I Peter 2:9a - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation….
When God calls us a holy nation of people, He is talking about a group of people He has consecrated for Himself. You are blessed because God has given you His blessings.
The Bible encourages us to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). This means we have the privilege of living a holy life with the help of God. To be holy is to know that you are separated and set aside to be of special use in the service of God.
The Bible teaches that light and darkness cannot co-exist together. God is light; and we were living in darkness, so the two could not meet until the blood of Jesus washed, cleansed, and purified us.
Throughout the Bible, the word holiness is used to define the character of God. The word holy means to be saintly, sacred, and pure; and it defines the loving nature of God. It means that God is separate from evil. God personifies holiness in all of His attributes, and He calls you to live a life of holiness.
When Jesus walked the earth, evil spirits recognized Him as being holy because He is the Son of God with God’s nature.
It is possible for us to live a holy and pleasing life because God lives in us. When we are faced with the choice to either do good or bad, He is there with the answers. When we ask for His help, God will help us to overcome temptation and will always provide the way of escape for us.
Ponder and meditate on this:
Is it possible to live a holy and pleasing life before God?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
A Royal Priesthood
1 Peter 2:9a – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation….
The Bible says you are a royal priesthood. This means you are part of a royal family of priests. You are of the family of God. Because of ‘whose’ you are, you stand out in a crowd. He who lives in you is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
In the Old Testament a high priest was consecrated to God. In the New Testament a high priest is not only consecrated but is holy, blameless and divine in nature. Jesus is our great high priest and He is holy and pure. He is our ultimate high priest.
You and I represent Jesus -- our high priest. The New Testament clearly teaches the priesthood of all believers. 1 Peter 2:5 says, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This means that we share in all of Christ’s priestly activities. Each time we share the Word of God with someone, we are acting as a priest in the Kingdom of God. When we bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are acting as priests.
As our High Priest, Jesus understands all of our needs and He is concerned about us. He daily speaks to God about us. We are never alone in the struggles we are facing. He is always with us! When we find ourselves in the midst of difficulties, if we look closely, we will find that He is ahead of us in the problem and already has the solutions prepared for us.
Our great High Priest, Jesus, is always available to us. He is not distant but is as close as the breath we breathe. Hold on tightly to Him and never let Him go.
Ponder and meditate on this:
How can I be more effective in my role as a high priest?
The Bible says you are a royal priesthood. This means you are part of a royal family of priests. You are of the family of God. Because of ‘whose’ you are, you stand out in a crowd. He who lives in you is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
In the Old Testament a high priest was consecrated to God. In the New Testament a high priest is not only consecrated but is holy, blameless and divine in nature. Jesus is our great high priest and He is holy and pure. He is our ultimate high priest.
You and I represent Jesus -- our high priest. The New Testament clearly teaches the priesthood of all believers. 1 Peter 2:5 says, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This means that we share in all of Christ’s priestly activities. Each time we share the Word of God with someone, we are acting as a priest in the Kingdom of God. When we bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are acting as priests.
As our High Priest, Jesus understands all of our needs and He is concerned about us. He daily speaks to God about us. We are never alone in the struggles we are facing. He is always with us! When we find ourselves in the midst of difficulties, if we look closely, we will find that He is ahead of us in the problem and already has the solutions prepared for us.
Our great High Priest, Jesus, is always available to us. He is not distant but is as close as the breath we breathe. Hold on tightly to Him and never let Him go.
Ponder and meditate on this:
How can I be more effective in my role as a high priest?
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Discovery
Isaiah 32:6 - He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
How many of you have discovered that there are hidden treasures in you? God has placed His stamp of approval on you. His very nature is in you.
To discover what God has in store for your life, you must go on an adventure. You must search for the reason God created you to be who you are. He was very specific in your ‘design’ – He did not miss a detail for your life.
On your adventure, you will probably discover many things that you have been saying to the Lord about yourself that are not true. Many of you have been repeating what you have heard others say about you, but what they have said is not a true reflection of how God sees you and of who you are.
Some of us have said critical things about ourselves, but this is not how God sees us. We think we are not tall enough, short enough, small enough, and intelligent enough, this list can go on and on – you get the picture.
God is telling you that you are exactly how He designed you to be and you have everything you need in you to fulfill your destiny. When you tell Him the things you don’t like about yourself, what you are saying to Him is that He made a mistake in your ‘design’. Imagine telling the King of the universe that He made a mistake, when He designed you!
You are not a surprise to God, and you are definitely not a disappointment. He loves you just as you are, and He welcomes you into His presence at all times. Begin to see yourself differently and then rewrite your ‘self’ script.
