ABC salvation.

Thursday Sept. 7th-Jesus our Cornerstone!

2:00 PM

 


Thursday Sept. 7th


 

                                                               Read Ephesians 2                                                                       Jesus our cornerstone!

Since ancient times, builders have used cornerstones in their construction projects. A cornerstone was the principal stone, usually placed at the corner of an edifice, to guide the workers in their course. The cornerstone was usually one of the largest, the most solid, and the most carefully constructed of any in the edifice. The Bible describes Jesus as the cornerstone that His church would be built upon. He is foundational. Once the cornerstone was set, it became the basis for determining every measurement in the remaining construction; everything was aligned to it. As the cornerstone of the building of the church, Jesus is our standard of measure and alignment. [qot questions]

Did you know that you are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them? vs.10

Every one born into this world comes not knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  It does not matter what your nationality is or what family you are born into.  He created you!  He knit you together in your mother's womb.  You will have the opportunity in your life time to hear about Jesus and make a choice to receive Him as your Lord and Savior.   

It is because of God's rich mercy-tenderness of heart that He overlooks injuries, and treats an offender better than he deserves and His great love for us that we are made alive in Christ Jesus.  

How are we saved? We are saved by faith not because of anything that we can do or work for.  It is a GIFT from God.  If we could do it on our own we would not need Jesus to save us.

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For this is contained in Scripture:

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER STONE,

AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 1 Peter 2:4-6

I ask you, do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

If so is He your cornerstone upon which you are living your life?  What is your foundation and how are you building upon it?  Do you run to Him only when you are in trouble?  Are you spending time with Him daily in His word?  Think about this:  living with someone on a day to day basis we get to know them very well.  Sometimes we can even know what they will do or say before they do.  Do you have that relationship with Jesus?  Do you spend everyday with Him in His Word?  Is He your cornerstone upon which you are building?  Or do you only think that you know Him?  

If you do not know Him, would you accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life today, right now at this moment?  

 


Jesus is the cornerstone for all who believe in Him.  We are not alone, we are fellow citizens of God's household.  Christ Jesus, Himself is our corner stone in whom we are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.  

Father, thank You for Jesus, whom You sent to save us from our sins and that we have eternal life in Him.  Thank you also for when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit now lives in us, to help, teach, and intercedes for us.  Father help us to remember that Jesus is our cornerstone and that we learn from Him how to walk this journey heavenward.  I thank You for my precious sisters, may they hunger and thirst after Your righteousness and spend time each day with You.  In Jesus name, amen!

How can we pray for you?

 

Lyn


1 Peter 2

Mindful of Who We Are {1 Peter 2}

12:30 AM



“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” (v1)
This one verse is convicting and powerful!   Have you heard the idiom: " bad taste in my mouth"? This idiom is used to express feelings of regret and remorse, stemming from a realization that one has willingly participated in behavior that has led to an unforeseen and morally reprehensible outcome. 

Think about how you feel and react to hearing gossip, criticism, or slander.  Do you want to join in on the feeding frenzy of negativity?  Or does it leave " a bad taste in your mouth" because you know it dishonors God?  In contrast, the Bible says "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." (Psalm 34:8) As we grow spiritually, we should long for the sweetness of God's Words and seeing those principles lived out in the world around us.  We may be the odd ones because we don't fit into the norm of the world but we are chosen by God to impact this world for good even in the midst of many things that are destructive and evil. 

Jesus became God's chosen cornerstone for the building of a new and better covenant that would extend God's incredible grace and love to all mankind.  We became the living stones that would continue to represent Christ to a fallen world.   “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (3-4)

Jesus did not fit into the norm of this world but he made a tremendous impact that could not be ignored.  As the cornerstone, all must encounter him.  There's no way around it.  Either you embrace his purpose and choose to surrender your life to him or you stumble as you choose to reject him and continue in the destructive pursuits of sin and selfish living. “So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.” ( V7-8)

The world may reject us just as they rejected Jesus but who we are " in Jesus" is all the acceptance that we should need.  We are honored and blessed to be chosen by God and to be loved by Him. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (v9)

How do we proclaim his excellencies?  Through our words that proclaim how wonderful He is and by our actions, which can sometimes speak louder than words. In all that we do and say, we represent Him.  In this chapter we are given some examples of behavior God says will honor Him. 
1. Abstain from passions of the flesh.  These are passions that try to entice you away from God.
John Piper: “We abstain from passions of the flesh by replacing them with new passions for God.”
2.Keep your conduct honorable.  Why would someone believe our words if they don't see us live out our beliefs?
3. Be subject to governing authorities established over us. 
4. Live as people who are free ( saved from the punishment for sin by grace) but in (willful,chosen) service to God.  If we truly value God's grace and the sacrifice of Jesus we would not carelessly dishonor God by thinking grace is a license to sin. 
5. Honor everyone. Love others.
6.Fear (respect) God.
7. Be subject to your masters.  ( Masters could be employers, bosses, leaders).
And now for the big eye opener: God says whether they are just or unjust. 

Is that hard ? You bet!  Does God know that's hard?  You bet.  And he gives us explanation for asking such a hard thing of us.  “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.” (v19)
Jesus was our example.  He chose to be submissive to the Father's will even though he suffered unjustly for it.  He stayed mindful, not of man or what man might think, but mindful of God.  "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

You are chosen by God.  He is mindful of you!  Are you mindful of Him and how you represent Him?