Genesis 12:2
What is a blessing? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, p92, a blessing is the act of one that blesses. The word “blessed” or bless is the divine care and protection. Then, who in this scenario is the blessor? Our scripture verse deals with the call of Abraham by God to first separate himself for among his family, and countrymen. God told (v1) Abraham where to go and then proceeded to tell Abraham what would be the results of his obeying God. In a word the blessor in this scenario is God. What did God tell (promise) Abraham? “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing.” What’s all in this verse and call of Abraham and how it relates to believers today? First, Abraham’s call involved separating himself for his country, his people, and his household. Second, God was establishing an important principle that His (God’s) people are to separate themselves from all that hinders His purpose for their lives. Third, God’s call requires obedience and a personal commitment to God. We see that Abraham could not totally commitment himself to God until he was stranger in a foreign land; that principle applies to believers today. Sometimes love ones can hinder our fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives and this will cause us to forsake our promised blessings.
God’s promise and blessings extended not only to believing Jews but to all believers who accept Jesus Christ as Savior in faith. In other words, all believers who express Abraham like faith become “children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7) to become “off springs of Abraham and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:9, 29).
What does this say about believers’ faith in God? One, it says that believers have accepted His Son Jesus as Savior and has accepted His (God’s) as being sufficient. Two, believers has come to know and understand the true meaning of God’s grace, which is His (God’s) righteousness at Christ’s Expense. Our salvation is free to all believers, but it cost God and His Son something. What were the costs? It cost God’s His Son Jesus and Jesus His blood, all undergirded by love.
Finally, reflect on our blessings and thank God for His promise, His love, and more importantly, keeping His promise by sending all mankind a Savior. The most blessing we (believers) can receive is that one day we get to spend eternity with the Father. Therefore, let’s develop an Abraham like faith and receive our promised blessings. What a promise, made and kept by God. Hallelujah to God!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Election
I have been following this year's election very closely and the truth of the matter I do not like either of the candidates that is each party presumed nominee. What I mean is that some of what Barack stands for I cannot go along with and the same for McCain and if I had to chose today it would be McCain.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Ambassadors
II Corinthians 5:20
Let’s begin this topical discussion by posing a question, what is an ambassador? An ambassador is one who represents another or country. In this case, we as believers represent Christ. As stated in our scripture verse, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be you reconciled to God.” What does the word “beseech” means? It means to search out or seek after. How did God seek after humanity? It was through Christ’s atoning death on the cross that God removed the sin barrier and opened the way for mankind to return to Him. Christ’s reconciliation became effective for each believer through his or her personal repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at what happens when believers accept Christ as their personal savior, first the believer admits he/her is a sinner, second, the believer confesses his/her sins, and third, turn from their sinful ways. What happens during this process is the believer is freed from the bondage of sin, and then made right with God (justified), then set aside (sanctified), and then the believer is born again (regenerated). This is when believers become new creatures in Christ and in doing so we become Christ’s ambassadors who can speak boldly for Him in all parts of the world. This is our witness. Another school of thought, the church as a body of baptize believers, the church is called to a ministry or reconciliation which is calling all persons to be reconciled to back God.
Verse 21 talks about believers being made “the righteousness of God in him.” By Christ taking on humanity sins, He made it possible for God to justly forgive sinners and thusly believers became the children of God as new creatures. Other points in this scripture are that (a) believer’s character and moral state is founded upon and flows from the believer’s faith in Christ. (b) The believer is to live for Christ, (c) to be controlled by “the love of Christ.” (d) Has become a “new creature” in Christ. (e) We are to fulfill the ministry of reconciliation as representatives of God and His righteousness in this world.
Another note of believer’s righteousness of God is that His righteousness is manifested and experienced by remaining in Christ. Additionally, believers are to live in union and fellowship with Christ as we become the righteousness of God, in so doing the believer’s ambassadorship is felt around the world.
In closing this brief discussion, how is your ambassadorship? Are we pointing others to Christ? The harvest is great, but the laborers are few.
Read and be blessed.
To reply use the envelope or email white3285@sbcglobal.net
WILLIE B. WHITE
Visit my website at www.goodshpeherdwritingandpublishing.com.
Let’s begin this topical discussion by posing a question, what is an ambassador? An ambassador is one who represents another or country. In this case, we as believers represent Christ. As stated in our scripture verse, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be you reconciled to God.” What does the word “beseech” means? It means to search out or seek after. How did God seek after humanity? It was through Christ’s atoning death on the cross that God removed the sin barrier and opened the way for mankind to return to Him. Christ’s reconciliation became effective for each believer through his or her personal repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at what happens when believers accept Christ as their personal savior, first the believer admits he/her is a sinner, second, the believer confesses his/her sins, and third, turn from their sinful ways. What happens during this process is the believer is freed from the bondage of sin, and then made right with God (justified), then set aside (sanctified), and then the believer is born again (regenerated). This is when believers become new creatures in Christ and in doing so we become Christ’s ambassadors who can speak boldly for Him in all parts of the world. This is our witness. Another school of thought, the church as a body of baptize believers, the church is called to a ministry or reconciliation which is calling all persons to be reconciled to back God.
Verse 21 talks about believers being made “the righteousness of God in him.” By Christ taking on humanity sins, He made it possible for God to justly forgive sinners and thusly believers became the children of God as new creatures. Other points in this scripture are that (a) believer’s character and moral state is founded upon and flows from the believer’s faith in Christ. (b) The believer is to live for Christ, (c) to be controlled by “the love of Christ.” (d) Has become a “new creature” in Christ. (e) We are to fulfill the ministry of reconciliation as representatives of God and His righteousness in this world.
Another note of believer’s righteousness of God is that His righteousness is manifested and experienced by remaining in Christ. Additionally, believers are to live in union and fellowship with Christ as we become the righteousness of God, in so doing the believer’s ambassadorship is felt around the world.
In closing this brief discussion, how is your ambassadorship? Are we pointing others to Christ? The harvest is great, but the laborers are few.
Read and be blessed.
To reply use the envelope or email white3285@sbcglobal.net
WILLIE B. WHITE
Visit my website at www.goodshpeherdwritingandpublishing.com.
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