The Old and The New

After bible study I began to think about who I was before and who I am now.  You know the old me the new me sort of thing or should I say the old self and the new self.  There have been times when I've struggled with my old self wanting to come back into the picture.  This morning we talked about the old self and the new self and how we should be and shouldn't be.  Its only with God that I can be who I am today.  Jesus Christ went through so much for me and many others to show us, to be the example of who the "new" self should be.  Jesus also made it very clear that he was totally dependent upon God and did nothing without it coming from God first.  Once again being the example for us.

It takes work everyday on our part to be the "new" instead of the old.  I like the "new" in me and don't want to return to the "old".  I know there have been occasions that I have regressed, but that is the human side of us all. I think its so important to remember who made the way for me to be "new".  He gave up so much for me and you.

Jesus put on his robe of humanity so that He could take our place and die for us to be free from Satan and our sins.  He humbled himself and was obedient until his death.  Wow just letting that sink in, to really sink in to my thoughts leaves me speechless and very very grateful.  Thank you Heavenly Father for giving up your only son.  Here let me put it another way to help it impact in your mind by using His Holy Word.

Philippians 2:5-8
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

By looking above is how I intend to stay focused.  By falling into my bible will help me to stay on task of being the "new".  By putting on God's armor will help me keep the negative away that wants to destroy the "new".  We all have more "jobs" than we really know and we need to add "being the new self" as one because it takes us submitting to God to make it happen, every single day.

After getting dressed in the morning, before we walk out that door, there should be a few things that are waiting to be placed on to start our new day.  A belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel and peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit.

Isaiah 61:10
"I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

So why shouldn't we really work at being the "new self" instead of the "old self", so much was given up for it after all?

I pray that I can always strife to be Christ-like, to be the New that I am today not what I was, the had been that lays in the past. I move forward into the new day,  into the future with Him.