Friday, December 7, 2018
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In just one year, a whole lot changed for my wife and me. We sold our home of 24 years, and we disposed of a quarter century of accumulated "stuff"! We relocated to a home way out in the country in another state after our Board decided to relocate the entire ministry to that part of the country. So, we got a new personal address, we got a new ministry address, we had all new phone numbers, and new license plates, and new co-workers. But with all the changes, there was one thing that didn't change - our email address. No matter where we are, our email address is always the same!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Unchanging Address."
Even if you didn't know what email is, if you belong to Jesus Christ, you have an address that never changes no matter how many other things in your life are moving around.
The address where you can always be found is mentioned repeatedly in our word for today from the Word of God. It's in Ephesians 1:3-7. Listen for your constant address. "God has blessed us...with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, He predestined us to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through His blood." Then God talks about what "He purposed in Christ" for us, that "in Him" we were also chosen," that we were "the first to hope in Christ," and that you were included "in Christ."
Unless you have gone totally deaf or you have serious A.D.D., you know your unchanging spiritual address by now. You're always what? Yeah, "in Christ." That's right. In just 12 verses, God says you are "in Christ" eight times! You are, whether you know it or not, whether you feel like it or not, no matter where else you are, permanently in Christ! You're anchored in this unloseable relationship with this Jesus who loves you eternally, who has planned this relationship with you since before there was a world, who makes all His spiritual fortune available to you for what you're facing right now.
Now, if I ask you where you are right now, there are a number of answers you might give me. You might say "Well, I'm in the hospital," or "I'm in pain," or "I'm in love," or "I'm in over my head," or "I'm in a new place." Or it's possible that you're "in doubt," or "in between," or maybe "in debt," "in trouble," "in danger." But wherever your situation has located you, your anchor address is that you are in Christ. Paul could remain at peace inside, whether he was in jail, or in pain, or in trouble because he didn't draw his sense of wellbeing or who he was from his surroundings. Wherever you put him, he was in Christ and nothing else could touch that!
Is this your anchor, too? You know it could be even though you're religious and have a lot of Christianity, somewhere along the way maybe there's never been that time when you have grabbed on to Jesus to be your rescuer from your sin, like someone would grab a lifeguard if they were drowning. This could be that day for you. See, without that kind of turnover of you to Him, you're not in Christ. You might be around Him, but He's not in you. You're still outside of Christ. He's got to come in at your invitation before you are in Him. So this could be the day to anchor your life to this one unloseable. This could be your spiritual birthday to be born into His family. Tell Him, "Jesus, I want to make this mine. I am yours beginning this day because you died in my place for my sin." Wow! At that point you are in Christ and you are safe.
I'd love to help you get this nailed down. And that's why I've put what you need to know at our website. It is ANewStory.com. And, honestly, it's a great name for it, because this could be the beginning of a whole new story for you. Go there, will you?
You are standing on the edge of a totally dependable security. You are secure, no matter what has changed when you are in Christ and you're not moving!