Tuesday, April 20, 2010

I Am Becoming a Priest!

“You will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19:6

In Exodus 19, Israel set up camp and Moses climbed up the mountain to God. By the way, aren’t you thankful we do not need to climb a mountain to find God? The Lord spoke to Moses and gave him these words to say to the people: “I’ve shown Myself to you in a very real way, saving you from bondage with evil. You have seen My awesome miracles in Egypt and beyond. There can be no doubt in your minds that I exist. Since you know I exist and you know that you are special to Me and you know that I love you, trust My commandments. Understand that these commandments are given for your own good and obey them. If you do this, you will become unique and different from others and they will know you are special to Me. When those people look to you and see that you are special, they will want to know why you are different. They will want to be special to Me too! You will take on the role of priests to them and carry Me forth that they may know Me as well” (Exodus 19: 3-6, summarized in my words).

These words written thousands of years ago can be applied to us as individual Christians as well as The Church in today’s world. I too have been saved from the bondage of evil and sin. I have witnessed many miracles, but even if I had not seen a single miracle of physical healing, the transformation in my heart is the biggest miracle of all! As a Christian, I am different from those people who have not yet decided to follow Christ. Not better, but different and unique. Those who see this difference in my Christ-like walk will want to know why I am different. Father has assigned me as His priest to share with others why I am transformed and let them know it can apply to them.

So why did Father designate me as a priest? When I think of the role of a priest, a few things come to mind. In reading through Exodus and Leviticus, I see what the priests’ job expectations are and what is required of me as Father’s priest.

1. The priest must be purified and cleansed from all sin.
2. The priest must be sanctified and made holy on a daily basis.
3. The priest must have the character of Christ in all aspects.
4. The priest must wear the exact garments designated by God.
5. The priest must sacrifice of material things
6. The priest must commit to loving and serving others.
7. The priest must be a mediator.
8. The priest must represent God before those who are not cleansed and sanctified.
9. The priest must represent those are not cleansed and sanctified before God.

The Old Testament Scripture was very specific about what priests should wear as their clothing. In the New Testament, I find Father’s specific list for me – the clothing I should wear as His priest in this world. Keep in mind that this list of armor Father provides me with is NOT defensive! It is offensive. If I put on armor, I am suiting up to go to war. I know the battle is here and I am preparing to fight. I will not be caught unawares by the enemy; rather I am prepared through this armor to hold steadfast and push back against enemy lines, causing the enemy to retreat.

Here is what I need to be a priest for Father and represent Him to those who need Him:

1. Truth
2. Righteousness
3. Knowledge of the Word
4. Faith
5. Salvation
6. The Word
7. Prayer and petition at all times
8. Full of the Spirit

Isn’t that just like my loving Father, to give me a job position in His kingdom, spell out the job description, and give me the tools I need to fulfill the job?

Oh, yes, one more thing… this isn’t a singular role. He asks all Christians to be His priests throughout His kingdom! Are you adequately prepared to be a priest for those around you who don’t know Father? If you are living as a priest, they will approach you and ask what is different. Do you have your armor on? Are you spending times in the Word each day? Do you speak the truth in all situations? Does Father’s righteousness pour out of you consistently? Do you have faith – the willingness to see the potential for someone even if it isn’t reality?

Tough questions to ask, I know, but if Father wants us to be His priest, then we need to know His expectations for the job and be working hard on following them each day.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Sitting On My Father's Lap

You’ll have to follow my train of thought while reading this blog. I get to my point eventually, I promise!

Throughout the New Testament, there are several Scriptures about Jesus in heaven sitting or standing at Father’s right hand.

In Matthew 26, Jesus is on trial before the high priest Caiaphas. Caiaphas says to Jesus, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus responds, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

In Acts, Stephen has given his defense and is about to be stoned to death by those convicted of his words. Chapter 7, verse 55 says, “But being full of the Holy Spirit, he (Stephen) gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” A young man named Saul witnessed Stephen’s vision.

