TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Listen: 2 Corinthians 5
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Paul says the most incredible thing to new believers in Corinth, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)! What wonderful words for people who want a better life. As soon as someone decides to believe in Jesus’s death on their behalf—God brings new life, goodness, rightness and beauty right now through his Spirit.
It is great news that the past no longer defines us. When we accept Jesus, we have a fresh start and a clean slate because we are made perfect in God’s eyes (Hebrews 10:14). God takes our comparisons to others and gives us contentment. God takes our insecurities and fills us with God-given gifts and abilities. God takes our wounds and gives us healing. God takes our failures and gives us victory in him.
Our part is to allow God to reshape our identity into who God says we are. It’s a process of yielding our obedience to God and letting the Holy Spirit work in our lives to help us live according to God’s direction.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Consider what you struggle with the most—comparison, insecurity, wounds, failure or something else. Ask God to reshape your identity this year to the way God sees you, so you experience the joy of being a new creation. Look up these verses and commit to memorizing and returning to the one that speaks to your need: Psalm 147:3, Colossians 1:13-14, Colossians 2:10a, Romans 8:1, 2 Timothy 1:7, Matthew 5:14 or Ephesians 2:10.
2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.
January is BIBLE READING. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
