Sermon Title: God’s Immense Love - The Save in the midst of the Fall
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – in whom solely, we have received complete pardon for our sins.
Our pardon from sin cannot come, or be made from, anything of this world.
Nakedness and shame cannot be covered with mere materials.
It must come from the life blood of an innocent creature; “for the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” (Leviticus 17:11)
Sin and its wages, death, is - foremost - a spiritual condition that terminates our relationship with God.
In sin, the human soul is terrified of God.
Just like Adam, every form of defiance and denial of God is rooted in fear, and compels the sinner to hide in dread of judgement from the living and Holy God. (Ref: Genesis 3:10)
And judge God did.
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)
For its deception that caused Man’s fall, the serpent was cursed above all living things.
The devil’s sin was defiance against God’s Will – in creating Mankind in His Holy image, and angels as serving spirits; resulting in its corruption of Man enfleshed in the body of the serpent.
From the devil’s chosen bodily form so chosen to induce admiration, the serpent was now cursed to a repulsive existence with its limbs in bondage and its diet to be dust.
Be wary of the innocent treatment of the devil, especially in popular culture.
Never be deceived into believing the narrative of darkness spewed by the devil; a narrative that began in Eden.
There is no good in the devil, nor are there ‘good’ demons.
There is certainly more to the serpent eating dust just because it was condemned to move close to the ground; for it is nothing like the snakes of this world which does not live on a diet of dust.
The serpent’s diet of ‘dust’ is found nestled in the context of the ‘dust’ – mentioned before and after - that constitutes Mankind’s material makeup (Ref: Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:19); and therefore, alludes to the devil’s existence to be closely associated with the death and destruction of human lives.
In God’s judgment against the devil, He is warning us to always be on guard against the deadly consequences of succumbing to the deception and wickedness of the dark forces.
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
It seems that the woman, Adam’s wife, would never share a conversation with the serpent ever again; but in His transcendence of time and space, the Lord projected the judgement into the future where another woman would bear the Seed that would destroy the serpent.
In the biblical context, women are not vessels of seed (an allusion to the sperm that brings forth offspring); but rather, men.
Who is this woman who would bear the Seed that would crush the head of the serpent?
The virgin Mary – who was made “pregnant through the Holy Spirit” and gave birth to “Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Ref: Matthew 1:18-23)
In this divine declaration from the mouth of God is found the ultimate save of Mankind in the midst of the Fall.
Praise be to God – that He “demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Ref: Romans 5:8)
For God so loved the world, that the moment Mankind fell into sin and shame, our atonement and restoration unto eternal life was guaranteed through His foretelling of the death of Jesus Christ, who would be struck on His heel; and His Resurrection from the grave - crushing the serpent’s head, forever ending its rampage of death and destruction. (Ref: Genesis 3:15)
The only way our sin can be dealt with is when atonement is made through the blood of the Lamb of God.
Throughout the Old Testament, the means of atonement was the obedient offering of a bloody sacrifice.
In the midst of the Fall – through the garments of skin that came from the bloody death of an innocent animal (Ref: Genesis 3:21) - God provided for, and prepared, the sacrifice of atonement for both Adam and the woman - covering them in innocence; the very sacrament that would point to Christ’s death on the Cross at Calvary – “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)
In obedience and revelation, Adam and the woman cast away their garments sewed from fig leaves and put on the garments of skin that God had personally wrought for them.
In the act of Grace that would resonate throughout the Bible, God initiated sinful Man’s restoration unto divine fellowship with Him, through the shedding of blood as the key action in making atonement for sin; for “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)
We are forgiven of our sins and pardoned from death, which is the wages of sin. (Ref: Romans 3:23)
Only through the blood of Jesus Christ can sin be purged from our lives; that we be made holy and righteous – reconciled to God.
The devil has been overcome.
Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we are brought back into one-ness and whole-ness with God.
We were depraved; but now we are saved.
Praise the Lord and Saviour of our souls – Jesus Christ - the Lamb of God who was worthy to be slain for the pardon of our sins!
It is a mouthful; but it is very important.
Do you truly understand the immense and infinite love of God?
He saved us even in the midst of the Fall.
Mankind had indeed sinned; fallen short of God’s glory - because Adam and the woman disobeyed Him and ate the fruit of the tree that God commanded them not to -in spite of His warning that they would “surely die”.
