Looking Back, Looking In

Sometimes it is very worthwhile to look through old writings. I don't do journaling, but I do have several little blank books that I've filled with stuff. One has memory verses filed alphabetically (so I can put myself to sleep at night reciting them), one has only prayers of thanks, another has writings based on calendar days (many days missing) and one has longer Bible passages I've memorized or want to memorize.

Today I was looking through one of the books and came across this:
"There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin.
He only could unlock the gate of heav'n and let us in." (from "There is a Green Hill Far Away")
I can remember someone challenging that statement one time. He said that Jesus was just a man but was so filled with the Holy Spirit as to be perfect. At that time, even though I was a Christian having asked Christ into my life some years before, I did not know what the Word of God taught on the subject. I simply knew through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my own heart that that wasn't right. How could one human being dying for another human being cleanse him from all sin? How could one human being live inside another human being to change and direct his life?

I knew that the influence of people could change me from the outside in, temporarily. But I also knew I needed a permanent scouring from the inside out and only God could do that. It wasn't until I began a study of the Gospel of John (in Bible Study Fellowship) that I found the stability of the Word of God confirmed what I knew through the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself said, 'I and the Father are one.' (John 10:30). To Philip he said,' He who has seen Me has seen the Father.' (John 14:9). To the blind man he said, 'You have seen Him and He is talking to you right now.' Then He accepted the man's worship. (John 9:37)

Jesus, God Incarnate, the Word Made Flesh, Christ, Messiah can cleanse you of all sin and change you from the inside out. II Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, old things are passed away; behold all things are become new."

TV's Jack LaLayne said, "Don't you just wish sometimes you could be born again?" His conclusion was that that was impossible but you could firm up those old flabby muscles by exercise. May I say not only can you be born again, but Jesus told Nicodemus you must be born again to see God, to belong to Him, and to understand His Word. As He changes your life from the inside, you automatically become younger and more beautiful because of His  beauty. II Corinthians 4:16 says that though our outer man is progressively decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being progressively renewed day after day.

Sometimes it pays to look back.
Insightfully yours,
Paulita