Spiritual Rebirth

In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. Col 2:11-12

The word buried in Greek is sunthapto it means to enter into company with, to assimilate spiritually(to Christ by a sepulture-burial place- as to sin). Risen with is sunegeiro it is the idea of collecting one's faculties, to waken from sleep, disease or death.

According to the book of Romans we are all sinners, 3:23 and dead in our sin, 5:12, 6:23. For the believer, this means we were buried with Christ and risen with him. Our sins stayed in the grave, defeated by Christ's life and death.
It is not the act of baptism that saves us, for we know of those who are born again and have not yet been baptized; and we know many that have been baptized and live no life that glorifies God, perhaps even having renounced him.

It is the spiritual rebirth, accomplished by that great power of God that renews the dead.

Dead men have no faith.

It comes from the creator.

Do we still sin? unfortunately yes. but it is that power that defeated sin and Satan that dwells within the Christian. This enables us to engage in the battle. The battle between the old self, called the flesh, the worldly selfish desire to please our every whim; and the new self, renewed in our minds, created to be like God.

It is that great power that left our sins in the grave. If Christ is not your savior, the Lord of your life, those sins are still with you. Those sins will be judged. Are you ready?

Rest for the Weary

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light. Matthew 11:28-30

I imagine there isn't one of us privileged to go through life unburdened. Life is just that way. Work, family, health, any of these and more can seem to overtake our lives. Before we know it, we are out of balance, caught up on a roller coaster of ups and downs, swerves and hard right turns. Feeling like we could fall off at any moment, we desperately try to grasp at anything to steady us. I may cling to food or alcohol, you may work harder.

Perhaps there is someone very difficult in your life, someone that just can't seem to be pleased. People drain you. People let you down. Life lets you down. Jobs fail, family falters and... I...
you...
we...
seem to get caught up in failure. " If it isn't us; it is them. If it isn't a job it; is a neighbor. Quite often, it is just me.
I try, but fail, so I try harder.
Soon I become yoked to trying. Running on my own strength, is like running on a perpetual treadmill with no cut off button. I get no where and I get tired. I reach out for that comfort, then I depend on it, soon it becomes my habit.
Some of my habits are blame, dissatisfaction, expectations, overeating, withdraw, I am sure there are more. What are your habits?
As long as we are yoked to life we will probably be dissatisfied, the heart and soul will yearn for more.
Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden light. He promises rest, not ease, but rest. He is gentle and humble. Are you yoked to the gentle and humble or the chaotic and demanding or the disappointing? The word yoke means servitude and literally a beam of balance.
Lest you fool yourself into thinking you are not yoked to anything or think poorly of servitude keep in mind this verse.

- for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 2 Peter 2:19b

Do you feel like a slave? Do you feel mastered by the day?

Find rest for your weary soul by trusting in Him, who is gentle and humble.