The consequence of Adam and Eve’s sin was spiritual death; resulting in the spiritual death of all Mankind.
In spiritual death, Mankind had become a slave of the devil and destined for eternal death.
There was nothing that Adam and the woman could do to reverse their disobedience nor set themselves free from the bondage of darkness and sin.
They may strive to be ‘good’ for the rest of their lives, but they could never make themselves innocent; nor can they alter their sinful nature that came with disobedience to God.
Before the Fall, Adam and the woman’s spirits were fully connected to God and thus, ruled over their bodies and minds; but after the Fall, when their spirits died, their bodies now ruled over their minds.
The lusts of their flesh now began to rule their lives; and Mankind would regress readily into an animal plane of existence.
This depraved human nature is especially poignantly reflected in a popular literature entitled ‘Lord of the flies’ – which portrays a group of educated British boys and their descent into primitive savagery when they were left to themselves on an island paradise, far from modern civilization.
Without Christ, not only can we do nothing; we become worse than nothing – in fact, we become mindless beasts governed by carnal impulses.
For that, we must solely “boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:11); for with reconciliation, comes redemption, resurrection and restoration.
The Fall created a chasm between God and Man; a chasm fraught with alienation and hostility – unbridgeable by Man.
Our familiarity with the love of God must never diminish the reality that God hates wickedness and “all who do wrong,”. (Psalm 5:4-5, Ref also: Proverbs 16:16-20)
Never deceive yourself into thinking that God only hates the sin; for God bars the unrepentant from inheriting His Kingdom.
Repentance must be the sole endeavor, foundation and hallmark of every true child of the living God.
Our response to His immense love must only be immense gratitude and persevering faith in spite of our existence in a disbelieving world.
Our faith in the Power of Christ’s Redemption and Resurrection reconciles us to God and restores us to Mankind’s condition of absolute trust in God’s Absolute Presence, Word, and Love.
That’s right.
Christ’s redemption over us is spiritual, and does effect the divine reversal of God’s declarations over the fallen Mankind.
Simply believe!
That through remaining wholly in Christ, daughters of the living God would experience the divine reversal of severe pains in childbearing; not that they would feel no pain at all, but rather, experience only the required sensations to successfully give birth to children; that their desires would be for Christ alone, who would also be the sole Ruler of their lives. (Ref: Genesis 3:16)
That through remaining wholly in Christ, sons of the living God would experience the lifting of the ground’s curse, and be restored to our rightful place as stewards who would bless the ground; that through joyous exuberance may we eat food from it all the days of our lives.
Instead of painful toil to provide for ourselves, our utter trust in God’s faithful providence would result in our lives restored to the devotion and enjoyment of the threefold divine sets of relationships – with God, family and Creation; once broken after the Fall, but in Christ, now healed. (Ref: Genesis 3:17-18)
Although physical death remains a vestige of the fall, in Christ, we will be raised into an imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual body – bearing “the image of a heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 15:49)
However, we continue to be mindful that in this world, we will have trouble. (Ref: John 16:33); and that due to our fallen-ness, we – and our children - are capable of continued disobedience and great evil.
Only in Christ would we have His victory; and with Him, overcome the world!
In Christ, we would be naturally supernatural; and in Christ, holiness would become our first, original nature because we strive to be holy as part of our second, acquired nature.
In Christ, in Christ; only in Christ!
God Himself took the animal’s life and “made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21), and in so doing, set the stage in the Old Testament for the requirement to sacrifice innocent animals to provide a blood covering for atonement to be made for our corruption and sin.
The sight and stench of raw, bloody animal skin as covering for our atonement must make sin so repulsive to us that the very thought of sinning against God would sicken us.
Such, and much more, must be our repulsiveness towards sin when we contemplate Christ on the Cross.
Eventually, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ would Himself shed His blood and die on the Cross to provide an ultimate and final covering for the sins of all who would trust in Him for salvation.
From the moment of substitutionary atonement set forth by God’s doing in Eden that fateful day, all atonement sacrifice under the law of God would look towards the day when the Lamb of God would be slain for the Salvation of the world; that all who believe in Christ would not perish but have eternal life.
Do you believe in Christ? Truly?
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)
Have you accepted the garments of skin that God made for you – garments through which “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”? (Hebrews 10:10)
In the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:14:
“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Be pardoned from your sin.
