Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 146

May 26;   Titus 2:14;   202/260(I);   ‘Zealous for Good’

Titus 2:14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

The Lord Jesus gave Himself for us.  The Bible teaches that no man could take the Lord Jesus’ life, the Lord gave His life freely for us.  The Lord Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the Law and lawless rebellion.  We have legally been redeemed and made righteous by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.  Our past sins are cleansed and forgotten.  By Jesus’ redemption, the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus on our behalf we have been legally forgiven and made righeous.  Once we become Born Again, our prideful spirit, which manifested the lawlessness inspired by satan, through our flesh is gone.  Our reborn spirit is alive unto the Lord, we are now filled with His love and the fruit of the Spirit.  This gives us the ability to manifest the character of Jesus.  As we purpose in our spirit to pursue the things of the Lord and learn His Word, our desires completely change, for the better.  Now, not only are we purified legally, but our new spiritual nature can control our thoughts and actions.  Now our zeal, which once was for sin, is determined to manifest good works.  It will take a little time to renew our mind with the Word of God and give our body new direction, but the more determined we are to exemplify the nature of Jesus, the quicker it will happen.  What we used to think was ‘fun,’ we now cringe at.  Sharing Jesus with those who are unsaved and treating all people as the Lord treats us, being a blessing to everyone you can be, wherever you go, opens the door to the abundant life the Lord Jesus gives. More than anything we desire to share what Jesus did.  What a change He has made in my life.