Good News For Your Week

(Here's an example of something I receive each week--something I regularly read. If you're interested in receiving this once a week encouragements, please visit http://www.sourceministries.net)

GOOD NEWS FOR YOUR WEEK
TGIT! - Thank God It’s Tuesday!

THE WORD IS: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

THE POINT IS: Many people are looking for the secret of success. Well, here we have it! In Galatians 2:20, the Apostle Paul gives us his personal testimony about the secret of true success. The secret is a person—Jesus Christ—by whom we can live life and experience true success. He is the Source of life, as well as the means by which we can live life successfully! Christ traded places with us. He took our place upon the cross by becoming one with us in death, in order that we might become one with Him in resurrection life. As a result, we are now seated with Him in Heavenly places—the spiritual realm of God’s presence and power—even while remaining here on this earth. This is the duality of true spirituality. We are in the world, yet no longer of it, by virtue of our union in Christ. Due to our co-crucifixion/resurrection with Christ, our family lineage has changed from Adam to Christ. We now have a new identity in Christ!

THE APPLICATION IS: The testimony of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20 becomes true about you when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. At that moment you enter into your death and resurrection with Christ. His death becomes your death and His resurrection becomes your resurrection. You have been raised to walk in newness of life. So, why are many Christians still not walking consistently in this new life? Perhaps they don’t realize that Galatians 2:20 applies to them. How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself as the Apostle Paul saw himself? Well you should; here’s why.

- You are crucified with Christ—the cross. The old person you were in Adam has died. That person is dead and gone. It’s not you anymore.
- Nevertheless you are alive in Christ—the resurrection. Your old life in Adam has been replaced with a new life in Christ. You have been made alive in Christ, as an entirely new and different person.
- “Yet not I” means you are no longer the old person you were in Adam—the cross. That person died with Christ; therefore your old life in Adam no longer exists.
- Christ lives in you—the resurrection. Since you are in Christ, you have a new life source resident within you. You are indwelt by Jesus Christ Himself.
- “The life that I now live in the flesh” is a reference to the fact that life is for living now. Now you are able to truly live a successful life, even though you still remain in the same physical body. Your flesh, the physical body you live in, has not changed. But that’s not a problem, because what has changed is the Source of your living.
- You are now living, but not by your fleshly human strength and abilities. You are living by the life of Another. Christ has become your life! Your faith in Him, which is a constant reliance upon Him, will allow Him to live His life through you. And that’s the secret of true success!

The point is simple: Jesus Christ loved you so much that He gave His all for you when He gave His life upon the cross. The application is just as simple: you can reciprocate by giving your life totally and completely to Him, so that He can live His life through you. Now that’s successful living!

Have a great week, Lewis and Lue Gregory