Father then came to Saul, spoke with him and changed his name to Paul. The Apostle Paul was the most prolific writer of the New Testament. In Colossians, Paul writes about holiness and encourages his readers to put on their “new self.” Colossians 3:1 says, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Close your eyes for a moment and try to get a picture of what that would like to you. Do you picture God and Jesus sitting next to each other on thrones, surrounded by seraphim and the elders? I will admit that I have always imagined this scene with two thrones. After seeing some things in Scripture, the picture has changed for me!

Revelations 4 describes the scene in heaven (verse 2) as “…behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.” The throne is singular in nature, and in this section of Scripture John describes Father’s appearance on the throne. Then in chapter 5, verse 5, John continues with his vision: “In the middle of the throne with the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain…” Here Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb, is standing in the midst of the throne, again singular.

Now, here is the really awesome part!!! Revelation 2 and 3 are messages from Jesus to the seven churches. Take a look with me at Revelation 3:21. I want to break this verse down into phrases:

“He who overcomes” - this is a challenge given to each church and the promise that accompanies it in 2:7 says we will be restored into the perfect fellowship that existed before sin entered the world

“I will grant to him” – Webster’s dictionary defines the word grant, in this sentence a verb, as the following: “to permit as a right, privilege or favor.” Whatever follows this phrase is given to us as a right for overcoming sin, for being in a love relationship with Father.

“to sit down with Me on My throne” – remember, this is a singular throne. Here Jesus is saying we will encompass the same space He will encompass on His throne. 2 Timothy 2:12a says, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him.”

“as I also overcame” – the reminder that we can be holy as Jesus was holy. Jesus was perfect and overcame every temptation Satan threw at Him. We too can live without sin as we are perfected in Father’s holiness. Here is a powerful quote I wrote down at a recent revival service: “During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He said to those who followed Him, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ and ‘Does anyone judge you? No? Then neither do I. Go and sin no more.’ Jesus lived to forgive sins, but He died to solve the problem of our sin nature, to create the possibility of a holy life.” – Pastor Dan Bohi

“and sat down with My Father on His throne” – This is my new insight! Jesus overcame and occupied the same physical space as Father on this singular throne. If we overcome, we will occupy the same physical space as Jesus on this singular throne, which is the same physical space Father occupies. If we love Father, and if we trust Father, and if we obey Father and overcome sin, could it be possible that we will actually be able to sit in Father’s lap?

Whew! That thought alone makes me laugh out loud, excited to be His daughter and committed to overcoming, through His power!

Are you overcoming? Don’t you want more than anything to sit on your Heavenly Father’s lap and feel His love pouring through you as He says, “Well done”?

She Speaks conference

I want to post a link to a blog that is promoting the She Speaks Conference, sponsored by Proverbs 31 Ministries. This is happening July 30-August 1 in North Carolina. They are currently offering one scholarship to this conference, which would pay for lodging and conference costs (winner would still need to pay for travel). You may apply for this scholarship by submitting an article for publication to Proverbs 31 Ministries. Please click on the house to access Glynnis' blog with all the scholarship contest information. Please click on the She Speaks Conference button for details on conference registration.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Finding JOY

I have started a new Bible study with my Tuesday ladies, and it is titled "Contagious Joy" by Christa Kinde. I was digging into Scripture and saw some really awesome things I would like to share with you. Let me list a few things and then I'll dig into the Word.

1. JOY is different than happiness or glee.
2. JOY can be present even when other emotions are in our heart.
3. JOY is a trait often mentioned in the Bible as present with the children of God and absent from those who are not children of God.
4. Finding JOY is a matter of discovering what has always been available to Christians, of opening our eyes to a new way of seeing.
5. We can pray for JOY.
6. We can search for JOY in God's Word.
7. If we seek JOY, Father will open our eyes to it.

Psalm 30:5 says, "He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter" (The Message) and NASB ends that verse with, "But a shout of joy comes in the morning."

In Psalm 25:4, David says, "Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths." In this verse, "Your ways" and "Your paths" are metaphors for "Your covenant" and "Your testimonies." Verse 10 reminds us, "All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies."

