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The Best

Genesis 12:2 (AMP) And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you [abundantly], and make your name great (exalted, distinguished); and you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others]

Have you ever prayed this prayer? Some may ask, what reason do we pray this? Galatians 3:29 says, “And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.” This is why you will hear the affirmations of the promises to Abraham. There are more, but I wanted to point this one part out, it was for a purpose of being a source of blessing to others. If I have this prayer and I am not others focused, as to why I desire greatness in my life, then I have become self centered. God never intended us to point to self. So whose kingdom have I been building?

John 15:13 (AMP) No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.

How about this one? 1 Peter 2:9 says we are a royal priesthood and a special people for God’s own possession. I love this affirmation, but it also has a purpose. Read the full verse: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Let us speak to fear for a moment. Being a blessing to others and proclaiming His love to others is an outflow of love, the opposite of fear (1 John 4:18). What? Am I saying that if I do not proclaim the Gospel, that I do not love? My question to you is why do you not want to proclaim the Gospel? Why are you trying to find excuses not to?

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (AMP) Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him]

Matthew 22:35-39 (AMP) One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’

While in prayer yesterday I was focused on “The Best.” God, I just want us to be a church that sought the best to glorify you, to see the best in others, to desire the best for each other. Then my prayer went into “if I have been the focus, that is not the best. I desire to see others grow stronger in their relationship with You. If I am hindering that do a work within so that I am not the focus, whatever that my look like.” We can be prideful in our prayers, it is easy to do. It can be all about self whether we fill it with affirmations through His Word, or we become so self deprecating that do not see the value in ourselves.

I want to come back to love. When I realize my position in the love of Christ, I can start to behave that way. It will change my perspective from self, to others. Whose Kingdom am I building? I often ask that of myself. Another way is, whose Glory am I seeking? When I lead in love, I am doing it best. We should always bring the best offering when we gather in His place of worship. He gave His best when He sent His only Son. What is holding you back from seeking the best for others? Why would you not want the best, Jesus, to be revealed to others? The best is the ministry of reconciliation. He made you the best (a new creation) to bless with the best! Love others like yourself, unselfishly seek the best for others. So share His goodness and His Gospel!!

Jehovah Nissi (the Lord is my banner), You are Holy and to be admired. You set the standard of Love. You are the definition of Love. Thank You for the Love You gave with Your Only Son. Jesus is the best Love we could ever receive. Thank You for the Love gift of the Holy Spirit. We can walk in the fullness of Your Love through the revealed knowledge of Your Love. Forgive us for seeking only for ourselves. Your Love was meant to be shared. Forgive us for wanting everything and not looking out to see how our seeking has affected others from seeking as well. In our selfishness we forget our calling to the ministry of reconciliation. Forgive us for making excuses. Forgive us for not obeying. We repent for making it all about us. We desire Your Kingdom. We desire Your will be done. Thank You for seeing the best in us, even when we do not deserve it. You have called us to be a great people, so we will share of Your goodness. Give us opportunities to bless and glorify Your Name. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Celebrate Christmas Year Round

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP) Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

I pray you had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with your families. My family and I are away from home, enjoying each other, in the mountains of Tennessee. We take this time to just be us. We go on adventures, eat out at new places and spend time in a new environment to check on our growth status as a family.

I think we should do that regularly as believers as well. We get so comfortable in our routines. I use to read the above scripture and think that it only applied to the moment I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. That is just part of it. Freedom comes when you realize that spiritual awakening brings new life. My spirit man became alive, yes, however I did not know it’s fullness until I started applying the next verse.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (AMP) But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him], that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them [but canceling them]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God]. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. 

I am a minister of reconciliation, and if you are in Christ, so are you. As I surrender and pursue after a relationship with the Father, His spirit will begin to speak to my spirit and reveal things in His Word that will cause me to grow and get stronger spiritually. There is no magic formula. I cannot wait to feel it in my emotions. This is a decision I have to make. I have to determine to want the new.

Read your Word not to get your streaks, and not to get your goal to read in a certain amount of time. Read your Word with a surrendered heart. “God what are you saying to me today?” I cannot allow my emotions to lead my life or run my life. It is not about the feeling, it about the character and nature as revealed through His Word.

How can we celebrate Christmas year round? How do I determine if this new life is a part of me continually? Be determined each day to grow in God. How? 1) Through relational development. I must be committed to spending time with God. 2) Through personal surrender. I must be willing to say no to things in my life that pulls me away from the development and relationship with Him. 3) Make myself available to serve. If you have number one and number two and you do not have an outlet in the kingdom, then you really are not growing in anything. If you have number three with out numbers one and two, you are doing it for self promotion and not kingdom building. It is in the moments that you serve that the things that you have learned will be tested and proven. Being available to serve is proving ground in what you said you learned. I would also like to suggest that being available to serve will reveal your calling…the calling to the ministry of reconciliation.

Father, I thank you for the gift of love that you show and give. Let me be an example of that love by answering the call into the ministry of reconciliation. Through your Son I have been made a new creation. The person I was yesterday, is different from who I am today. I choose to grow in your Word and in your ways by developing a closer relationship with you. I choose to serve as I grow. I choose to surrender as I grow. Your life is better than my old life. You are where I find my fullness. Let me be an example of that to others. In Jesus Name, Amen.