August 3, 2011

“As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not my people, My people, And her who was not beloved, ‘Beloved’. And it shall be that the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ There they shall be called sons of the Living God.” Romans 9:25-26 New American Standard

God does amazing things with people who think that their life isn’t worth anything. He begins by giving you a new identity that begins with Him. You were once a “not people”. Now you are known as the Beloved .. men and women called by God out of darkness .. called into a fruit-filled life .. and known as sons and daughters of the Living God. The Lord knows which ones struggle to really believe that they are loved so unconditionally. He knows how to fill your life with His Spirit so that you will quit wandering in isolation. He’s not going to force you into bearing fruit. He’ll allow the everyday pressures of living in an increasingly hostile world to to cause you to sink “your” roots in Christ. God already knows (and so do we) that we grow best under pressure. It causes us to stretch out our lives for His help .. protection .. and nourishing supply of grace. Life in God’s Spirit is in direct contrast to your old life. Your old life pointed away from Jesus and ensnared you in yourself. Life in His Spirit is marked by a new life of love .. joy .. peace .. patience .. kindness .. goodness .. faithfulness .. gentleness .. and self-control. And God is producing the fruit. It happens because you have become the Beloved through Christ. It only takes a moment …

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 New American Standard

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Christ’s Beloved and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)