Ministry of Reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:14-19 (NIV) 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation
Reconciliation means to be reunited, brought back, being restored. I once heard it said this way. God demands holiness, but we are sinners and cannot achieve holiness. Yet, God cannot lower His standards. So because of His great love for mankind, He fulfilled His requirement by allowing Jesus to take on the sins of the world and die in our place, thus reconciling us to Him.
The above scriptures have always been some of my favorites. When we receive the free gift of salvation, everything changes. As we become molded into the image of our Savior, we then become ambassadors of the faith. Isn’t that wonderful? We receive salvation by grace through faith, but we become disciples when we answer the call to follow.
May we each become reconciled to God through Jesus, and may we understand that one of our highest callings is to become ministers of reconciliation so that others might be saved.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Majesty of God
1 Chronicles 16:23-27 (NIV) 23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
In today’s scripture, the Hebrews are once again in possession of the Ark of the Covenant, and David is instructing the priests on worship. He has borrowed from multiple psalms to extol God’s majesty.
How often do we remember God’s sovereignty? And why is it important to acknowledge God as the supreme power and ruler? If we fail to recognize and exalt God as the One who created everything from nothing, the One to whom we owe worship, then we can fall into the trap of self-reliance. One of the most cringe-worthy phrases I’ve ever heard is “self-made man.” Many of us began our lives with very little—few resources, even less money, and sometimes no emotional support. But God—
I was raised in church and I don’t remember a time when I did not believe, but there were times when I did not follow. I foolishly made decisions, asking God to bless my choices because, after all, I was a good little Christian. But God—regardless of where my path took me, always brought me back to the pathway of holiness.
May we be quick to offer Him our praise and our worship, and slow to make decisions on our own.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Our Hope is in the Lord
Isaiah 40:28-31
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Joshua 1:9 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Isaiah 35:3-8 3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
7 The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
8 And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
During our lives most of us have seasons of good health and poor health, times of want and times of plenty. Yet the one thing that remains constant is our hope in Christ. How do we sustain our hope when it seems that all is gone? We begin and end each day with the name of Jesus on our lips.
You see, we are too often paralyzed by the physical, viewing lack as a punishment and poor health as a clear sign that Jesus no longer cares. What if we instead begin each morning speaking the name of Jesus? What if we begin praising God out loud every day, rather than becoming as one without hope?
Will engaging in praise each morning change our circumstances? Maybe not, but it will change how we view our circumstances. Suddenly we will find ourselves thanking God for all of the times our health was good rather than poor. We will thank Him because we will remember that God is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. He is Jehovah Rapha, our Healer. And He is Jehovah Raah, our Shepherd.
May we ask God to give us a new attitude, one where gratitude spills out of our mouths as easily as the water spills over the dam.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Battle is not Yours
2 Chronicles 20:14-23 14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful. ” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
How many times have we read of conquests in the Bible that would have been impossible but for God? In today’s scripture we find the impossible was accomplished, all because God’s people listened and obeyed. The people were instructed not to be afraid or discouraged, to stand fast and to praise God for the battle was already won.
If we could see through the haze of war to know the conclusion of our battles, then we would not be living by faith. No, it is when we keep our eyes on Jesus and adhere to His promises that the battle is won, not through our strength but by His.
May we rely on our Lord and Savior each step of the way, praising Him for what has already been accomplished in the heavenlies.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Forgiveness, redemption and renewal
Psalms 103:1-10 (NKJV) 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, he will
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.7
Isn’t it good to sing praises to God? In this psalm, David has reached old age, and he is reflecting on some of the benefits of living with and for the Lord. For those of us who were raised in church, we immediately recognize the themes of forgiveness, redemption and renewal.
Because we have received forgiveness, it is incumbent upon us to forgive others. But how can I forgive someone when I know they will hurt me again? I remember that forgiveness is an act of obedience to God and obeying God is so much more important than the concerns I might have over being hurt again.
Redemption means we are being bought back, often at a great price. Jesus bought our redemption at Calvary and we are so blessed to be able walk in that saving grace every day.
Finally, we look at renewal, which is the regeneration of our spirits after they have been sullied by sin. Only God can replace what has been essentially destroyed. But the good news is that nothing us too big for God.
May we place ourselves in the hands of the Almighty God so that He can work in us and through us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 