OUR DAILY BREAD : A NEW CREATION

[cimi]

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26


A NEW CREATION

READ:
2 Corinthians 5:17
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If anyone is in
Christ, the new
creation has come.
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Early in my work life I had a coworker who seemed to delight in using God's name as a profanity. He mercilessly taunted Christians who were new to their faith or who tried to talk with him about Jesus. On the day I left that job to move to another community and a new place of employment, I remember thinking that this man would never become a follower of Jesus.

Two years later I visited my old workplace. He was still there, but never have I witnessed such a dramatic change in a person! This man, so antagonistic to faith, was now a walking, talking example of what it means to be a "new creation" in Christ 92 COR. 5:17). And now, more than 30 years later, he's still telling others how Jesus "met him where he was-sin and all."

It occurs to me that the early Christians must have seen something similar in Paul, their fiery persecutor__a reinventing example of what it means to become a new creation (ACTS 9:1-22). What great hope both of these lives are to those who think themselves beyond redemption!

Jesus sought Paul and my former coworker__and me. And he continues today to reach the "unreachable" and model for us just how we can reach people too. ___Randy Kilgore

** Lord, I want to learn to reach out to others and share Your love and
forgiveness. Teach me and help me to step out in both faith and trust.
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No one is beyond the reach of God.

*********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Acts 9:10-22********************************
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord Called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord, " he answered.

11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on
Straight street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for
he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."

13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports
about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy
people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority
from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen
instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their
kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much
he must suffer for my name."

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing
his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord__Jesus, who
appeared to you on the road as you were coming here__has
sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy
Spirit." 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's
eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized....

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At
once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the
Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and
asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among
those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take
them as prisoners to the chief priests?" 22 Yet Saul grew more
and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by
proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
A true encounter with Jesus always results
in change. However, this change is not merely stopping negative
behavior; true change begins to do positive things. Saul
immediately "began to preach" (v.20). ___J. R. Hudberg