Sep 26 – Isaiah 63, Isaiah 64, Isaiah 65:1-16 Ephesians 4:17-32, Ephesians 5:1-7 Psalm 112:1-10
Eph 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Imagine a church where this was lived out totally. Imagine a world where this was lived out totally. Really this is all connected with taking off the old self.
The old self thinks about number 1. The new self thinks about others – because the new self is created in the likeness of God.
In verse 32 Paul says that we should let the sun go down on our anger, because that gives an opportunity for the devil to get in and ruins things.
The new man doesn’t stay angry… Our former manner often doesn’t want to go anywhere. It stays with us and we explain it away by saying it’s our personality – or “just the way I am”. Yes, that’s correct – the “just the way I am” parts of us are the OLD man. The former self.
That’s the stuff that needs to die. Don’t make excuses for your former self or the old man – kill him! It’s a kindness, because he’s never happy anyway.
When we do that – letting go of anger, forgiving one another is so much easier, beach the new self thinks that way. The new self is a much better person.
Are you spending too much time with the former self? Let me tell you, that old man will bring you down… put him where he deserves to be… and that’s in the past. Move on. Let the new man who is created in righteousness and holiness make the decisions today.
