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You Are
Here
You
will usually see these in the open hallways of large
shopping malls. What
are they? They
are maps outlining the layout of the stores and the
shops in the mall.
As you look closely at these maps, you will
usually find a red dot or an arrow pointing to one
particular location.
It is labeled, “You are Here!”
Once you have determined your exact location in
the mall, the map becomes a useful tool to you in
finding where you want to go.
These maps also illustrate an invaluable
principle for our lives:
You
must FIRST know where you
ARE - in order to know which
direction you must go - to get where you need to be! The
marvelous thing about the Word of God is that it not
only tells us where we ARE; it also tells us where we
need to be AND how to get there.
Let’s look at the map of God’s
Word to see where we
ARE…
We
Are Here à
Our map informs us that without Christ, we are
“without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians
2:12). It
reveals to us that
"…ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God" (Romans 3:23).
And in this "fallen" condition, we are separated from our Creator who is
the very source of life AND if left unresolved, SIN
will ultimately lead to our "eternal
separation" from God.
For the "wages" that SIN pays is death (Romans 6:23).
Where
We Need To Be à Our map also informs us that we need to be
In
Christ – i.e., in a relationship with God
through Christ where ALL spiritual blessings are
found.
Observe what is found
In
Christ:
Redemption
(Romans 3:24); eternal
life (Romans
6:23); no
condemnation
(Romans 8:1); the
love of God (Romans
8:39); God’s
family (Romans
12:5); hope
(1 Corinthians 15:19); victory
(2 Corinthians 2:14); a
new creation (2
Corinthians 5:17); reconciliation
with God (2
Corinthians 5:19); freedom
(Galatians 2:4); purpose
for life
(Ephesians 2:10); nearness
to God (Ephesians
2:13); forgiveness
(Ephesians 4:32);
encouragement
(Philippians 2:1); righteousness
(Philippians 3:9); grace
(2 Timothy 1:9); and salvation
from sin (2
Timothy 2:10). “Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in
the heavenly places
In
Christ ” (Eph 1:3).
How
we get there à
Again, the map of God’s Word provides the
directions. “For
as many of you as were - BAPTISED
INTO CHRIST
- have put
on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).
Our map also informs us that
baptism
(immersion) into Christ must be preceded by faith
(Galatians 3:26), repentance
(Acts 2:38), and confession
of Christ (Romans 10:9-10).
Once in
Christ, our map instructs us to continue to WALK in
the light [under the direction] of God’s Word (1
John 1:7).
Look
at the map! Find
the location that indicates: “You are here!”
Where
ARE you?
God
bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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