The results? I can't promise you a million dollars but I can promise that you will learn to love your neighbor and that will affect your neighbor.

You will walk with much more spiritual power and blessing for yourself as well as for those around you.

I promise much more happiness, much more peace, and contentment, in your life.

Signs, miracles and wonders, will follow you, and there is nothing you can do about that.

Signs, miracles and wonders, will follow you, because you have been transformed. Transformed from what you used to be, into what you thought you should be, into what you were created to be. And that is The image of the invisable God.

Scripture tells us ...

 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Rom 8:29-30

If God foreknew you, and called you, and He did. You know you are Justfied, have you yet become glorified?

Let that be our goal.

Brother Lee

ThoughtsFromGod.com

I was listening to a conversation one day, that went along these lines. One person had a serious problem but didn't know what to do. Three of His buddies were standing around telling him he needed to go see a lawyer. They encouraged him to get help. One even offered to give him a ride and so on. None of these people were believers.

We can get encouragement from unsaved friends. But it is pretty temporary. Only lasts as long as the beer holds out, Or until their schedule gets busy. The bar remains open, or until the community picnic is over. Then, they go home and leave you to your own devices.

However this temporary help and encouragement is as good or in many cases even better then we get from Christians who often want to judge our problem and then us.

This is because we forget that we live in a fallen world and way to often we are affected by the world instead of the other way around. Because we do attend the movies, company picnics, tell the ethnic jokes, and the pure mind of Christ that is in us gets clouded.

Our mind collects stuff from the world and stuff turns into beliefs and beliefs form emotions and emotions drive behavior.

This works for all behavior. It's true of Abuse of drugs, alcohol, Gambling, Gossip and even bible reading. It is even true of loving your nieghbors and enemies.

Not from what we were. But from what we are today. Totaly changed into an entirely new creature. Not just once but over and over and over until you become perfect as He is perfect, and that is Jesus Christ. Might take a moment.

Brother Lee

http://ThoughtsFromGod.com

Part of the problem is we have our eyes on the wrong list. I think there are two lists. A list of outer stuff that is mans list and a list of inner stuff, that would be God's.

As sons and daughter of God we can go where ever we want with whoever we want and be involed with anything we want. It's a matter of motivation and relation ship with God. ( see 1 Cor. 6:12 )

But here is a list God does approve of.

Luke 6:27-31

27 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Little to unrealistic? How about this?

Rom 12:9-21

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Wow!!

How are YOU doing Christian?

Don't panic! It's just a question.

Sometimes I think that there is no description of us Christians that could be more exaggerated or unreal, than that of being "new creatures."

Take the average member of the church in this country. He wears the
right clothes and bears the name of Christ. He is a fair average specimen of a large group of people. He has the confession of being a Christian; yet . . .

He has a fondness for the world and the things of it; he chases after its gold; he loves its fashionable party, have a good time attitude; he reads its novels; Goes to it's movies,
He frequents its places of amusement; like the Bars for St. Patricks day, or any other day.
He enjoys the company of the world; he relishes all its foolish talking and jokeing. You know what I'm talking about.

Is he "a new creature" in Christ Jesus?

Is it possible that, with . . .so much worldliness, so much selfishness, so much self-indulgence, so much pleasing of the flesh, he can have been "born again," whatever his claim may be?

Who's list are we using anyway?

"If he or she is really a new creature!" Then . . .
old feelings, old habits, old tastes, old hopes, old joys, old sorrows, old places we hang out, old companionships
--all are gone! Old things have passed away, all things have become new!

Part of the problem is we have our eyes on the wrong list. I think there are two lists. A list of outer stuff that is mans list and a list of inner stuff, that would be God's.

Now some of us, before we came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ were not very nice people and we know it. We look back and can see some change and think, great!

Some of us were rather nice people, we think. Not much wrong. Not a lot of changing to do. We look back, and if we can see anything different then we think fine.

This is particuliarly hard for some of us born into a Christian family and raised in the church. We tend to think, I was raised knowledgable and right, from the first, nothing to change here.

But Jesus said, at some point, You must be born again. Means to start over.

At some point we must stop all we are doing, thinking, believing. We must give up all we hold as important, all we think is right, and every opinion we have.

And be born again of the spirit of God, in other words, according to scripture, we become a new creation, a totaly new creature in Christ Jesus.

Totally changed from the inside out, from one end to the other. In fact when someone looks at your life very closely, they can't see no caterpilliar in your butterfly if you are truly a new creation. This takes time, so how are you doing?

Brother Lee

http://www.ThoughtsFromGod.com