And He shall provide all your needs...

In the Bible, the second book to the Corinthians, Chapter 5, verse 17, we are told that if anyone be "in Christ" he is a new creation. I came to a true saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ on November 15, 1992. At that time I became alive spiritually, a new creation. That is a fact, I know it like I know the sun will rise in the morning.

That verse goes on to say "old things have passed away". That was not my experience. I know the theology behind salvation and this is not a theological discussion. I am talking about experience. I was forgiven by God, and that was good, but my sins were with me every minute of every day since, that is my experience. I carried with me the incomprehensible demoralization that only an addict can understand. The absolute filth of past choices has always been a part of me. I know what it is to cringe at a memory too painful to fully remember, to hate most of the memories I have and for them to always surface to destroy any current happiness and rob of joy the moments of today. What my experience has been, it has been, that simple.

Yesterday, after watching Charles Stanley, my favorite preacher, I felt the Lord sitting me down. Stanley's message was on Anger, a topic that I will save for another time, as it is a long one with me, but one that has passed away. For the millionth time old sins I have committed began to replay in my mind, and that old soul-killing shame grew strong. But the God very simply said enough. It is finished. I do not understand just what happened yesterday. I do not know why it took me twenty years to be able to say the old things are passed away. It is just the way it is. I have great sorrow over my past actions to be sure. But I am no longer sitting in the filth of my past, this too is my experience. It is amazing.

That verse ends with "behold the new has come." I am excited to see how that plays out in my experience. :)