It seems to me the way to find JOY is to pray and seek it and to look in Father's Word for it. I need to understand Father's covenant and His testimonies (His love and His salvation offered to me) and then I need to keep them. When I keep Father's love in my heart, I find JOY. Even during those times I feel JOYless, if I look to Father and ask Him to open my eyes, He promises to help me find JOY.

Father cares for me with an everlasting love. I may cry for a night, but I will shout with JOY in the morning. When I awaken and renew my love for Him, when I die out to self each day and commit to being obedient to Him, my JOY is refreshed.

Let me encourage you! Father has a JOY to offer you that is unaffected by your circumstances or emotions. Ask Father to open your eyes to a new way of seeing His JOY!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

I Choose Life!

Not many of us go through our daily lives choosing to live. We take this part of "life" for granted. We do not need to choose life as we are not threatened with the opposite - death. But is this truth or our perception?

North Americans are blessed with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Perhaps if we lived in a third world country, we think, then we would need to choose life each day. The people in Haiti and Chile are choosing life as they struggle to survive a tragedy of astronomic proportions. Those reached through Seed of Hope in Bhekulwandle, South Africa determine every minute to choose life instead of a hard death from AIDS.

Not many of us in the USA wake up each morning and ask ourselves, "Am I going to choose life today or choose death?" There are some though... My dear friend chooses life each day as she fights against the cancer in her body. But let me share another kind of life and death struggle that my friend is also winning, evidenced through her actions and attitudes.

Jesus said in Luke 11:44, speaking directly to the most "religious" leaders in His day, "Woe to you! For you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it."

So many Christians today are choosing to live as the walking dead. They are concealed tombs and the people they come in contact with are unaware of it. Both their Christian family and those who are not saved are deceived into thinking their walk is true and righteous. They are alive on the outside and spiritually dead on the inside. Their time in the Word is minimal and not much insight is gained from it. Their prayer time consists of requests and there is no two-way conversation. Their Christian walk consists of making an appearance at church on Sunday morning, maybe helping out with vacation bible school or a teen fundraiser, but their relationship with their Abba Father is non-existent.

How do I know this? Because I lived it for the first 10 years of my Christian life. I chose to be spiritually dead because I did not want to give Father control of everything inside me: my pains, my hurts, my successes, my pride, my knowledge - the list could go on and on.

Sanctification does not happen automatically when you accept Christ into your life. Sanctification (living holy as Christ is holy or as this article describes - CHOOSING LIFE) happens when you let your heavenly Father take complete control of your life. It happens for me on a daily basis, when I choose to die out to myself and live for Him and in Him and let Him live and love through me.

Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a is a promised of restoration by God to Israel, and through His Scripture to us: "So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by LOVING the Lord your God, by OBEYING His voice, and by HOLDING FAST (my word for this is TRUSTING) to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days."

There is a process to living holy - you need to BELIEVE that Father loves you beyond what you will ever be able to comprehend. Yes, you are worthy of His love. You are important to Him. And He longs to wrap His arms around You and show You this every day! This belief is accomplished with faith. I recently heard faith described by Pastor Dan Bohi as "seeing the potential for someone or something even though it isn't reality." It took faith for me to see my potential through Father's eyes! Then TRUST His plan for you. You need to believe the love before you can trust (read previous posts in this blog). After you choose to live each day (believe and trust), then your obedience will be the most natural thing in the world! After all, when you are filled up with Father's love, you will love Him more than anything else - even your own selfish nature.

My dear friend chooses to live physically each day in her war against cancer. But she also chooses to live each day spiritually because she knows her Father loves her and has a plan for her. There is no deception in her life. We can see Father's love glowing through her; we can see her trust in her Father's plan; and we can see her obedience in walking the path He chose for her. She has reached many in her church, her community and beyond through her LIFE in Jesus Christ.

I want to be a witness like my friend. I want others to say, "Jody has changed. There is something different about her. See how joy-filled she is! Listen to what she shares from her time in the Word! I wish I could get that out of my Bible reading.... I need to ask her what is different. I want what she has!"

My prayer today is this: "Father, today I choose life so that I may live! I choose this by believing in Your love for me, by loving You, by being obedient to Your voice, and by trusting You, for this is my life."