2 Corinthians Chapter 5, verse 17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Do you want to change, really change, really become new and enjoy the benefits of a good decent lifestyle? Think of the wonderful advantages of having a new life and making all those wonderful positive changes to your life. It becomes a great joy with time to change and accept the good things that life has to give and put away old ways, old negative feelings, and reactions that only caused us and others pain and misery. Be happy, you have found God.

When we love someone in spirit we become one. The loving connection is strong, we feel for one another, there is inner-depth to the relationship. Temptations pass because you are “with your loved one in spirit” – your relationship is deep. You don’t want to hurt your love. You want to remain true even though you re not physically with the one that you love and you cannot see them. You know that this is the right way to be and to think. Being true and faithful is good – and what we want back from our love.

So with a love of God we need that special relationship that we want with a husband or wife. We want inner-depth. Total commitment. Truth. Honestly. Goodness. We must love God with all our heart and soul.

How committed are you to becoming new and enjoy the promises of Christ? Are you following others, non-believers advice as you did in the old days and expecting miracles.

We may change our habits but we still need to follow Christ and not the people of the past. If the miracles disappear we need to look at our inner-self and our commitment. If it is good and God’s will for you He will take you there, but if you prefer worldly advice from non-believers then God cannot help you because they will drag you back down where you once were. God is not responsible for your choices – He cannot make good from your bad decisions that you continue to make. God will wait for you and always is willing to have you back.

Psalm 5, verse 8: Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness…

How committed you are to God, is how committed you allow God to be in your life. Your dedication and commitment allow God a bigger part in your life.

Proverbs Chapter 3, verse 5/6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs Chapter 23, verse 7: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

Years ago a teenager asked me why God didn’t give her poor family any money. I knew the family well and I said that God wouldn’t put money in a bucket with a huge hole in the bottom of it just so that the money would be lost and not be put to any good use. You see this girls mother was a uncontrolled spender and the whole family suffered for the mothers weakness. The mother wanted God to change her situation, but she was not willing to change herself. Although God loves all the family members, wise decisions need to be made. He may give them food and help them live, but He cannot do something foolish so this lady can abuse God’s blessings over and over again. The woman said that she was a Christian but had not changed her ways and yet expected all the miracles and blessings that come to more dedicated people of God. In fact she would become dissatisfied in God because in her eyes God had let her down, but the reality is that God wanted her to make an effort to change for the good of all.

You have discovered God, now you need to follow God. Going backwards will take you backwards and to the same old things, the same old life, that life and things that were the reason that you became a believer in God. The old ways held fears, worry, unhappiness and confusion. The old ways brought us anger, arrogance, foolish living, tears, sad lost wonder and many, many “Whys?” and no answers to our confused lostness! We need dedication, devotion, and a will to keep on the right path and be who we really want to be deep down. We also need to say “No!” to those who oppose what we know to be true now.

Try claiming God’s blessings instead of longing for them – Henry Jacobsen.

1 Peter Chapter 3, verse 9: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Reflect on your present blessings of which everyone has many, not on your past misfortunes of which we all have some – Charles Dickens.

Numbers Chapter 6, verse 24\25\26: The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Proverbs Chapter 3, verse 9: Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

Psalm 48, verse 14: For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

All the best from

James M Sandbrook.

Written – 29 July 2012.