GET TOGETHER- THIS IS WHO HE MADE YOU

GET TOGETHER- THIS IS WHO HE MADE YOU

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (NKJV)

            First of all, I would like to be sure that the Lord gets all the glory for what I believe that He would have me to write about today.  Before we come to Christ no matter what the world may think of us, we are sinners that are lost and have no hope for the future.  It doesn’t matter whether we may have been materially rich, materially poor, successful in the world’s eyes, or unsuccessful in the world’s eyes. We were all lost. The Bible tells us in Ro 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (NKJV) And the Bible tells us what the future of the lost sinner is in Ro 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NKJV) But did you also notice in that last passage that there is a gift there for the repentant sinner. It is eternal life. Eternal life begins the moment a person repents of their sin and calls on the name of the Lord to be saved. And eternal life is not only now, but it is forever.

            As we live eternal life here on earth, we get a new identity. As Peter writes about, we are now a royal priesthood.  Jesus paid the price on the cross at Calvary for us to get that new identity: Eph 2:13” But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (NKJV)  In the Old Testament Israel was called to be a nation of priests and a holy nation. Ex 19:6 ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.   As New Covenant people we are serving is His Kingdom as priests. We are told this in  “Re 1:6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (NKJV)

            We are a chosen generation. What an honor that God has chosen us to serve Him.   When He chooses us, we want to answer Him by saying yes Lord I will serve You.  The Greek term for royal here is basileios. It means to be kingly in nature. As God’s priests called to a holy priesthood, He has given us spiritual authority in the spheres that He calls us to serve Him in.  We have victory over sin, the devil, and the world.  God has called us to serve Him. That means in our families, schools, workplace, all areas of ministry, and again where ever we may be. We serve Him and walk in the authority that He has bestowed upon us. 

            As priests we are called to offer spiritual sacrifices to God: 1Pe 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (NKJV) We do this through prayer. In our private prayer time. In our time praying with others, and as we go throughout the day.  We are told in Eph 6:18” praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”   The Apostle Paul tells us in 1Th 5:17 “pray without ceasing.” We also do this through worship when we sing His praise and worship Him for who He is.

            In our new identity the unholy has been made holy. The Greek term for holy is hagios,  hag’-ee-os. It means consecrated, pure morally blameless.  We have been made holy by Jesus death and resurrection.   God is imparting holiness to us as we grow in Christ. We experience transformation in those areas of our life that are not reflective of Jesus Christ.  God is lovingly and gently at work in those areas of our lives bringing transformation.  The Apostle Paul wrote about this in Ro 12:1,2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Now others can see that new identity in us.  Others will be able to see what happened to us when we were born again! Others will see that we now have a new identity!  After all, after we come to Christ we are a new creation as the Apostle Paul wrote in 2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  And as His priests we use our new identity to offer Jesus Christ to a lost and hurting world that needs Him so bad. 

Child of God don’t let the devil convince you that you are a nobody. Don’t let the devil convince you that you are not significant. If you are born again you have been given a new identity that was bought with a very high price. Rejoice that in your new identity as a royal priest, and as a citizen of a  holy nation that Jesus has done something for us that we could never do for ourselves!

Let us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank You that You have given us a new identity. We thank You that we are not who we use to be. We thank you that You have entrusted us as Your representatives on this earth with a holy calling. Today we pray that you will help us to continually grow in Christ in such a way that others see that new identity in us and desire to have one too.

In Jesus Name

Amen

 

Love you all!

Your Friend/Kinfolk

Preston 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GET TOGETHER-  Don’t Tear The Foundation Down 

GET TOGETHER-  Don’t Tear The Foundation Down 

Mt 7:24-29 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (NKJV)

            A few weeks ago, we had a new roof put on our house. This past Saturday during the storms some shingles blew off of our new roof. Thankfully the roofer came out this past Monday and replaced those shingles. The good news is that out house was still there. 

            On the other hand, if someone came by with a wrecking ball and began to knock the concrete blocks that are the foundation of our house down the results would not be quiet as good. Our house would fall down. And we would be left with a big mess.

            In this passage Jesus talks about the importance of us building our spiritual house on the rock and not on the sand. He is our Rock. He is the Rock of our salvation. He is the chief cornerstone of our salvation, our spiritual house Eph 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” (NKJV) There may be some things that need correcting by the Holy Spirit in our lives.  However as long as He is the chief cornerstone of our foundation the house will not fall. 

            I think that is true as well for any nation. If He is the chief cornerstone that nation will not fall.  I don’t consider what I am about to say to be a political statement, but a word from the Lord.  A nation may have not been perfect during its history. The wonderful nation that we live in certainly has not at times. On the other hand, when a nation is not perfect, but Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone on what that nation believes He will honor that and He will bring correction where it is needed and help that nation to walk in the will of God. However, any individual, nation, business, or any other thing that is not built on Hm is built on sand and at some point, that house will come crashing down.

           So today let me ask you a question. Is your house built on the Rock, or on the sand? Is your business built on the Rock, or on the sand? Is your family built on the Rock, or on the sand? Would you pray for our nation? I am not asking you to do anything, but pray that this nation be built on the Rock and not on  the sand.  

 

Let us Pray

Lord Jesus we thank You that You are the Rock of our salvation. We pray today that You will help us to walk in the assurance that when the winds howl and the rains come down that as long as our house is built on You that it will stand.  We pray for our nation today that there will be a Holy Spirit awakening in this nation. We pray for all that have built on the sand to come to that place where they decide to build on the Rock.

In Jesus Name

Amen

 

Love you all! 

Your Friend/Kinfolk 

Preston