Understanding What Has Happened To You
DAY 4
Understanding What Has Happened to You
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:21-22,27.
As the quality of your daily quiet time grows deeper, you should be aware that some things are changing in your life. Second Corinthians 5:17 talks about those changes.
Find 2 Corinthians 5:17 in your Bible and read it now.
Three key phrases in 2 Corinthians 5:17 sum up what has been happening in your life since you became a Christian. Find those key phrases and complete the sentences below.
Your __________
way of life is passing away.
Your __________
way of life is coming into being.
All this is happening because …
Yes, Christ makes the difference between your old life and your new life. Colossians 1:21-22 gives the reason for these changes. Christ is now living in you and controlling you.
Find and read Colossians 1:21-22 now.
According to Colossians 1:21, what was your attitude toward God before you became a Christian? Check any of the following that apply.
Friendly
Alienated
Hostile
Peaceable
Harmonious
Enemies
According to Colossians 1:21, how did God view our deeds and thoughts before we became Christians? Check any of the following that apply.
Wicked
Uninformed
Excusable
Evil
You may have thought you really weren’t that bad before you became a Christian. And you may feel a little uncomfortable seeing Scripture describe your relationship with God as hostile, alienated, and enemies. You may be just as uncomfortable knowing that, in God’s sight, the things you thought and did were wicked and evil. That feeling of discomfort and embarrassment is another reason to be grateful to Him for loving you and saving you in spite of what you were.
Since you became a Christian, some of the things you enjoyed and had fun doing before you became a Christian aren’t fun anymore. Now that Christ is your Lord, those things seem flat and tasteless to you. Why? Because God is changing you.
Colossians 1:22 uses three words or phrases to describe the change God is making in you. The exact words may vary, depending on the Bible translation you’re using, but they have the same meanings. List the three words or phrases you find in your Bible.
1.
2.
3.
No matter what translation you’re using, you saw the word holy. Maybe you’ve never considered yourself to be a holy person. Perhaps you don’t want to be like some people’s false idea of what a holy person is. In the Bible the word holy has three meanings that can apply to you and me.
1. Holy applies to places where God is present and to people related to those places or to God Himself.
2. The word denotes purity and godliness in God’s people.
3. Holy describes places, things, and people who’ve been set apart by God’s presence. You’re a holy person because God has set you apart from your former, evil ways and has separated you for Himself. He’s creating a new purity in you as He helps you clean the old ways—and even the desire for the old ways—out of your life.
By the way, are you using the Scripture-memory card to learn your memory verse for this week? You should have cut this week’s card from the back of the book. Put it in a place where you’ll see it often. Carry it with you and use it for a quick review when you have a free moment. You should build a packet of memory cards by adding the card(s) for each week to the one you’ve already cut out.
You’ve already seen that 2 Corinthians 5:17 explains why things are changing in your life. If you were going to use your own experience to explain the meaning of that verse to an unbeliever, what would you say? Take time to think. Then record that explanation here in a short paragraph.
Now read Colossians 1:27. The last part of that verse identifies who’s changing your life from old to new. According to Colossians 1:27, where is Christ right now?
Do the two simple words “in you” remind you of what should be written on the palm of the hand drawing you’ve seen in Survival Kit? Write that phrase on the palm of the hand in the drawing.
Understanding What Has Happened to You
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:21-22,27.
As the quality of your daily quiet time grows deeper, you should be aware that some things are changing in your life. Second Corinthians 5:17 talks about those changes.
Find 2 Corinthians 5:17 in your Bible and read it now.
Three key phrases in 2 Corinthians 5:17 sum up what has been happening in your life since you became a Christian. Find those key phrases and complete the sentences below.
Your __________
way of life is passing away.
Your __________
way of life is coming into being.
All this is happening because …
Yes, Christ makes the difference between your old life and your new life. Colossians 1:21-22 gives the reason for these changes. Christ is now living in you and controlling you.
Find and read Colossians 1:21-22 now.
According to Colossians 1:21, what was your attitude toward God before you became a Christian? Check any of the following that apply.
Friendly
Alienated
Hostile
Peaceable
Harmonious
Enemies
According to Colossians 1:21, how did God view our deeds and thoughts before we became Christians? Check any of the following that apply.
