12 Days of Grace- Day 3- Priesthood of All Believers

2 Corinthians 5: 18-20:
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

True happiness and humanity are found only in Jesus Christ. He came to bridge the gap between people and God.

The priesthood are the clergy and laity of baptized believers who are one in Christ. All people are important- none are more important that others. A priest is God’s representative in the world. A priest:
- pronounces God’s forgiveness and healing grace
- Acts as the people’s representative to God, interceded and offers the love of God.
- Is not necessarily ordained clergy but anyone who has experienced the love, acceptance, and forgiveness of God (and who helps others experience it, too.)

Hebrews 6:20- Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:23-28- There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.
- Jesus is our representative to God, sacrificing His life for us.

Three Missions of the Priesthood of Believers:
1- Make Christ real for people
-incarnate Christ is everywhere, not only in the church. People are the church.
2- To be channels of God’s grace
-share love, acceptance, forgiveness with others. Remind others that God forgives them and loves them and offer to pray with/for them
3- Proclaim the mighty acts of God with all our lives
-overcoming fatalism and hopelessness

Characteristics of Mission:
1- Personal- Jesus struggled in the wilderness. Avoid stereotypes and witness naturally
2- Spiritual- wholeness of life according to God’s will. Help interpret God’s will for others’ life.
3- Service-oriented- serve as Jesus served
4- Shared- requires teamwork. Even Jesus called disciples!
5- Calls for our Best! Our best attitude, ability, and action. God calls all Christians not toe be passive participants but active players!

The mission of all Christians is to make Christ real and to share His grace with all around us, proclaiming His mighty acts.

November 21, 2009- Belief

Scripture to read today:

Matthew 8; Matthew 9; Matthew 10

Scripture that spoke to me:
Matthew 9:28-29
When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”;

Observation:
Belief is the key to all the gifts of God. Just like these blind men believed and were granted their sight, we have to believe that God is who He says He is (I AM) and He will do what He promises to do.

Application:
This is one of my biggest challenges. I do believe in God- I do believe He can do anything. But sometimes I don’t believe He will. I tend to ask for things, pray for situations, where I ask God to do something if He wants to. I think I’m leaving a way for my spirit to not be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. And I know you can pray for healing and not get it. I know you can pray and have Him answer “no.” But I need to learn to approach prayer not timidly but boldly. Just ask and believe that He will come through. No, not for a million dollars or for unnecessary things, but for love, goodness, forgiveness, and peace.

Prayer:
Lord, grant me love, peace, goodness, and forgiveness. I know You offer these freely to those who believe- and I do believe. Help me not to carry a troubled and weary heart, but a heart that is so full of Your goodness that it spills out onto others and gives them love and peace as well. Amen.

November 1, 2009- Help My Unbelief

Scripture to read today:

Psalm 121; Mark 9; Mark 10

Scripture that spoke to me:
Mark 9:23-24
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Observation:
This father has watched his son suffer his entire life. Now he turns to Jesus, who he knows can heal his son, for help. Jesus says that of course he can heal the boy- anything is possible if you believe.

Application:
I believe with my heart but my head says something else. I know that all things are possible with God. I get it. He can do whatever He wants. I also know we don’t always get everything we ask for. So where is the line in there- between believing that God can do anything and knowing that sometimes our prayers are answered with a “no” or a “wait awhile?” I feel a lot like this father- who believes that Jesus can heal his son, but isn’t sure that He will.

Prayer:
Lord, I do believe that all things are possible with You. Help me to have faith. Help my unbelief. Amen.

September 30, 2009- Mustard Seed Faith

Scripture to read today:

Zechariah 7; Zechariah 8; Zechariah 9; Luke 13

Scripture that spoke to me:
Zechariah 8:6
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Observation:
God can do anything! He created it all, so He has control over all of it! He can do anything that seems impossible.

Application:
My problem is, I know God can do anything He wishes- I just am not sure that He wants to do some of the things that I want Him to! Jesus says that if we just had faith the size of a mustard seed, we could command a mountain to move! But really? Wouldn’t that hurt a lot of people if we were to move a mountain? I know nothing is impossible with God, but I wonder sometimes if God will allow things to be possible.

Prayer:
Lord, I know Your ways are not my ways. Help me to have that mustard seed faith, where anything is possible. Amen.

September 21, 2009- Knowledge and Acceptance

Scripture to read today:

Daniel 7; Daniel 8; Psalm 137; Luke 4

Scripture that spoke to me:
Luke 4:41
Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak.

Observation:
Earlier in this chapter, Satan is tempting Jesus by using scripture. Here, the demons are shouting “You are the Son of God!” Even the evil spirits know that Jesus is the Messiah. They obey his command.

Application:
If the devil and the demons know who Jesus is, why do so many on earth not know Him? And for those of us that do, what makes us better than the demons? To know Him isn’t enough- to be able to quote scripture isn’t enough- we have to invite him into our hearts, to be with us every day.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Make me ever mindful that You are with me in everything. Amen.