Be saved through the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Be born again; that your spirit, having been made alive once again by God’s Spirit, now rules over your body and mind – putting to death, once for all, the desires of the flesh, that truly, “for by one sacrifice, Christ has made perfect forever you who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:14)
Receive God’s Salvation; remain in Him.
Be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord Jesus, I believe that through Your death on the Cross in my place – Your body broken and Your blood shed for me - atonement has been made for me; and for that, I am reconciled to God.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for revealing the love of God – that the moment Mankind fell into sin and shame, His Salvation was revealed to us and guaranteed for all who repent and believe in You!
For when You provided for, and prepared, the sacrifice of atonement for both Adam and the woman - covering them in innocence (Genesis 3:21); You have pointed to Christ’s death on the Cross at Calvary – who is, “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)
Holy Spirit, through the blood of Christ – I ask that sin be purged from my life; and that I be made holy and righteous in the sight of God; for in Christ, I am ‘born-again’, made alive in the spirit.
I repent of my wicked ways when I have given in to my fleshly desires. Forgive me, O God!
Through Your Power, strengthen my faith and resolve that my spirit would rule over my body and mind.
May I never gratify the lusts of my flesh; instead, may my desires be all about bringing You glory and honor.
Holy Spirit, clothe me with the Lord Jesus Christ!
May I always remain in Christ, and be restored into one-ness and whole-ness with God.
Restore me to “the joy of Your Salvation” (Psalm 51:12) and open my heart to the blessings that abound in all of your Children even before the Fall.
In Jesus’ Name, I claim Your Presence, Power and Promises of Providence, Protection and Kingdom Purpose in my life.
Holy Spirit, increase my faith in the Power of Christ’s Redemption and Resurrection that I may be restored to Mankind’s pre-fall condition of absolute trust in God.
I praise the Lord and Saviour of our souls – Jesus Christ - the Lamb of God who was worthy to be slain for the pardon of our sins and reconciliation unto God!
Lord, You saved us even in the midst of the Fall.
I receive Your love with immense gratitude.
Help me live every moment in You, O God; that I would boast solely in You through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom I have now received reconciliation.
Thank You for making me come alive in You!
Lord Jesus, I believe in You; and I believe that through being clothed with You – which is, to remain in You – I have been made holy once for all, and bear much fruit.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – in whom solely, we have received complete pardon for our sins.
Our pardon from sin cannot come, or be made from, anything of this world.
Nakedness and shame cannot be covered with mere materials.
It must come from the life blood of an innocent creature; “for the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” (Leviticus 17:11)
Sin and its wages, death, is - foremost - a spiritual condition that terminates our relationship with God.
In sin, the human soul is terrified of God.
Just like Adam, every form of defiance and denial of God is rooted in fear, and compels the sinner to hide in dread of judgement from the living and Holy God. (Ref: Genesis 3:10)
And judge God did.
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)
For its deception that caused Man’s fall, the serpent was cursed above all living things.
The devil’s sin was defiance against God’s Will – in creating Mankind in His Holy image, and angels as serving spirits; resulting in its corruption of Man enfleshed in the body of the serpent.
From the devil’s chosen bodily form so chosen to induce admiration, the serpent was now cursed to a repulsive existence with its limbs in bondage and its diet to be dust.
Be wary of the innocent treatment of the devil, especially in popular culture.
Never be deceived into believing the narrative of darkness spewed by the devil; a narrative that began in Eden.
There is no good in the devil, nor are there ‘good’ demons.
There is certainly more to the serpent eating dust just because it was condemned to move close to the ground; for it is nothing like the snakes of this world which does not live on a diet of dust.
The serpent’s diet of ‘dust’ is found nestled in the context of the ‘dust’ – mentioned before and after - that constitutes Mankind’s material makeup (Ref: Genesis 2:7, Genesis 3:19); and therefore, alludes to the devil’s existence to be closely associated with the death and destruction of human lives.
In God’s judgment against the devil, He is warning us to always be on guard against the deadly consequences of succumbing to the deception and wickedness of the dark forces.
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
It seems that the woman, Adam’s wife, would never share a conversation with the serpent ever again; but in His transcendence of time and space, the Lord projected the judgement into the future where another woman would bear the Seed that would destroy the serpent.
In the biblical context, women are not vessels of seed (an allusion to the sperm that brings forth offspring); but rather, men.
Who is this woman who would bear the Seed that would crush the head of the serpent?
