Barney nailed it again! In a recent teaching he made a point that helps us take on the challenges of every day decisions in our complex lives.
The chaotic world we live in demands us to respond to all of life's issues. Most are obliged to respond with worldly resources such as, worry about it, feel condemned, stress over it and rush about with hopeful solutions, all with the desire to finding the best way to deal with it. As born again believers we have better resources to bring to the table.
Barney's resourceful recommendation was to speak life into the situation. How is this done? As sons of God we have the promises of God in His Word to incorporate at any time we want. God's Word is life.
John 6:63: It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Acts 5:20: Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
A few weeks ago my son and his family joined us in Phoenix where my daughter and her husband now live. His wife was attending a Pharmaceutical Convention at a large hotel. Friday morning we knocked on his hotel room door and as he answered it, we noticed that one of his eyes was swollen, red and runny. He remarked it was painful as well. We considered several worldly resources, then Jeanie prayed for his healing. We figured he would need to remain in his hotel room to rest and recuperate. We took the grand boys for a walk around the hotel taking many rides on the long escalators. An hour or two later Tim called to join us and his eye was much better. What made all the difference? Jeanie had spoken life into the situation.
The other day I received a call from someone who was feeling bad about a situation he was involved with. After listening to some of the details, instead of entering into worldly solutions, I spoke life into the situation. I prayed for God's forgiveness and His resolution in the situation. There was no need for guilt or condemnation to be a part of the answer. With God in the equation only the best can be expected.
Take advantage of your spiritual resources as you live your life for Him and speak life into all your situations!
Psalm 27:1:...The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 34:18: The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Hebrews 10:35 & 36: Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Agape,
Bob
When I was in 6th grade I was a JPO. This position was very prestigious at the time. A JPO was a Junior Police Officer. In military fashion we would march out to various street corners and direct traffic and children across intersections. We had uniforms and red plastic helmets. We raised our right hand and took an oath commissioning us to uphold the highest form of integrity and respect. We were dedicated to safely take care of the children crossing the streets.
After graduating college I joined the Marine Corps and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. Again I raised my right hand and swore, with the highest moral standards, to protect and put my life on the line for my country.
Another commissioning that I experienced along with my wife was being election officials during local and national elections. Jeanie was a precinct inspector and I was the touchscreen inspector. We worked over 10 elections. Again, my right hand was raised and I took the oath that went like this: "I do hereby solemnly declare that I will support the Constitution of the USA and California...and that I will, to the best of my ability, faithfully discharge the duties of Election Officer." We took our job seriously.
But all of these pale to the Great Commissioning that the Heavenly Father has given to His family members. Thankfully Jesus Christ fulfilled His commission by being our redeemer and putting his life on the line to die for all mankind. During His life on earth He commissioned His followers as reflected in Matthew 28:19 & 20. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you".
Once the Christian Church was started with the introduction of the gift of holy spirit on the Day of Pentecost, there was an all-important charge or commissioning to the believers. It began with the declaration of Jesus Christ's last recorded words before ascending up to the right hand of the Father.
Acts 1:8: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Later, God unveiled more information about being "His witnesses." He revealed His passionate desire to: "... have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:4). To what extent does He call us to fulfill His dream of dreams? He declares that we are His ambassadors! (2 Corinthians 5:20a: "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you...").
How is this done? He does not have us raising our right hand and swearing that we will uphold the Gospel until Christ returns. There is no document to sign. No declaration of commitment. Nothing to say, sign, do or declare. He simply declares it as a reality and we simply believe it.
Our response to such an honor is to do it in love. We love because He first loved us (For the love of Christ constraineth us... 2 Corinthians 5:14). We are a "new creation in Christ." We live our life recognizing we are ambassadors for Christ, with the ministry of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:17-20a: (ASV)
Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.
But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation;
to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ,...
My goal here was to reveal that of all of life's opportunities and possibilities, none compares to standing for our Heavenly Father as His ambassadors, representing the Lord Jesus Christ to the world!
Agape,
Bob
Recently I heard a thought provoking statement in light of what our Lord and Savior went through to pay the price for our redemption. Al, recently in fellowship, presented another perspective that should really touch the depth of our being.
Many times when we buy something, we just put forth the money or visa card and it’s done. No big deal to pay whatever the price is. But for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ there was much more to do. The price he paid did not involve running a plastic card through a machine. It took him enduring immense pain for several days. He suffered like no man has ever experienced. It was all with the passion of loving you and me.
He approached the Heavenly Father in the garden to see if there was another way to accomplish man's redemption. There was not. He had to go through the most excruciating pain you could ever imagine. When we talk about the price he paid, perhaps we should be relating to the price he endured! When you partake of the communion service, please remember how much it took our Lord and Savior to endure the anguish of suffering to pay the legal price for man's redemption.
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Can you imagine Jesus Christ expressing that it was “joy” going through such an oppressive experience. Wow did he love mankind! What a terrific Lord and Savior we have! What should be our response to this? We should not only admire, but walk believing God's Word.
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Our response should be to walk in newness of life, recognizing all Jesus Christ has endured for us.
Agape,
Bob
No, I have not discovered some deep, hidden inheritance document that makes me some King or Nobleman. I do not even have in my DNA the lineage that makes me a Duke, nor an Earl, nor a Knight, not even some lowly stable boy!
Yet, I do reign in life as a result of what Jesus Christ did.
Romans 5:17b
...much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price to enable the born again one to reign in life. With the receiving God’s grace and His righteousness, we are put on a higher plane. You do not see Kings and Noblemen holding back from their position. They are excited, because they know who they are. We are righteous because we have His righteousness. We are confident because we are in the family of God. We are bold because it is Christ in us the hope of glory!
For many people they are subject to their sins and allow their ill-feelings to control their actions. We are not subject to the world. Our inheritance is in the Heavenly Father who has delivered us out of this dark world and put us in the kingdom of His son.
Colossians 1:12 & 13:
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
We are sons of God who reign in life because of what Jesus Christ did. Remember this reality and walk boldly.
Agape,
Bob
PS: Thanks Alison for your inspiration.
PPS: You already believe the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ, how about the truth about you?!!
I am not much of a Facebook person, but it is nice to see what different people are doing and saying from time to time. This social media reaches out to enhance relationships. Relationships are what makes life so special.
The most spectacular relationship we can experience is with our Heavenly Father. It is His Face that we should be seeking first and foremost.
2Ch 7:14: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face,
and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Deu 34:10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,
Psa 27:7 & 8: Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Dan 9:3a: And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications,..
God invented Facebook long ago. It was an exclusive arrangement with Him.
Now, those who are born again (Romans 10:9), are more than "friends" with God, but are sons of God (I John 3:1), and can "come boldly unto the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).
What a joyous expectation we can have as we Facebook much with our Heavenly Father.
Agape,
Bob