The Great Exchange

When Jesus came to this earth as the sinless Lamb of God, He took my sin and gave me the gift of righteousness. This is sometimes referred to as “The Great Exchange.”  Jesus took my sin, and in exchange, gave me a life free from the curse of sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  Isaiah 53:4-5 says that He bore our sickness and carried our pains in His own body, and by His wounds we are healed.

Galatians 3 tells us how Jesus became a curse for us so that the blessing of Abraham could come on the Gentiles.  In verse 14 it says “that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  The great exchange is available when we choose to put our faith in what Jesus accomplished at Calvary.  In Jesus, I exchanged a sinful life for His righteousness, sickness for His wholeness, and poverty for His abundant provision. If this is true, this is good news.

When you think about all that Jesus accomplished at the cross, do you see yourself as a full participant in the great exchange, or do you see yourself wishing and hoping that God might accept you some day? Through Jesus Christ, God allows us to exchange the curse of sin for the blessing of the Lord. We are offered peace in our hearts through knowing God, and ultimately, a home in heaven for eternity with God.  God freely offers to us these gifts when we choose to participate in this great exchange through faith in Jesus Christ.  Jesus said “Come unto me all you who are weary, and I will give you rest”. Do you think you might have something to bring to God in this great exchange?

Believing God for a great New Year

Beginning a new year is a good time to give thanks to God for His faithfulness and blessings.  It is also a time to look forward in anticipation to what God has in store.  Each new year brings promise of a new day, a new day in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Scripture talks about "a new day of restoration."  If 2014 was not the greatest year you have ever experienced, if it was a really tough year, let me encourage you that God is the God who can turn the worst of circumstances into blessing if we look to Him and allow Him to work in our lives.

Over and over in scripture, we see God's people facing tough challenges, but in the midst of tough challenges, we see a God who is “more than enough.”  In Psalm 27:13, David said, “I would have fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  In Philippians 3:12-13, Paul says, “I press on toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus.  Forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead."

It is so easy to look back in life and think about what could have been, but there is no help there.  Real help comes when we begin to believe we will see God's goodness, no matter what circumstances we may currently face.  Believe that God loves me and has a good plan for my life.  Believe “Greater is He who is in me than he that is in the world."  Believe that God is able to deliver me from all the powers of darkness and put me in a place where His blessings freely flow.  If we will believe these truths and press into the things of God, we are well on our way to a great new year.

Transformed by Hope

Today we continue our Transformed Series by examining what the scripture has to say about being transformed by hope.  A modern definition for hope is “to feel that something desired may happen," but this definition is very different from a scriptural definition of hope.  Bible hope is not wishful thinking, but a solid assurance of something to come.  Hebrews 6:19 tells us, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast."  Bible hope is not a wish, but a steadfast trust in Almighty God.

Many of us have heard how important faith is in our walk with God, but hope is important also.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things “hoped for."  Faith is a tangible substance, but hope is an integral part of faith receiving the promises of God.  Just like a thermostat, which tells the furnace when to ignite and produce heat, hope regulates our faith.  Faith has the power to receive miracles from God, but hope ignites our faith.  Take away hope, and faith will not work.
          

For this reason the adversary works so hard to discourage us and dash our hope.  Psalm 42:5 says, “Why so downcast O my soul, put your hope in God.”  Are you feeling discouraged or downcast today?  Put your hope in God.  Not just a casual wish for better days, but a steadfast hope in the living God who loves you with an everlasting love and has a plan of good for your life.  He is a God of character who can be trusted, whose word never changes, and whose promises are sure.  No matter what challenges you face today, know this:  God loves you, and He is faithful.  He is one in whom you can put your trust.  Put your hope in God today.

Spiritual Transformation is Just the Beginning!

Sunday, September 7th starts a seven week series at Victory Church on God’s plan to transform our lives; spirit, soul, and body.  Our foundation text is found in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

The ultimate transformation occurs when a person invites Jesus Christ to be the Lord of their life.  John 1:12 says, “But to as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.”  Surrendering our lives to Jesus is not the end of the transforming work God desires to do, but the beginning.  Through the new birth, our spirit is made brand new, but our mind still needs to be renewed by the word of God.  I can love God with all my heart, but if I will not take the time to study the word of God, my thoughts and actions will probably be no different than the world's.  That is why the Bible tells us not to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed.  How?  By renewing our mind with the Word of God.

Do you struggle knowing what God’s will is for your life?  Our text in Romans 12 tells us that if we will renew our minds, renew our thinking to line up with God’s way of thinking, we can prove what is the will of God in our life.  Offer your life to God, put His word first place in your life, and He will transform you into His image and likeness from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).  Amen.