Why Were You Purchased?

And they sang a new song, saying: 
“You are worthy to take the scroll
   and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
   and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language 
   and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom 
   and priests to serve our God,
   and they will reign on the earth.”

Revelation 5:9-10 NIV

I'm going to take a few days and highlight a few of the peaks into eternity provided for us in Revelation. Focusing on eternity is good for us because it helps us see our present circumstances in their true place. 

One of the scenes of worship we are shown Christ, the Lamb who was slain, is receiving praise because with his blood he purchased persons for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. That's us. Our redemption was costly and purposeful. Christ paid for us with his blood and we became his priests, serving him here on earth. Think about that. Christ didn't redeem you without a purpose. He did redeem you to be part of his kingdom and to reign with him here on earth. It does not matter who you were before your redemption, you are now a priest, tasked with reconciling the people you know to God. 

Every day is an opportunity for the Spirit of the Living God to work in and through you. Be ready. Be aware of any opportunity to represent Christ to a dying world. You don't have to give a full on testimony and alter call to every person you come in contact with. You just have to be ready and willing to love as Christ loved you. Whatever you do in Jesus' Name, he will honor and use. Maybe that simple kind word is a crack in the hardened shell around someones heart. It could be helping someone with some small task will lead to opening a door to share the gospel latter. Just serve. Just love. Trust God with the results.

So, my fellow priest, where does Christ have you serving today?  

The Eternal Tense of Forgiveness

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 

Colossians 1:21-22 NIV

God's goal, his end in mind, is to present you holy in his sight. He will deal with the blemishes and accusations. Sometimes the problem for us is that we still live as if we are alienated from God. We make choices as if we are still an enemy of God. 

In a way there is no tense that can adequately express the depth of the work of Christ on our sins. To say that we are forgiven doesn't just mean from the sins of the past and now we get to try to be perfect again. The reconciliation of death of Christ is eternal. Not just past, not just present, not just future, but eternal. When Christ died on the cross he knew we would sin, our whole life. He views us from eternity. His purpose is to present you holy, unblemished and free from accusation. 

Whatever you are struggling with, whatever you are going through, keep seeking Christ because he died to free you, not watch you try to be good enough. 

What We Have to Give

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 

Acts 3:6-9 NIV

The crippled beggar was hoping for money. Peter, didn't have money, but, what he did have was far better. What Jesus gave Peter, and I believe Jesus gives us, is the authority to restore people in His Name! II Corinthians 5:18 tells us that, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Chris and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." When you see someone in need, you give them, in Jesus' Name, what you have. 

One time, I was walking down town when a homeless man came up to me and asked for some money. I didn't have any on me. I asked him if he new who Jesus Christ was and immediately his eyes cleared up and he told me that he used to walk with Jesus but he had chose to do some bad things and he ended up there on the streets. I happened to have a little copy of the New Testament and Psalm in my back pocket. It actually was a pretty nice leather bound one that I received when in college, so it had a sentimental value to me. I ended giving it to him and praying with him right there in the middle of downtown LA. 

The point is that just at the mention of Jesus' Name the mans complete countenance changed. I am not sure what happened to him, but I know he remembered how much God loved him and wanted to restore him. 

Far or Near, God Restores

I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
   I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
   creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
   says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
Isaiah 57:18-19 (NIV)

God saves us because. Because of his grace, not our goodness. 
He sees our ways, but, he still will heal us. 
We go astray and he still guides. 
We wander and he restores and comforts us.
We could be far or we can be near and he still offers us peace with him in Christ. 
Whatever the wound, he will heal. 

Father, help us to walk with you in humility and willingness. Thank for your healing love for us. Praise be to you in us today!

HOW TO LIVE IN PEACE

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one can will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Hebrews 12:14-15

I am not a marriage counselor and by no means do I have the perfect marriage. I have seen too many of my friends end up divorced and not because of unfaithfulness. The reason seems to me that one or both were unwilling to make every effort to live in peace. They made every effort to be right, every effort to stand up for themselves, every effort to do things their way, but not every effort to live in peace. 

More often than not, forgiveness and humility are necessary. If I don't forgive and remember that I need to be forgiven, I will just end up pushing to be right, standing my ground and allowing walls to be built up. That will end up being walls of bitterness. Bitterness eats away at the soul and weakens you. You don't get strong, you get brittle and weak. 

I  encourage you to take an honest look at how you deal with relationships. Are you making every effort to live in peace?

Father help us to remember the effort you put in to forgive us, even though we don't deserve it. Thank you! Praise be to you in us today!

HEAL DON'T DISABLE

"Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." Hebrews 12:12-13

Derrick Rose, of the Chicago Bulls, injured his other knee and will likely be out a long time again. He just spent a year rehabilitating one knee. Without the use of his knee he can't do what he does and that is play basketball at a professional level.  Spiritually speaking when we are not strong in our faith we are spiritually disabled. Maybe we aren't professional athletes but we are full time Christians.

Why do we seek that Lord? Why seek to spend time with God on a daily basis? It is not to be righteous but to be strong, to be connected, to abide. Our strength is not in ourselves but in Christ. Jesus is our righteousness. 

You will have trials, troubles and conflict. But, connecting with God levels that path. You see, if I have an issue (self-inflicted or not) and the pathway is not level I need to seek the Lord. Sometimes just stoping to seek God helps me refocus on not continuing the conflict but makes me remember to not respond in anger. Sometimes I ask myself, "Am I making a way (to resolve things) or a wall (to avoid or punish)?" 

When I seek Christ and to be Christlike I realize how I act should be about healing. Where there is weakness, Christ wants to strengthen and heal us. He wants us to be part of that process by loving and forgiving. If I love others as Christ loved me I realize I don't deserve his love and forgiveness so who am I to think I can choose not to be loving and forgiving?

Connecting with Christ strengthens us and makes our paths straight because of his faithfulness, forgiveness and grace. 

Help us to strengthen ourselves and make our paths straight today. Praise be to you in us today!

NO LONGER IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES

"For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17 

The reason Christ came was to make atonement for our sins. For my sins. For your sins. For everyone's sins. Some versions translate the word reconciliation. Just take a moment and remember what that means.

If someone needs to be reconciled to someone else it is because there was something done, in our case sin, that separates two people. A wrong was done that requires a serious work of reconciliation to bring the two people back together. In divorces people will say there are irreconcilable differences. Christ's death on the cross was the atoning act that reconciles us with God and others. Without Christ's death, we would be eternally separated form God. 

In Christ we have the atonement, forgiveness and reconciliation that allows us to be God's children. Healing and wholeness can begins. In Christ, the otherwise irreconcilable differences are atoned for. 

Thank you. Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for being our high priest and making atonement for our sins and reconciling us back to the Father! Praise be to you in us today!