Wicked
Uninformed
Excusable
Evil
You may have thought you really weren’t that bad before you became a Christian. And you may feel a little uncomfortable seeing Scripture describe your relationship with God as hostile, alienated, and enemies. You may be just as uncomfortable knowing that, in God’s sight, the things you thought and did were wicked and evil. That feeling of discomfort and embarrassment is another reason to be grateful to Him for loving you and saving you in spite of what you were.
Since you became a Christian, some of the things you enjoyed and had fun doing before you became a Christian aren’t fun anymore. Now that Christ is your Lord, those things seem flat and tasteless to you. Why? Because God is changing you.
Colossians 1:22 uses three words or phrases to describe the change God is making in you. The exact words may vary, depending on the Bible translation you’re using, but they have the same meanings. List the three words or phrases you find in your Bible.
1.
2.
3.
No matter what translation you’re using, you saw the word holy. Maybe you’ve never considered yourself to be a holy person. Perhaps you don’t want to be like some people’s false idea of what a holy person is. In the Bible the word holy has three meanings that can apply to you and me.
1. Holy applies to places where God is present and to people related to those places or to God Himself.
2. The word denotes purity and godliness in God’s people.
3. Holy describes places, things, and people who’ve been set apart by God’s presence. You’re a holy person because God has set you apart from your former, evil ways and has separated you for Himself. He’s creating a new purity in you as He helps you clean the old ways—and even the desire for the old ways—out of your life.
By the way, are you using the Scripture-memory card to learn your memory verse for this week? You should have cut this week’s card from the back of the book. Put it in a place where you’ll see it often. Carry it with you and use it for a quick review when you have a free moment. You should build a packet of memory cards by adding the card(s) for each week to the one you’ve already cut out.
You’ve already seen that 2 Corinthians 5:17 explains why things are changing in your life. If you were going to use your own experience to explain the meaning of that verse to an unbeliever, what would you say? Take time to think. Then record that explanation here in a short paragraph.
Now read Colossians 1:27. The last part of that verse identifies who’s changing your life from old to new. According to Colossians 1:27, where is Christ right now?
Do the two simple words “in you” remind you of what should be written on the palm of the hand drawing you’ve seen in Survival Kit? Write that phrase on the palm of the hand in the drawing.
Christ is “in you.” He’s “The Indwelling Christ, Controlling All.” Because of this truth, your life is changing day by day.
What are some habits, thoughts, and feelings that Christ has already changed in your life? They’re now flat and tasteless, and you no longer have any desire for them. List them here.
But you know, some of the old ways really try to hang on, don’t they? More than likely, you’re still struggling with some habits, thoughts, desires, and feelings that you know shouldn’t be a part of your new life in Christ.
Meditate on Colossians 1:22 and allow Christ, your Lord, to reveal to you the habits, thoughts, desires, and feelings over which He wants to give you victory today.
If the victory were easy, you would have gained it long ago. Christ is going to give you His strength to gain the victory. At the same time, you may need a different strategy for applying the strength He’s going to give you.
Pause now and open your heart to the Holy Spirit.
Allow Him to reveal to you what you should do in addition to what you’ve done in the past or what you should do differently from what you’ve done in the past. Then complete the following sentences.
I’m trusting Christ to give me strength for the victory over something in my life I’m still struggling with. To use that strength to gain the victory, this is what I’m going to do that I’ve never done before:
This is what I am going to do differently from the way I’ve done it before:
What are some habits, thoughts, and feelings that Christ has already changed in your life? They’re now flat and tasteless, and you no longer have any desire for them. List them here.
But you know, some of the old ways really try to hang on, don’t they? More than likely, you’re still struggling with some habits, thoughts, desires, and feelings that you know shouldn’t be a part of your new life in Christ.
Meditate on Colossians 1:22 and allow Christ, your Lord, to reveal to you the habits, thoughts, desires, and feelings over which He wants to give you victory today.
If the victory were easy, you would have gained it long ago. Christ is going to give you His strength to gain the victory. At the same time, you may need a different strategy for applying the strength He’s going to give you.
Pause now and open your heart to the Holy Spirit.
Allow Him to reveal to you what you should do in addition to what you’ve done in the past or what you should do differently from what you’ve done in the past. Then complete the following sentences.
I’m trusting Christ to give me strength for the victory over something in my life I’m still struggling with. To use that strength to gain the victory, this is what I’m going to do that I’ve never done before:
This is what I am going to do differently from the way I’ve done it before: