Posted on

Highest Price Paid

Ephesians 1:7 (AMP) In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace

What is the highest price you have ever paid for a pair of shoes? What about a purse? What is the highest price you would pay for a car? These are all things that lose value fast. What would be the highest price you would pay for a life?

Our redemption was purchased with His blood. Redemption in Greek is lutroo – a person who paid a very high price to obtain the slave of choice. Slavery is a horrible practice that still goes on today. Human trafficking is slavery. When slaves were put out to market they were put on display. They were often kicked, slapped and inspected by their perspective buyers. If a particular slave looked like it could go for a steep price, the merchant would drive the starting price up because they knew someone would be willing to pay a high price for them. Our freedom from Satan’s power was extremely expensive. The price Jesus paid for us was the highest price ever paid for a slave. Jesus paid the ransom that set you and me free!

I have two boys, they are sixteen and twenty. I would lay down my life for their safety. I have actually done it for my youngest when I thought someone had opened fire at his travel football game. I ran out to the field, found my baby boy, and laid on top of him until I knew it was safe for me to get him up. It has been a few years since then and he is much bigger than me now, but I would still do it. Have you thought about what you would do in such a situation? Think about how many mass shootings go on every year. As of April 30, a total of 256 people have been killed and 625 people have been wounded in 172 shootings (source Wikipedia).

I was reading a book by Bob Goff and he gave an account of raiding a brothel, in India, to rescue children from sex trafficking. It was not an easy task and he was not sure if his life was secure. He has a background in law and used his passion to open a non-profit, Restore International (2003). Over two hundred children have been rescued and over one hundred and fifty sex traffickers have been arrested. The organization was renamed “Love Does” in 2012. He now has organizations in Uganda, Somalia, Iraq and Nepal. They are fighting for freedom in human rights. What a perfect example of using his redemption to set the captives free.

Galatians 5:1 (AMP) It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].

Fear is something that will put us back under the yoke of slavery that Christ set us free from. There is a good fear and that has to do with how we view God. We should not be afraid of punishment nor judgment. Although we will all go before Him at judgment (1 Peter 4:17, Matthew 7:22-23, 2 Corinthians 5:10). The fear that can put us under a yoke of slavery is a spirit. It can deceive us into thinking that the high price Christ paid was not enough for every area of our lives. Some may think that it may be enough to secure our place in heaven, even that some are not sure of. They are not even sure of His love for them. They are now imprisoned and are subject to torment here on earth. When you are tormented in your mind that is a terrible place of bondage to be. The enemy likes to keep you there. He does not want you to realize what Jesus’s blood really paid for. He likes nothing more than to still see us in chains.

Read Acts 16, when Paul and Silas were beaten and put in prison (chained at their feet) for casting a demon out of a slave girl that had a spirit of divination on her.  “But about midnight when Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; suddenly there was a great earthquake, so [powerful] that the very foundations of the prison were shaken and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened (verses 25-26).” Do you need some power to get you free? The same power that opened those chains is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. That is the same power that now resides in you. Sometimes we lack the Word inside of us to keep that power active. I have a few verses that I quote. I call them my get out of jail free verses (like in Monopoly when it says to not pass Go, go straight to jail, unless you had a get out of jail free card).

Here are my verses:

2 Corinthians 3:17 (AMP) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom].

Philippians 4:8 (AMP) Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

Ephesians 3:16-19 (AMP) May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love];  and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

Ephesians 1:5 (AMP) He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will

Remember, you were bought with a high price, do not go back into that yoke of bondage. Now that you are free, use your freedom to set other captives free through Christ.

Abba Father, our Creator, You are so Wonderful and Mighty. Thank You for sending Your Son to pay the price for our redemption. We know that no one could have done it but Him. His Redemption had us in mind. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. The power that raised Jesus from the dead now is within us. Thank You for Your Word, that we may know intimately who You are. We repent for not allowing the fullness of that redemptive price to work in us. We repent for limiting the power to set the captives free, including ourselves. Thank You for Jesus paying the price so that torment no longer has to be a part of our lives. We are free from sin and fear. Thank You for your loving kindness and mercy. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Love is the work in “works”

Revelations 2:4-5 (AMP) But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent. 

