Verse of the Day - Titus 2:14

...[Jesus] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. ~ Titus 2:14 (NIV)

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Magnets are pretty incredible little gizmos. These metals attract other metals and make for a myriad of refrigerator paraphernalia -- a great use of physics! That is, if you are using magnets with metals of opposing poles. Ever try to take two magnets and put them together? That's frustrating entertainment, huh? It's nearly impossible, because like poles are opposed to one another, and they simply repel each other. And even if you actually got them together, depending on the strength of the magnetic force, as soon as you release your grip, they are GONE! Scrammed, like two fighting alley cats that get a spotlight shined on them. (Again, these are physics principles that boggle my mind so, therefore, I simply accept them without understanding them in the least. The magnets, that is...not the cats.)

Without the transforming work of Jesus Christ in our lives, we're like magnets to a refrigerator. We cling to selfish, sinful thoughts and attitudes with great force; in fact, compelled to stick to these things -- just like that Chip Clip magnet on your frig is compelled to stick! But Jesus can turn that sin attraction and compulsion in us into absolute repelling, so that we simply cannot latch on to sin and self as we once did. Even if we, with some effort on our part, force ourselves or allow ourselves to be pushed toward evil thoughts and deeds, the attraction is not the same. When the pressure is removed, we don't just sit there, clinging to the sin ways, like a refrigerator magnet. God's Holy Spirit is that opposing force that causes us to scram from evil, because our composition has changed. Praise God -- our composition has changed!

So the next time you use a magnet on your frig, stop and thank Jesus for changing you from a sin magnet to a sin repellent. And may we continue to rely on the opposing force of the Holy Spirit, so that our hearts and minds repel against selfish and malicious thoughts and gravitate toward godly things -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Love,
Joelene