesus name. When all things are done in his
name then in all things Jesus is manifested. Only if he is manifested can it be said it was done in
his name. What a great honor it would be to stand and pray as Jesus did just before he left this
world. “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were,
and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.” John 17;4&6