Allow God to develop all the gifts and talents He placed in you.
Ponder and meditate on this:
What negative things have I been saying about myself?
How many of you have discovered that there are hidden treasures in you? God has placed His stamp of approval on you. His very nature is in you.
To discover what God has in store for your life, you must go on an adventure. You must search for the reason God created you to be who you are. He was very specific in your ‘design’ – He did not miss a detail for your life.
On your adventure, you will probably discover many things that you have been saying to the Lord about yourself that are not true. Many of you have been repeating what you have heard others say about you, but what they have said is not a true reflection of how God sees you and of who you are.
Some of us have said critical things about ourselves, but this is not how God sees us. We think we are not tall enough, short enough, small enough, and intelligent enough, this list can go on and on – you get the picture.
God is telling you that you are exactly how He designed you to be and you have everything you need in you to fulfill your destiny. When you tell Him the things you don’t like about yourself, what you are saying to Him is that He made a mistake in your ‘design’. Imagine telling the King of the universe that He made a mistake, when He designed you!
You are not a surprise to God, and you are definitely not a disappointment. He loves you just as you are, and He welcomes you into His presence at all times. Begin to see yourself differently and then rewrite your ‘self’ script.
Allow God to develop all the gifts and talents He placed in you.
Ponder and meditate on this:
What negative things have I been saying about myself?
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
You Are Special!
Do you love to hear that you are special? You are indeed special to God! God loves you in an amazing and wonderful way; and, if you were the only person on earth, God would still have sent Jesus to die just for you – this is love in its richest form.
Scientists say there are millions of sperm cells that approach the female egg in order for a child to be born. Consider this -- out of those millions, you were the one who made it -- you were the one specifically hand-selected by God to be born. You are amazingly special to God!
The scripture says that God numbered the hairs on your head. How many of you know the number of strands of hair that are on your head? God knows each and everyone of them. He takes delight in you.
God handcrafted you. You do not look like anyone else, talk like anyone else, or have the same personality or make up as any one else. Your handprint, footprint, voiceprint are unlike any one else’s -- they are uniquely yours. You are exceptional to God, and you are exclusively designed for Him.
The God of heaven knows how truly special you are and He did not make a carbon copy or replica of you. Even twins have different personalities and traits.
To say you are special does not cover the amazing work of art that you are. Celebrate who you are and know that there is no one else like you on planet earth.
Ponder and meditate on these:
How does God see me?
How special am I to God?
Scientists say there are millions of sperm cells that approach the female egg in order for a child to be born. Consider this -- out of those millions, you were the one who made it -- you were the one specifically hand-selected by God to be born. You are amazingly special to God!
The scripture says that God numbered the hairs on your head. How many of you know the number of strands of hair that are on your head? God knows each and everyone of them. He takes delight in you.
God handcrafted you. You do not look like anyone else, talk like anyone else, or have the same personality or make up as any one else. Your handprint, footprint, voiceprint are unlike any one else’s -- they are uniquely yours. You are exceptional to God, and you are exclusively designed for Him.
The God of heaven knows how truly special you are and He did not make a carbon copy or replica of you. Even twins have different personalities and traits.
To say you are special does not cover the amazing work of art that you are. Celebrate who you are and know that there is no one else like you on planet earth.
Ponder and meditate on these:
How does God see me?
How special am I to God?
Monday, March 23, 2009
An Heir
Galatians 4:7 – So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a Son of God; God has made you also an heir.
Romans 8:17a – Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. This means that whatever God has given to Jesus is also ours. We have joint ownership with Him.
The good news is that we do not have to wait to inherit the promises of God for our lives. There are thousands of promises in the Word, and we can claim them all as an heir of God.
As joint-heirs with Jesus, we can claim our inheritances NOW. Since Jesus has already died, we do not have to wait for those inheritances. When we receive an inheritance from our earthly parents, the inheritance does not change hands until they die. As sons (and daughters) of God, we have access to all the blessings God has provided for us here on earth because of the death of His Son.
Heirs …
- are beneficiaries to a kingdom – Jesus prepared it for us
- have the same blessings as Jesus
- have a legacy in God
- are able to legally claim their inheritance
We have the counsel of the Godhead because we are heirs of God, and this divine support and guidance helps us, as we pursue our destiny.
Nothing is impossible for God’s heirs because His provisions and blessings are available for all of His children to enjoy.
Ponder and meditate on this:
How can I embrace and believe that I own the things that Jesus owns?
Romans 8:17a – Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. This means that whatever God has given to Jesus is also ours. We have joint ownership with Him.