The virgin Mary – who was made “pregnant through the Holy Spirit” and gave birth to “Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Ref: Matthew 1:18-23)
In this divine declaration from the mouth of God is found the ultimate save of Mankind in the midst of the Fall.
Praise be to God – that He “demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Ref: Romans 5:8)
For God so loved the world, that the moment Mankind fell into sin and shame, our atonement and restoration unto eternal life was guaranteed through His foretelling of the death of Jesus Christ, who would be struck on His heel; and His Resurrection from the grave - crushing the serpent’s head, forever ending its rampage of death and destruction. (Ref: Genesis 3:15)
The only way our sin can be dealt with is when atonement is made through the blood of the Lamb of God.
Throughout the Old Testament, the means of atonement was the obedient offering of a bloody sacrifice.
In the midst of the Fall – through the garments of skin that came from the bloody death of an innocent animal (Ref: Genesis 3:21) - God provided for, and prepared, the sacrifice of atonement for both Adam and the woman - covering them in innocence; the very sacrament that would point to Christ’s death on the Cross at Calvary – “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)
In obedience and revelation, Adam and the woman cast away their garments sewed from fig leaves and put on the garments of skin that God had personally wrought for them.
In the act of Grace that would resonate throughout the Bible, God initiated sinful Man’s restoration unto divine fellowship with Him, through the shedding of blood as the key action in making atonement for sin; for “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)
We are forgiven of our sins and pardoned from death, which is the wages of sin. (Ref: Romans 3:23)
Only through the blood of Jesus Christ can sin be purged from our lives; that we be made holy and righteous – reconciled to God.
The devil has been overcome.
Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we are brought back into one-ness and whole-ness with God.
We were depraved; but now we are saved.
Praise the Lord and Saviour of our souls – Jesus Christ - the Lamb of God who was worthy to be slain for the pardon of our sins!
It is a mouthful; but it is very important.
Do you truly understand the immense and infinite love of God?
He saved us even in the midst of the Fall.
Mankind had indeed sinned; fallen short of God’s glory - because Adam and the woman disobeyed Him and ate the fruit of the tree that God commanded them not to -in spite of His warning that they would “surely die”.
The consequence of Adam and Eve’s sin was spiritual death; resulting in the spiritual death of all Mankind.
In spiritual death, Mankind had become a slave of the devil and destined for eternal death.
There was nothing that Adam and the woman could do to reverse their disobedience nor set themselves free from the bondage of darkness and sin.
They may strive to be ‘good’ for the rest of their lives, but they could never make themselves innocent; nor can they alter their sinful nature that came with disobedience to God.
Before the Fall, Adam and the woman’s spirits were fully connected to God and thus, ruled over their bodies and minds; but after the Fall, when their spirits died, their bodies now ruled over their minds.
The lusts of their flesh now began to rule their lives; and Mankind would regress readily into an animal plane of existence.
This depraved human nature is especially poignantly reflected in a popular literature entitled ‘Lord of the flies’ – which portrays a group of educated British boys and their descent into primitive savagery when they were left to themselves on an island paradise, far from modern civilization.
Without Christ, not only can we do nothing; we become worse than nothing – in fact, we become mindless beasts governed by carnal impulses.
For that, we must solely “boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:11); for with reconciliation, comes redemption, resurrection and restoration.
The Fall created a chasm between God and Man; a chasm fraught with alienation and hostility – unbridgeable by Man.
Our familiarity with the love of God must never diminish the reality that God hates wickedness and “all who do wrong,”. (Psalm 5:4-5, Ref also: Proverbs 16:16-20)
Never deceive yourself into thinking that God only hates the sin; for God bars the unrepentant from inheriting His Kingdom.
Repentance must be the sole endeavor, foundation and hallmark of every true child of the living God.
Our response to His immense love must only be immense gratitude and persevering faith in spite of our existence in a disbelieving world.
Our faith in the Power of Christ’s Redemption and Resurrection reconciles us to God and restores us to Mankind’s condition of absolute trust in God’s Absolute Presence, Word, and Love.
That’s right.
Christ’s redemption over us is spiritual, and does effect the divine reversal of God’s declarations over the fallen Mankind.
Simply believe!
