But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
Ephesians 4:20-24 MSG
That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:20-24 NIV
The way the world does things is not for those of us who know Christ. We can no longer walk around claiming ignorance to the way we are called to live. We must continue to be IN the world, but not be OF the world.
So how do we go about getting rid of our old ways? The first step is to become aware of our own lives and how we are living. In what places are we inviting God into?
Only when we ask these questions can we evaluate what our needs are. In this way we can move away from our old life. Without complete awareness of how we are living we cannot hope to be rid of our old ways.
Taking on a new life requires our complete focus on inviting God into every part of our lives. There is nothing we do that is not tethered to our old life unless it is with God. The key to getting rid of what is rotten is to know that we need God for everything.
Considerations for your planner:
- Are you aware of how you are living? This includes how you think. Write down the things you are thinking right now, then ask yourself if they are Christlike or worldly.
A Prayer for Our Community:
Father God, Be with us as we move through our days and weeks. Help us to become more aware of how we are living our lives. Help us to invite You into our lives more. We want to do what You tell us to do. Through our awareness help us to turn our needs into prayers and let our prayers inform how we act. May we turn everything, big and small, into a prayer. Amen.
Strengthen the Christian Planner Family by sharing your experiences and prayers. We'd love to hear a story or prayer about God's work in your life. Use the form linked below to submit your story.