The good news is that we do not have to wait to inherit the promises of God for our lives. There are thousands of promises in the Word, and we can claim them all as an heir of God.
As joint-heirs with Jesus, we can claim our inheritances NOW. Since Jesus has already died, we do not have to wait for those inheritances. When we receive an inheritance from our earthly parents, the inheritance does not change hands until they die. As sons (and daughters) of God, we have access to all the blessings God has provided for us here on earth because of the death of His Son.
Heirs …
- are beneficiaries to a kingdom – Jesus prepared it for us
- have the same blessings as Jesus
- have a legacy in God
- are able to legally claim their inheritance
We have the counsel of the Godhead because we are heirs of God, and this divine support and guidance helps us, as we pursue our destiny.
Nothing is impossible for God’s heirs because His provisions and blessings are available for all of His children to enjoy.
Ponder and meditate on this:
How can I embrace and believe that I own the things that Jesus owns?
Thursday, March 19, 2009
A Worshipper
Psalm 95:6 - Come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
To be a worshiper is the key to how much you will experience God, discover who you are and fulfill the great destiny He has for यू. Worshiping God is the key to the depth of your experience with God – this is the place where you discover who God created “YOU” to be.
You and I should worship God because He is absolutely deserving and worthy of our worship. After Adam and Eve sinned and gave up their authority to the enemy, God, in His mercy and grace, redeemed us from living eternity in pain, grief, and suffering.
We should have suffered for our sins; but we were released from its penalty because of Jesus’ victory over death, hell, and the grave.
We worship God because Jesus is continuously interceding for us. He is concerned about the situations that we are in, the things that are painful for us to bear, and for the conditions of our lives. He is always praying for us and seeking God’s mercies on our behalf.
We worship God because:
- He loves us
- We love Him
- He is the One and ONLY God
- We have surrendered our lives to Him
- We respect Him
- We adore Him
- We reverence Him
- We honor Him
You will find that, as you develop your personal relationship with God, there are many other reasons that will cause you to bow your knees in total admiration of who He is in your life and for all He does and will do for you.
He is God and is completely worthy of our worship.
Ponder and meditate on this:
How can I surrender my all in worship to God?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Image Of The Holy Spirit
Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
The Holy Spirit is the powerful presence of God who lives in us. The moment we asked Jesus to come into our hearts, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in us. Our heart is the place where the Holy Spirit resides.
The Holy Spirit is the power of God that reigns on earth and helps us navigate through the difficulties of life. He helps us in the midst of life’s trials, and the Bible says that the Holy Spirit is our:
- Comforter
- Helper
- Advocate (Lawyer)
- Friend
- He leads and guides us into all truth
- He convicts when we are wrong
The Holy Spirit brings stability to our lives and sustains us, when we are burdened with the cares of the world. His presence carries us through, when burdens become overwhelming; and we are then able to pursue God’s path for our lives.
In the midst of difficult situations, He comforts us, helps us, fights for us, and supports us. He also guides us with the truth of God’s Word and convicts us, when we sin and miss the mark. He is always working for our good.
Just as Jesus honors the Father and does only what He says, the Holy Spirit honors the Son and does only what Jesus tells Him to do. Therefore, since the Holy Spirit governs our lives, we must also do only what He instructs us to do. This will bring us into a deeper relationship with the Godhead and ensures that we succeed in the assignments for our lives.
Ponder and meditate on this:
How can I honor the Holy Spirit with my life?
The Holy Spirit is the powerful presence of God who lives in us. The moment we asked Jesus to come into our hearts, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in us. Our heart is the place where the Holy Spirit resides.
The Holy Spirit is the power of God that reigns on earth and helps us navigate through the difficulties of life. He helps us in the midst of life’s trials, and the Bible says that the Holy Spirit is our:
- Comforter
- Helper
- Advocate (Lawyer)
- Friend
- He leads and guides us into all truth
- He convicts when we are wrong
The Holy Spirit brings stability to our lives and sustains us, when we are burdened with the cares of the world. His presence carries us through, when burdens become overwhelming; and we are then able to pursue God’s path for our lives.
In the midst of difficult situations, He comforts us, helps us, fights for us, and supports us. He also guides us with the truth of God’s Word and convicts us, when we sin and miss the mark. He is always working for our good.
Just as Jesus honors the Father and does only what He says, the Holy Spirit honors the Son and does only what Jesus tells Him to do. Therefore, since the Holy Spirit governs our lives, we must also do only what He instructs us to do. This will bring us into a deeper relationship with the Godhead and ensures that we succeed in the assignments for our lives.
Ponder and meditate on this:
How can I honor the Holy Spirit with my life?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