That through remaining wholly in Christ, daughters of the living God would experience the divine reversal of severe pains in childbearing; not that they would feel no pain at all, but rather, experience only the required sensations to successfully give birth to children; that their desires would be for Christ alone, who would also be the sole Ruler of their lives. (Ref: Genesis 3:16)
That through remaining wholly in Christ, sons of the living God would experience the lifting of the ground’s curse, and be restored to our rightful place as stewards who would bless the ground; that through joyous exuberance may we eat food from it all the days of our lives.
Instead of painful toil to provide for ourselves, our utter trust in God’s faithful providence would result in our lives restored to the devotion and enjoyment of the threefold divine sets of relationships – with God, family and Creation; once broken after the Fall, but in Christ, now healed. (Ref: Genesis 3:17-18)
Although physical death remains a vestige of the fall, in Christ, we will be raised into an imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual body – bearing “the image of a heavenly man.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 15:49)
However, we continue to be mindful that in this world, we will have trouble. (Ref: John 16:33); and that due to our fallen-ness, we – and our children - are capable of continued disobedience and great evil.
Only in Christ would we have His victory; and with Him, overcome the world!
In Christ, we would be naturally supernatural; and in Christ, holiness would become our first, original nature because we strive to be holy as part of our second, acquired nature.
In Christ, in Christ; only in Christ!
God Himself took the animal’s life and “made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21), and in so doing, set the stage in the Old Testament for the requirement to sacrifice innocent animals to provide a blood covering for atonement to be made for our corruption and sin.
The sight and stench of raw, bloody animal skin as covering for our atonement must make sin so repulsive to us that the very thought of sinning against God would sicken us.
Such, and much more, must be our repulsiveness towards sin when we contemplate Christ on the Cross.
Eventually, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ would Himself shed His blood and die on the Cross to provide an ultimate and final covering for the sins of all who would trust in Him for salvation.
From the moment of substitutionary atonement set forth by God’s doing in Eden that fateful day, all atonement sacrifice under the law of God would look towards the day when the Lamb of God would be slain for the Salvation of the world; that all who believe in Christ would not perish but have eternal life.
Do you believe in Christ? Truly?
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)
Have you accepted the garments of skin that God made for you – garments through which “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”? (Hebrews 10:10)
In the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:14:
“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Be pardoned from your sin.
Be saved through the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Be born again; that your spirit, having been made alive once again by God’s Spirit, now rules over your body and mind – putting to death, once for all, the desires of the flesh, that truly, “for by one sacrifice, Christ has made perfect forever you who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:14)
Receive God’s Salvation; remain in Him.
Be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord Jesus, I believe that through Your death on the Cross in my place – Your body broken and Your blood shed for me - atonement has been made for me; and for that, I am reconciled to God.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for revealing the love of God – that the moment Mankind fell into sin and shame, His Salvation was revealed to us and guaranteed for all who repent and believe in You!
For when You provided for, and prepared, the sacrifice of atonement for both Adam and the woman - covering them in innocence (Genesis 3:21); You have pointed to Christ’s death on the Cross at Calvary – who is, “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)
Holy Spirit, through the blood of Christ – I ask that sin be purged from my life; and that I be made holy and righteous in the sight of God; for in Christ, I am ‘born-again’, made alive in the spirit.
I repent of my wicked ways when I have given in to my fleshly desires. Forgive me, O God!
Through Your Power, strengthen my faith and resolve that my spirit would rule over my body and mind.
May I never gratify the lusts of my flesh; instead, may my desires be all about bringing You glory and honor.
Holy Spirit, clothe me with the Lord Jesus Christ!
May I always remain in Christ, and be restored into one-ness and whole-ness with God.
Restore me to “the joy of Your Salvation” (Psalm 51:12) and open my heart to the blessings that abound in all of your Children even before the Fall.
In Jesus’ Name, I claim Your Presence, Power and Promises of Providence, Protection and Kingdom Purpose in my life.
Holy Spirit, increase my faith in the Power of Christ’s Redemption and Resurrection that I may be restored to Mankind’s pre-fall condition of absolute trust in God.
I praise the Lord and Saviour of our souls – Jesus Christ - the Lamb of God who was worthy to be slain for the pardon of our sins and reconciliation unto God!
Lord, You saved us even in the midst of the Fall.
I receive Your love with immense gratitude.
Help me live every moment in You, O God; that I would boast solely in You through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom I have now received reconciliation.
Thank You for making me come alive in You!
Lord Jesus, I believe in You; and I believe that through being clothed with You – which is, to remain in You – I have been made holy once for all, and bear much fruit.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.