The Old Guy's Gone For Good

A beard really changes people - especially men. You can make a man look older, scruffier, wiser, or more suspicious. A beard does amazing things. Now somewives and girlfriends can't wait for the man to grow it; and others can't wait for him to shave it. My friend Lou spent much of his life clean-shaven. He also spentmany of those same years as an alcoholic. They were terrible years for his wife and his daughters. Now you don't need all the details, but they were terrible years.One day, Lou became so desperate that he surrendered the control of his out-of-control life to Jesus Christ. From that moment on, the Savior beat the bottle thathad always beaten Lou, and right about then, he started to grow a beard. He's had it for several years, but a couple of years ago, he decided to shave it onemorning. He walked out to his family, and he says, "Hey what do you think?" His little daughter began to cry, and begged her Dad to grow his beard back. See, theold face made her think of her old Dad. She was afraid the old Dad was back.

Our word for today from the Word of God - 2 Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 17. It is a promise from God to do something we can never do for ourselves. It is amiracle only He can do. Listen to this: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come." Boy what words - "newcreation" - not from the outside in - that's what happened to Lou - it was from the inside out. And it could happen to you. See you've got to come to the pointwhere you're tired of not being a man or a woman you really want to be . . . who those you love really need you to be. OK, here's my right hand on the right side ofthis table. This is the man I want to be - that people need for me to be. Now here's my left hand over here on the other side of the table - this is what I am. And Ican't close this gap between those two hands. See, that admission is the first step to a new you. Behind our mask of having it together is a man or woman who'saddicted to selfishness . . . or to unfaithfulness . . . or depression, or maybe we're addicted to a temper that is out of control . . . to a sexual appetite . . . to a habit.We have tried reforming - it hasn't worked!

We get ready for Jesus. You're ready as this verse says, "in Christ." Without Him, we're in trouble. The ultimate diagnosis of our inner darkness is called sin.We've got the wrong person running things. And the Bible says, "Sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." Sin separates us from the people we love . . .from the person we want to be . . . we need to be. It separates us from our Creator - Forever - unless we are "in Christ."

How do you get in Christ? John 3:16, "God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not die, butwill have eternal life." All the faith that you've put in yourself and your religion and in other people - put it all in Jesus now, and say, "I'm Yours."

Then there's a new beginning . . . a new Dad . . . a new Mom . . . a new son . . . a new daughter . . . a new mate . . . a new friend. Someone much stronger will be inthe driver's seat. He will take your life places you never dreamed it could go, and daily recreate you into someone who is becoming like Jesus Himself.

As my friend's daughter found out, a new Dad is more than just a new face. It is a transformed heart. It is a miracle only Jesus can do. And it is a miracle that Jesus iswaiting to do for you.

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Today's Daily Wisdom is written by Ron Hutchcraft, based on his popular radio broadcast,"A Word With You"."A WORD WITH YOU" daily devotionals are now available via e-mail. To subscribe send a blank email to:awordwithyou-subscribe@hutchcraft.com,or to request the "Yours for Life" booklet, fill out the form on this site:http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/yours/yflorder.html. Ron Hutchcraft Ministries has been on-line with Gospelcom since February, 1996, providingpractical answers to real life issues. (c) 2000 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.PO Box 400, Harrison AR 72602