Before I get really into this I want you to know, we cannot earn God’s love. We cannot earn our salvation. However, we can lose sight of what He has called us to do. We will replace it with political views, standing up for injustice or chasing after bettering our gifts and talents (whether in the church or in the corporate world).

This week we had another mass shooting. Another? Yes. According to Axios.com, there have been 38 U.S. mass shootings (four or more victims) in March of this year alone. At least 57 people have been killed and 133 have been injured. BBC news reports that there have been 131 mass shootings in the United States so far this year. The number for last year was 647. When news broke out about the shootings this week I read comments from both sides about their agendas. The one that broke by heart was the one that said they deserved it because of their Christian beliefs. Neither extremes are right. What happens when we get so focused on rightness? Let us look ahead in this part of Revelations for the context.

Revelations 2:1-5 (AMP) ‘I know your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives, of Christ), and [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors;  and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth]. But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent.

Here the people were standing up to the truth of the Word. They did not depart from the truth and accept any revelation that was being presented by them. This the way we should be. We should be standing on the truth of His Word and not compromising. What we have failed at is the love part! Did they not love God? That is not the first love that He was talking about.

John 13:34 (AMP) I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.

Acts 26:20 (AMP) but I openly proclaimed first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent [change their inner self—their old way of thinking] and turn to God, doing deeds and living lives which are consistent with repentance.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (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], 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].

In the Amplified Version of the Bible, the word love is often followed by unselfish concern and seeking the best for one another. The word repentance is not be ashamed, it is to surrender. Christ lived a life of surrender. In Christ we now are joined with Him. We are a new creation, because our spirit man has become awakened. New life can now come. A new way of doing things can be done. I have a new purpose. My purpose is now the ministry of reconciliation. My message should be restoration. I should see everyone as needing restoration. I cannot do that if I do not have the commandment of Jesus in front of me. We are to love one another. I am to love those with different view points of mine. I do not have to accept them, but I do have to desire restoration for them. Why are we fighting to change view points when I do not want to see them restored?

My heart breaks when I read that we would rather calamity fall on another group of people because of their views. That is not love! That is not standing up for what is right!!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (AMP) Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

Love does not rejoice when others are hurting!! I have been wronged by people. I have myself wronged others. I have been wronged by church people, but I would never wish harm on them. I would never celebrate and say “God don’t like ugly.” God is love. Even in their wrong, God still loves them. My prayer is they make it right with the Father, whether they make it right with me or not. I have to walk in forgiveness, whether they asked for it or not. I am not to repeat a suffered wrong (which is slander by the way). I am not to suede others into choosing sides. I am to point to the truth, the truth of God’s Word. That tells me that I am to love, just as He loved. That is the work. In order for me to love as He loved, I need to be focused on the ministry of reconciliation. My focus will be on Christ for myself and for others. Do I have a stance on political views and on injustice? Yes. However, they should not be louder than the desire for my first love. As a reminder: these letters and warnings were given to the church (those in Christ).

Father, You are full of grace and mercy, but You are also the final Judge. Thank You for sending Your Son to show us how to love. I never want to be one of those that You say did not go back to their first love. I repent for not making Your love what I am known for. You are the One who fights my battles, but that never gives me an excuse not to love. Help me keep an unselfish concern for those that need Your reconciliation. Open my eyes and keep a pure heart within me that I do not lose that first love. I thank You that You are taking care of and putting things in place to up-heed injustice. I thank You that I have answered the call, and along with others, to be the hands and feet to deliver those from such injustice. I will not hide or put my lamp stand under so others cannot find the light. Your heart has always been restoration. Thank You for including me and calling me into Your hearts desire. I choose forgiveness today. I choose love today. I choose hope today. Lead me to love more as I walk in my calling, as a minister of reconciliation. In Jesus Name, Amen.