Today's Passage - Ephesians 4:20-24

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Ephesians 4:20-24   "You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.  Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.  You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."   As a new creation in Christ, we need to learn the lessons of "putting off" and "putting on" everyday.  With these two terms, Paul explained to us how to live a victorious Christian life.  We cannot live a victorious life with our own strength, so we need to put on the life of Christ.  Putting on means that we don't own it and we need to receive it from the Lord everyday.  Many Christians fail because they try to live the life of Christ by their own might.  If we look at the nine types of the fruit of Spirit Paul mentioned in Galatians, we would find that all these virtues are all fruit of the Holy Spirit from God, not from human nature.  Therefore, we need to depend on God and learn to draw the virtues we need from Him everyday.   Some have said that Holy Spirit living in us is a like having a deep well in our life, which has unlimited amount of spring water.  It's our responsibility to draw water from the well.  If we are lacking patience and gentleness, we need to acknowledge our shortcomings before God; bring our empty bucket before Him, and God will fill you with His patience and gentleness.  Don't complain about all the relationship problems that you are having, because that is the opportunity for you to put on virtues of the Lord!   Many years ago, I thought I was very patient, but after I had our second daughter I discovered that I was really not very patient.  My second daughter was cute but also stubborn; if she wanted something, she had to have it.  Whatever worked with our elder daughter didn't work with the second daughter at all.  Many times I came before God and prayed for her, but God revealed to me that my impatience was the problem.  Later, I changed tactic and treated her nicely in order to shift her attention to other things.  Not only was she happy, I could also commit less sin.  We thank God because He often uses people around us to learn about our own shortcomings, and then we learn how to put on virtues of the Lord.  Verse 23 says that we ought to "be made new in the attitude of your minds."   "To be made new" is in the present tense.  In other word, we need to put on the new creation everyday; not just on the day we were saved, but we need to be renewed every day and become new creations in Christ.                                                                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because in Christ we are given abundant life.  May the Lord help us not to depend on our selves in our daily life, but to retrieve your virtues.  Help us to put off our old selves and put on our new selves, so that we can live the glorious form of Jesus Christ.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!