12-2-24

2 Corinthians 4:16 NASB1995 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

At the age of 55, I find that my body has aches and hurts it used to not have. This is because of a lack of exercise, poor diet, and age. Yet more than those it is because of sin in a fallen world. It can be frustrating at times when I am not able to do the things I used to do. I have a difficult time getting down and an even harder time getting up. I get short of breath and tired from less work. I would say that my outer man (my body) is decaying. Yet, inside, I feel young. I feel like I should still be in my twenties.

I get excited knowing that the inner spiritual man born in the grace of God through my faith in Jesus is not restricted by time. In the 40 years since my salvation, although my spiritual inner man has matured in Christ, it is still as young and as old as it will ever be. It is being renewed in God's grace, guidance, love, reproof, holiness, righteousness, and strength day by day. Therefore, I long for the day when I will shed this decaying outer man that is hindered by sin, time, and weakness of pride and live eternal in the inner spiritual man that Christ birthed in me at the moment of my Salvation. Although I long for the day I will be the inner man in a glorified body in the presence of God. I pray and ask God to strengthen my inner man to push the outer man to obedience in following Christ daily. What a love I have for Him. How can I not worship Him with my brothers and sisters in Christ at every moment possible? Paul speaks of this in the very next chapter.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NASB1995 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

If you live in Christ then you have a new inner man. Do you want to stand before Christ and say I knew my salvation was secure in you, so I chose to follow my decaying outer man on earth? I don't think anyone wants to say that. If we have been doing this, then we need to listen to God through Paul, who says, "Do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. "

Listen to the inner man and get excited about worshipping Christ forever.

Forever starts now.

Let's not miss any opportunity to worship him.

Love Bro. Scott