Saint or Sinner?

Dear Ones,
Since last writing, I have been traveling from Maine to Ohio with stops on the way! Met with some folks in Nashua NH regarding Safe Families for Children and their desire to join the movement - Praise the Lord! Then on to Ashland Ohio where I was privileged to assist in training Pastors and church leaders in the Formational Prayer process...a process that helps folks who are hurting be positioned in the presence of the Healing Christ - the Holy Spirit! It is awesome - a 'front row seat' in seeing the Lord set folks free from false beliefs and lies, results of hurt/wounding they have experienced, which has hindered them in experiencing the fullness of life God has intended for them!....something from which we could all benefit!
In the midst, flu symptoms and bad cold caught me...BUT Praise the Lord, feeling much better today! And so glad, as I have missed writing to you through these little devotional meditations!
May you experience today the fullness of life that God intends for you as His beloved sons and daughters!
Robin

Food for Life:

2 Corinthians 5:16-21
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, s/he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!...God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might b3ecome the righteousness of God" (vs 17,21)

Paul continues to proclaim the "excellencies of Him who brought us out of darkness into the Kingdom of His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9)!! Recall, this portion of Scripture is focusing on the Treasure Who lives within us and the joy of eternity as the reality in which Believers live instead of the pain, suffering, trials, and difficulties of this earthly life. Otherwise, when we focus first on this earthly life, it is easy to "lose heart" (2 Corinthians 4:1).

Paul declares, in fact, that in Christ we are New Creations! Our identity is the New Creation we are in Christ - not the born sinner that we once were; who lived in our fallen natures with the fallen understanding, fallen desire, and fallen capabilities! Paul declares that the "old has gone, and the new has come!" Genesis 3:16-19 describes the curse of the fall on men and women, you and I - our bent human nature into which we were physically born. BUT GOD. When we are born-again; when we have received the forgiveness of Christ on the Cross and been filled with the Holy Spirit - (Paul declares) we are New Creations! We are no longer bound in our human nature with the curse of sin conceived through Adam and Eve! "Jesus, who knew no sin, BECAME sin for us, so that we would become the righteousness of God!"

Saints, this is SO important! Yes, you are called "saint" as a New Creation in Christ! That means your new nature! (I know you are thinking, "I am no saint!"). The meaning of Saint is 'one who is set apart' for God in Christ (http://www.gotquestions.org/saints-Christian.html)! ; It is not a designation given because of one's behavior. It actually helps us to see ourselves, as New Creations - as those set apart, consecrated to God - by nature! That is your true identity! That is who you are!

As a result, we ask the Lord to help us LIVE out of our new natures, given by Him. We are not cursed, as in the fall. We are blessed. We have the Treasure living within us. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live according to our New Creation natures - saints; not our old natures as sinners!

"Lord, I pray for each one reading this (including the writer!) to grasp the reality of his/her new identity in Christ! What a difference this makes, You make, within us! Your Word says that we are no longer children of wrath, sinners, but "A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession..for we were once not a people who belonged to you, but now we are, we were once not shown mercy, but now we are people shown mercy..."(1 Peter 2:9,10,11). OH GOD, the world, ourselves(others), and the devil tell us all the time that we are lowly, "can't" people who don't have what it takes...those are lies from the pit for those who are in Christ! Lord, help us to see ourselves as You see us, and to live out of our position in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, as we walk in this world, but are not of this world. Thank You Lord!"