Holy People
Why is God’s Sovereignty important? His sovereignty is important because God is important. From God’s perspective, even the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. The Kurds used to be prominent in the recent history of the Middle East. Then when the US left Iraq this left a void for Russia to assert political power over the Kurds. Despite wars and rumors of wars, God is still sovereign overall. According to Acts 17:26, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation…” From God’s eternal perspective, Jesus Christ will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
2 Peter 3:10 says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness…”
The question is, ”why are we here?” We’re here to be holy people. What does it mean to be a holy person? Holy means to separate according to the purpose designed by the Designer. Our purpose according to Ephesians 1 is, “that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children (sonship by new birth) by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
Men struggle with their sense of worth. It’s easy to buy into the world’s accusation that we’re no good….that we’re guilty as charged. However, He made me worthy and now by his grace his mercy has made me his own. We’re worthy because He made us worthy, for he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Romans 8 says that his gift of the spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. According to Galatians 5:22, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. Against such there is no law.
The heart of our Journey Groups is abiding. John 15 it talks about what it means to abide in Christ: “I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
He is the vine and we are the branches. If we aabide in him and his word abides in us, the result will be much fruit. 1 Peter 2 says that we are called as a royal priesthood. A priest is one who speaks to God on behalf of the people. What does God want us to do as priests within our own homes? Throughout the Christmas season we will have plenty of divine appointments. When we live with Christ’s feet behind our feet, his hands behind our hands and his heart behind our heart, they will see the love of God manifest in us and through us.
God gives each of us a personal message. The message is to us and also for us to share with others. According to Matthew 24, no one knows the day and hour of Christ’s return. As in the days of Noah before the flood, the people did not know until the flood came and took them away, so also shall no one know when the Son of Man comes. If the master of the house had known when the thief would come he would have been prepared and not have let his house be ransacked.
The most important thing we can do for our families is to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. When we abide with him and within him, we will reflect his love, mercy and grace to those around us. We’re the lights of the world as His light shines through us. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “…ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
In this season when we celebrate the birth of or Lord Jesus Christ,
May we as a royal priesthood offer the sacrifice of praise…that we should be to. The praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael