I was reminded tonight that it is important for us to contemplate grace. The Grace that God has shown to us because of the work of Jesus. This Grace that for us is a free gift, a pardon for sin and a security of a home in heaven. Such great blessings for free! Yet we are to remember the price that was paid for this Grace. Jesus paid an extremely high price for this grace.
Jesus was in heaven as God with power and authority and yet He lowered himself to take on the form of a human. Not just any human but a baby, born in a barn to a poor family in difficult circumstances. He did not seek to achieve great wealth or power while He was on earth. He lived a perfect life and was persecuted and caused to suffer and die a horrible death on a cross because He wanted to pay the price for our sin.
And Jesus did not do all that just so that you and I can get a "i get to go to heaven" card. Jesus did that so that we can experience the work of His Grace in our lives by the Holy Spirit. This Grace was given to transform us. Transformation into who God has for us to be, not our agenda but His. It will be uncomfortable at times, maybe even painful and hard a lot of the time.
As a Christian your price is paid, now you are His and His Grace will cause a transformation in you to be obedient to His Word. Live the surrendered life, submitting daily to Jesus and He will take care of the rest. Then respond and do what you are supposed to, because your Lord has asked you to.
We owe Him everything and a lot more.
Preacherman
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Hebrews 10
Let us be reminded today of the great value of the sacrifice of Jesus and the solid foundation it is for our salvation.
Hebrews, Chapter 10 (ESV)
1: For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
2: Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
3: But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4: For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5: Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
6: in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
7: Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"
8: When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law),
9: then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
10: And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11: And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12: But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13: waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
14: For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15: And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"
17: then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."
18: Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
20: by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
21: and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22: let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
24: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25: not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
26: For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27: but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
28: Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
29: How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
30: For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people."
31: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32: But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,
33: sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
34: For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
35: Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36: For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
37: For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38: but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
39: But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Jesus paid a one time eternal sacrificial price for our sin. No further payment is required or can be made by us. the sufficiency of His work is full, complete and far greater than our understanding. Worship and celebrate the finished work of Jesus today. He is more than worthy of all our praise.
Hebrews, Chapter 10 (ESV)
1: For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
2: Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
3: But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4: For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5: Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
6: in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
7: Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"
8: When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law),
9: then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
10: And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11: And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12: But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13: waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
14: For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15: And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16: "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"
17: then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."
18: Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
20: by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
21: and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22: let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
24: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25: not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
26: For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27: but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
28: Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
29: How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
30: For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people."
31: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32: But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,
33: sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
34: For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
35: Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36: For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
37: For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38: but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
39: But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Jesus paid a one time eternal sacrificial price for our sin. No further payment is required or can be made by us. the sufficiency of His work is full, complete and far greater than our understanding. Worship and celebrate the finished work of Jesus today. He is more than worthy of all our praise.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Worship is part of the beauty of how God created us. We are made to worship Him. Take time today to intentionally worship God. Then plan on becoming a worshiper 24/7 in all that you do, live a life of worship.
Psalms, Chapter 150 (ESV)
Psalms, Chapter 150 (ESV)
Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!
It is ok to worship in times of quiet and also in times of great volume. Worship is part of our testimony and witness about the majesty and wonder of God and all that He has done for us.
Live it out, speak it out, sing it out
Preacherman
Live it out, speak it out, sing it out
Preacherman
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Pondering Judgement and restoration
Matthew 7:1-5 (ESV)
1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, andwith the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
As I re-visit this passage today I am so reminded that we as people have had a tendency to focus on the "judge not" idea that is presented here. It is true that we are warned not to judge each other, yet we could stop there and really believe that means that when we see a brother or sister in sin that we had better not challenge them on it or we might be judging them.
The reminder I want us to embrace from this text is not only the warning about judgment but the teaching about restoration. Jesus is giving us instruction to make sure we are taking a good hard look at ourselves before we go to our brother or sister about their sin. We are not to review our life and then just agree that we have many logs in our eyes and so therefore we cannot go to our brother or sister because it would not be right. Rather Jesus calls us to remove those logs, so that we can go to our brothers and sisters in love and help them to remove the speck from their eye.
We are called to become agents of restoration, not persecution and not complacency. We need to seek humility in our walk with the Lord, asking the Spirit to show us what we need to remove from our eyes on a regular basis. This way when we encounter a brother or sister in sin, we will walk tenderly with them to help them remove it from their life.
Spend time daily seeking humility and asking God to refine you and prepare you to help others in their walk. Surrender fresh and ask Jesus to take care of these things in you and through you, because on your own you will only mess it all up.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Take a moment to read, ponder, pray, worship
Take a few minutes out of the craziness of your day and read / ponder / consider this Psalm. It is so full of worship, of references to God in His supreme power and creativity. After you read and ponder please feel free to share how God is using this passage or parts of it in your life.
1: Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
2: Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3: Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4: For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5: He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6: By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
7: He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.
8: Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9: For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10: The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11: The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
12: Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
13: The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;
14: from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15: he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
16: The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17: The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.
18: Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19: that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.
20: Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
21: For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22: Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
let us worship the Lord today all to His honor and glory - AMEN
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