September 18, 2009- Don’t Ask How

Scripture to read today:

Ezekiel 45; Ezekiel 46; Luke 1

Scripture that spoke to me:
Luke 1:18, 34, 37
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

37 For nothing is impossible with God.”

Observation:
I’ve always thought it was bad that Zechariah was punished for asking “how” but Mary wasn’t. It is true that both were visited by the angel Gabriel and told and extraordinary thing- one that just didn’t happen in the circumstances they were in. But Gabriel reminds them both that God can do anything!

Application:
I forget that. I don’t know why- maybe I know it and don’t believe it somehow? God can do anything! Even go against the forces of nature. I find myself looking at something seemingly impossible and think “I can’t” – but I forget that God can! Actually, most of the time I know God can, it is more that I think He won’t. I need more confidence, more assurance, more faith. I know He can. I don’t need to know how, but I do need to know that He will.

Prayer:
Lord, help my unbelief. Let me know that as I run into a task that is seemingly impossible, if You are there, nothing is impossible. Let me have enough faith to see it through and learn to more fully rely on You. Amen.

September 2, 2009- You Are Who You Hang Out With

Scripture to read today:

Ezekiel 17; Ezekiel 18; Ezekiel 19; Revelation 7

Scripture that spoke to me:
Ezekiel 18:23
“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.

Observation:
The Lord wants all of His children to come home. He doesn’t want to lose one to death. That is why He offers eternal life to all who believe in Him.

Application:
Have you ever noticed that the people who are your best friends have a lot in common with you? Tend to be from the same economic level, with the same ideals and interests? So if your friends succeed, you’re likely to also. If your friends walk with God, you may as well. So you can either surround yourself with people who are the way you would like to be, or you can help the people around you become Christians and follow God. Either way, you are really helping yourself to be the best you can be.

Prayer:
Lord, let the people who I come in contact with know You through me. Let my life be a good example, not a detriment. Amen.

August 16, 2009- True or False?

Scripture to read today:

2 Kings 24; Jeremiah 22; Psalm 112; John 18

Scripture that spoke to me:
John 18:37-38a
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked.

Observation:
What is truth? Dictionary.com has these definitions:
1.       the true or actual state of a matter: .

2.	conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement.

3.	a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle

So Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He means He is the indisputable fact. He is the Son of God. Truth is filled with goodness- there can be nothing false in it. Just like there is nothing false in Jesus.

Application:
Remember true/false tests in school? Where you put a T with a small little line in the middle and tried to fool the teacher? We bend the truth so much that anymore, it is hard to tell the difference between true and false. “Little white lies” are ok. Answers that contain the truth but may not be the whole truth must be fine because they’re  not lies, right? No wonder we don’t recognize the truth when we see it. We’re so used to believing lies.

Prayer:
Lord, let me learn to love the truth again, not believe lies. Let me learn to follow the Truth. Amen.

August 10, 2009- The Love of Praise

Scripture to read today:

Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 6; John 12

Scripture that spoke to me:
John 12:42-43
Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

Observation:
Jesus is nearing the end of his ministry, and danger to him and those around him is increasingly great. Men who might openly believe are intimidated into silence by the Pharisees. These are people who care what others think- care about their standing in the community and in the church.

Application:
Have you ever kept quiet about something because you think your view isn’t the popular one? (And I’m not necessarily talking about religion, although that and politics can set people against each other fairly quickly.) I was blog surfing this morning and came across one where people wanted to point out “errors” in the Bible. I do realize that there are inconsistencies in the Bible. This book was written over 4000 years, so I’d imagine some things changed during that time! But these people wanted to leave out a fact here and point out a fact there. I have to wonder, from most of the comments, if anyone was thinking for themselves or just taking what was written as fact. I wavered a minute, but then decided to point out the 2 biggest left-out facts. I wonder if that will make a difference, but I didn’t want to be like the people who kept quiet in this verse above.

Prayer:
Lord, let me be more concerned about You than about others. Help me know what to say, and when to say it, so that others may see Your goodness and greatness. Amen.

July 16, 2009- Put your Hope in the Right Place

Scripture to read today:

Isaiah 25; Isaiah 26; Isaiah 27; Isaiah 28; Hebrews 13

Scripture that spoke to me:
Isaiah 25:9
In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”

Observation:
Put your trust and hope in God. He is the one who offers salvation to all who come to him with an open heart. He is the Savior, and He will save.

Application:
I was reading Susan’s blog this morning and she asked the question ” Doesn’t ANYONE realize that the government DOES NOT help you?” So many people are looking toward our government for answers- for relief- for health care- and money- and support. This verse stuck out at me today because they’re looking in the wrong place! You can’t place your hope in men (good or bad), your hope belongs with the Lord! He is the only one who can make things better!

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for being a refuge, a rock, and my Savior. Thank you for always being there as a hope in times of trouble, as a Redeemer, and as all we need. Amen.