A whole new life!

As those who know me best may be aware, I have been a bit of a "dinosaur" in terms of my mobile 'phone handset! For many years, I have clung, steadfastly, to my little Nokia - that fits nicely into that little pocket in my jeans, that is "beside" the right-hand pocket! My little friend did all that I required of it - it enabled me to make calls, and receive calls; to send text messages, and receive text messages; to take photographs, and to display those photographs; and to even make video recordings, and play them back.

However, I had to confess that it was limited in certain areas - predominantly the use of "Apps"! You may have guessed - I couldn't use "WhatsApp"! This has now changed. My daughter was replacing her Android "smart phone", and donated this piece of high-technology to her dad. So, I am now the possessor of a Samsung model - and am having some difficulty getting used to it! It seems to be much more complex than my little Nokia (and it doesn't fit into the aforementioned pocket!), and things that I could do with my Nokia, I have not yet achieved with my Samsung!

I shared my new status with a dear cousin who is also a sister in the Lord. After a failed attempt to contact her on "WhatsApp", I finally managed to do so. Her response began: "Yay, we made contact - welcome to a whole new world." followed by some smiling faces.

"Welcome to a whole new world"! You will probably not be surprised to know that my mind went off at a tangent - and it had nothing to do with mobile 'phone handsets, or even with WhatsApp! I found myself thinking of life after one becomes a disciple of Jesus. It's a whole new life!

An old hymn sums it up well. Actually, as a new student at the Bible Training Institute in Glasgow, in 1966 I was, as were all of my fellow students, sent out on deputations. Interestingly, in the light of my later life, I would do anything - lead, read, pray, or sing - except preach! 

My first deputation, as a member of a team, was to a fellowship in the Anniesland district of Glasgow. True to my personally perceived gifting, I was the soloist - and this hymn was the song I sung. It gives, in a 'poetic' fashion, some of the differences between the life of the person who is not "in Christ Jesus" and the person who is.

When you know that you are His, and that He is yours - you experience a whole new life, a whole new world. But how may one enter that new world; that new life? Well, I have dealt with that in many earlier posts on this blog so, here, I shall just give a brief outline.

The first step is to recognise that you are a sinner (as am I!), and that you can never satisfy the righteous demands of the holy God Who created you. He has set down the requirements (basically, in the "Ten Words",. i.e. the Ten Commandments) and, if you have failed to keep just one of those commands, you are already guilty, and the judgement is eternal separation from your Creator.

The second step is repentance*. Now this is not just being sorry for my sins. If I commit a crime, and am caught, convicted, and sentenced, I will be sorry - but it may only be for the consequences of my sin, not for having committed the sin itself! True repentance involves a turning away from my sins. It's a radical transformation of thought, attitude, outlook, and direction. It's grief about, and hatred for, my sin, and a recognition that my sin is, first and foremost, against Almighty God Himself. 

The third step is to recognise that, although you are incapable of doing anything about your sinful state, that same righteous God loves you so much that He has done all that is necessary. In the Persona** of the Son - the Lord Jesus - He took upon Himself the very flesh that He had created; came to this earth as a helpless babe; lived a life of total obedience to the Father; showed us that love that is the very essence of God's Being; and then, hung on a cross, in the most excruciatingly agonising form of executing the death penalty that humanity has invented. Indeed, it was even worse for Him. Paul tells us that the Father made the Son to "be sin" for us (II Cor. 5:21). Let that sink in! Sin became the very essence of the Sinless One! I believe that it was at that moment in human time that the Son uttered what is often referred to as "the cry of dereliction": “Eli, Eli, la′ma sabach-tha′ni?” that is, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” (Matt.27:46). And this was done - for you!

The next step is to be baptised, by full immersion, as a new believer - publicly testifying to the fact that you have accepted that salvation that was gained for you, at such great cost. Remember, it has nothing to do with any perceived goodness of your own. It is entirely a work of the grace of God in your life as you respond, positively, to His love for you. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph.2:8-9)

"Finally" (in quotes, because this life never ends!) find a fellowship of true disciples of Jesus, where you will be under sound, faithful, Biblical ministry and teaching. and where you will discover the area of service for which you were created, and saved. Paul continues those words to the Ephesian believers: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (v.10). We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works! It truly is "a whole new life"!

As ever, if I can be of any assistance, at a personal level, please feel free to contact me at the e-mail address at the top of the blog. May God bless you, and guide you in His ways.

* This word has a full chapter devoted to it in my first book: "Great Words of the Faith". See the link at the top. All royalties go directly to Release International in support of the persecuted church.

**This word is explained "Great Words of the Faith", in the chapter on "The Trinity". 

Making time!

Selling a house some three years earlier than we had expected to be doing so, is something of a nightmare for a "deadline-motivated" person like me! So many little jobs, with so much time in which to complete them - and, suddenly, that time is reduced to a couple of months! Not a happy chappy - but seeking to meet the new deadlines!

I also enjoy watching news programmes - even in French! A week or so ago, I was painting some gate-pillars so that prospective buyers would have a good "first impression". My wife called out to me that it was almost time for my news. However, instead of downing paintbrush, I told her that I would have to miss my programme, as I was much too busy to sit down and watch. 

It was as I worked on that I found myself thinking on what I had just done. I had given up something that I enjoy, in order to do what had to be done. That was a real challenge to me. I recalled some words of the Lord Jesus: "We must work the works of Him Who sent Me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work." (John 9:5). What the Lord is saying, basically, is that our work for God must take priority. Of course, this is not to say that we neglect our jobs, or our care for our families. However, it may be that we have to take a careful look at the time we spend in front of a screen - be it television or computer! - and compare that with the time we spend reading God's Word; it may be that we have to take stock of the difference between the time we spend in other leisure pursuits, and the time we spend in prayer; it may be that we have to consider how much of our "spare" cash is spent on personal luxuries, and how much is given to the extension of God's Kingdom, and to supporting those in the persecuted church!

It is a simple fact of life - and certainly of the life of the disciple of Jesus - that there are times when we must stop doing something we want to do, in order that we may do what Father God wants us to do! Now, of course, each individual's wants, and goals, are different, but that is what determines the discipline, and self-denial, that we need to accept. Indeed, as someone has pointed out, without a goal, discipline and self-denial are nothing other than punishment! However, if our goal is pleasing our heavenly Father, then any cost is seen as nothing in the light of the eternal reward that is promised to those who are, not necessarily "successful", bur "faithful"!

If I can give up my news programme in order to paint a wall, then I must take a hard look at myself, to check where my priorities lie in so many other areas of life. Will you join with me in doing just that?!