Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s spend today outfitting ourselves in Christ.

Today’s scripture, Colossians 3:10 (NLT) exhorts…
[10] Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Consider…
According to Encyclopedia.com, “Dress for success” is the modern equivalent of “clothes maketh the man”—that is, it articulates the belief that what you wear matters in everyday life.

People typically choose their outfits based on where they’re going or what they’re doing. For example, you would not put a business suit and dress shoes to go jogging, nor would you put on jogging clothes and tennis shoes to attend a black-tie event.

This situational awareness adds another important variable to “dress for success”, which is what I’ve coined the “Situational Success Standard”?

In order to define the “Situational Success Standard”, we must look at the definition for each word. Oxford Languages defines…

• Situational as relating to the location and surroundings of a place.
• Success as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
• Standard as an idea or thing used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations.

…thus, the “Situational Success Standard” is the norm or model required to accomplish the aim or purpose in a particular location or surrounding.

So what’s our situation? Well, Ephesians 2:1-5 (NLT) explains…
[1] Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. [2] You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. [3] All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. [4] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

Our situation is that we’re alive in Christ, living in a dying world. That means we must look alive despite having death all around us.

Ephesians 5:8-11 (NLT) explains it this way…
[8] For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! [9] For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. [10] Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. [11] Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.

Light exposes what’s in the dark. People should be convicted of their evil ways in your presence if the light of Christ is shining through you.

For you see 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NLT) emphasizes…
[20] So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” [21] For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

As ambassadors, we must always be mindful that we’re in this place, the world, for our King. Therefore, we must obey 1 John 2:15-17 (NLT), which commands…
[15] Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. [16] For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [17] And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

It’s important to remember our ambassadorship is only a temporary assignment. Accordingly, we must operate with the same mindset as the Apostle Paul in
Philippians 1:20-25 (NLT)…
[20] For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. [21] For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. [22] But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. [23] I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. [24] But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. [25] Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.

One of the reasons God has left us here on earth is to help others know and grow in Christ.

Speaking of helping others know and grow in Christ, look at what He says in Matthew 5:13-16 (NLT)…
[13] “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. [14] “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. [15] No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

We’re to be salt and light for God. What salt and light have in common is that they both draw out the bad things that are hidden. Sinfulness should be uncomfortable in your presence if Christ is living in you.

This can only be the case if 1 Peter 1:14-16 (NLT) is true for us…
[14] So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. [15] But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. [16] For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

Which brings us full circle to dressing for success. Ephesians 4:24 (NLT) instructs us to…
[24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

When I have thought about what it means to put on my new nature in the past, I looked for a list of do’s and don’t’s. However, in searching the scriptures for today’s post, the Holy Spirit led me to Colossians 2:20-23 (NLT), which says…
[20] You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, [21] “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? [22] Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. [23] These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

This means outfitting ourselves in Christ isn’t about only following a bunch of written rules, but rather following the direction of Romans 13:14 (NLT) which says…
[14] Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

There’s a saying that ‘Rules are made to be broken’. In fact I remember a professional football coach saying if you’re not cheating you’re not trying to win. That means the rules only serve as fences that restrict how and where we can play. However God doesn’t want us focused on rigid rules rather than our relationship with Him.

The Holy Spirit is telling me that we keep trying to keep the law, when God is telling us to live through Christ. Paul explains it this way in Galatians 2:19-20 (NLT)…
[19] For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. [20] My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

WOW, the Holy Spirit just showed me that we’ve been solely focused on a conversion when God also wants our immersion.

This made me look up the definitions. According to Oxford Languages…

• Conversion is the fact of changing one’s religion or beliefs or the action of persuading someone else to change theirs.
• Immersion is a method of teaching a foreign language by the exclusive use of that language, usually at a special school.

The Holy Spirit reinforced the immersion emphasis by directing me to John 15:4-5 (NLT), where Jesus said…
[4] Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. [5] “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

And He continued in John 15:9-11 (NLT)…
[9] “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. [10] When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. [11] I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

This immersion revelation makes me think of these song lyrics I found on Google…

A long long time ago, I did not know the Lord,
So I started out seeking salvation
To help my situation.
I had never never known just what it meant to be free,
But when I got down on my knees, Thank God,
Something got a hold on me.

Now I’m wrapped up, tied up, tangled all up in Jesus. Wrapped up, tied up, tangled all up in Jesus. I’m wrapped up, tied up tangled all up in Jesus. Wrapped up, tied up, tangled all up in God.

After I got salvation, I wanted a little more,
So I got down on my knees,
I began to seek the Lord,
I was in need of the Holy Spirit, I prayed that it would come,
And before I knew it I found myself,
Speaking in an unknown tongue.

Now I’m wrapped up, tied up, tangled all up in Jesus. Wrapped up, tied up, tangled all up in Jesus. I’m wrapped up, tied up tangled all up in Jesus. Wrapped up, tied up, tangled all up in God.

I am convinced that God wants us to be completely immersed in Jesus. I am so confident of this because the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write Galatians 5:24-25 (NLT), which says…
[24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. [25] Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

The Holy Spirit is saying salvation is only the beginning of our life with God. God has an expectation that we become like Jesus. Romans 8:29 (NLT)
explains…
[29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Our Heavenly Father doesn’t only want us to be saved by His Son, He also wants us to become like Him!

That makes me think of Micah Stampley singing…

Holiness, holiness is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness is what You want for me
Righteousness, righteousness is what I long for
Righteousness is what I need (That’s what I need)
Righteousness, righteousness is what You want for me
Take my heart and mold it
Take my mind; transform it
Take my will; conform it
To Yours, to Yours Oh Lord

Micah’s chorus makes me think of the example of John the Baptist in John 3:30 (NLT), where he said…
[30] He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

Christ wants to overtake everything about us.

Thus, I believe God wants us to agree with the Apostle Paul’s testimony in Philippians 3:8-11 (NLT)…
[8] Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ [9] and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. [10] I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, [11] so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

We must be consumed with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! That’s what I believe clothing ourselves with Christ and putting on our new nature is about.

It’s like being consumed with something we enjoy. We’ll research it, practice it, spend time with it, and give our best to it. That’s how God wants us to be about Christ.

The more time we spend learning and practicing Christlikeness the more our nature will be transformed to become like His. Then we won’t have to ask what would Jesus do, because it’s our new nature to just do what we know He did.

So I encourage you to fully immerse yourself in Christ. In fact the Holy Spirit is telling me there is no toe dipping allowed with Christ.

As a matter of fact, the Holy Spirit enlightened me that it’s not a coincidence that God requires us to be baptized, which is the epitomy of immersion. That’s because baptism represents burying our dead sinful nature. Romans 6:4-6 (NLT) explains…
[4] For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. [5] Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. [6] We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.

Hopefully this post inspires you to go all-in with God!

Today’s Song is…
Wrapped Up, Tied Up, Tangled Up

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)