Welcome!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Today: Chosen by God-to proclaim Him!
Passage: 1 Peter 1, Acts 2
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2: 9-10, NKJV)
Peter, who was blessed to be the main preacher and minister on the day of Pentecost, would not have fully understood all the great privileges of being a member of the body of Christ, on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2)
But later on, God reveled to Peter the great and precious position of the people of God
Today, we rarely see people who really understand and appreciate the blessed privilege they have received, as they were accepted into this supreme position in Christ. Once we were not a people but are now the people of God; we had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy!
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2: 4-7, NKJV-emphasis added)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3, NKJV-emphasis added)
The problem with us today is that we never take time to see what a precious position God has given us. We forget His blessings and the benefits. We rarely thank and praise Him enough, from the depth of our heart. Instead, we spent much time complaining about what we don’t have (what others have), and in grumbling and complaining, very much like Israelites in the wilderness
We look for better things and better people that match our specifications-even a better God sometimes!
There are many who do not trust God and His word fully, because they don’t perfectly agree with what is in their mind
But God asks us to renew our mind and be transformed because our minds are corrupted
There are problems in the family, church and everywhere we see today
1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. (James 4:1-2, NIV 84)
Apostle James thoroughly examined the root cause of the fights and quarrels: “the desires that battle within the people”
While those who are already in leadership struggle to “maintain” their power and position, others struggle to get new titles and positions
When the day of Pentecost came, God anointed Peter with the Spirit of God; he stood up and preached; three thousand converts!
Can anyone stand up against Peter and say “Peter, who you think you are?”
When we become competent through Christ (2 Cor 3: 4-6), spending enough time with the Lord in prayer, He will anoint us with such power, that nobody can stop. That is the key.
Instead, if we start fighting “in the flesh”, only devil will take the advantage
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light
God called us out of darkness, into His marvelous light for a purpose, a reason
What are we doing about it- about proclaiming the praises of God?
God bless your week
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank you for your great work for me, bringing me out of hell, into heaven. Help me to utilize the privileges of this great position, leading many people from darkness to light. Amen