Twin Peaks

The scripture for today is 2 Timothy 2:11

2 Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.

Everyone who is in Christ is there because of two deaths. First, Christ died for us, providing a way for us to be saved from sin. Secondly, we follow Christ to the cross in our hearts and there lay our down our lives with Him as well. That death, our death, is the place of departing from the old life of sin and taking on the life of Christ. It is not as if sin has be relegated to the back burner of our lives and new things have been given priority; instead, the power of sin over us has been destroyed! It is not sitting on the back burner; it is destroyed by the power of the cross of Christ. 

Sin works against the child of God from the outside in, not from the inside out. Inside, we have become new creations. As children of God we put on His armor and take up the shield of faith to "quench the fiery darts of the wicked one."  Those fiery darts are sinful darts and are thrown at us from the outside; they do not come from our born again spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in the heart of the believer who asks and receives Him. The Holy Spirit does not share residence with the devil. When He comes into a heart, that heart belongs to Him and Him alone. "If we have died with Christ we shall live with Him." Yes, we will live with Him for all eternity when He comes for His people; but we will also live with Him now as our hearts are surrendered to Him. "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21  As children of God we have a double blessing; we live in Christ now (He is present with us by His Spirit) and we will live with Him throughout all eternity.  For us, to live is Christ, and dying in Him is a great blessing. "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." Romans 14:8 

God bless you as you continue in His service.

Tim