Monday – September 5th – 1 Peter 2:5 -----
5) And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
The Daily Walk Bible inspirational thought for today:
AS LONG AS WE LIVE, WE SHOULD MORE AND MORE BE TURNING FROM ALL THAT IS EVIL AND TO ALL THAT IS GOOD.*
Welcome to Monday, but unlike most Mondays today is Labor Day which means most folks have the day off from work. Today, though, still qualifies as the beginning of a new week so the same rules apply to getting our focus on to put into action what we gleaned from our time with God in worship yesterday. Our inspirational thought provides enough thought-fodder to last me all week. I would probably benefit from making a list of those things that would fall into the category of evil, and work to eliminate them from my life. I am convinced that the more I cross off my “evil” list the more will be added to my “good” list. I guess the secret is not to replace evil with evil – and to know what qualifies as evil. Enjoy your holiday and be ready to hit the ground running tomorrow so we can do good for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our pick verse today continues Peter’s imagery of our being living stones that make up the church. This is one of my favorite verses in scripture (check out the memory verse for this weekend) as it describes God’s purpose for the life of a believer. Paul portrays the church as a body, with Jesus as the head, and each believer as an important, functioning, and necessary part of the whole. In fact, the role of a believer is upgraded in Christianity to that of being part of the priesthood of all believers. In ancient Judaism, the tribe of Levi was granted the exclusive duties of the priesthood. And within the tribe of Levi, the family of Aaron was given even more exclusive roles of service in first the tabernacle and later in the Holy Temple. At Jesus’ death the curtain in the Temple tore in half. In one direction it indicated that God was no longer sequestered to the Holy of Holies thus giving us full access to God. In the other direction the torn curtain opened the way for you and me to be an active/engaged part of the ministry of the church. Rank, privilege, pedigree, nor wealth no longer separated believers from the work of God in the world. We are all in this - populating the Kingdom of Heaven - together. Join me in being the change the world needs!
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Tuesday – September 6th – 1 Peter 2:6
*Tyndale. The Daily Walk Bible NLT (Kindle Locations 48141-48142). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
5) And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
The Daily Walk Bible inspirational thought for today:
AS LONG AS WE LIVE, WE SHOULD MORE AND MORE BE TURNING FROM ALL THAT IS EVIL AND TO ALL THAT IS GOOD.*
Welcome to Monday, but unlike most Mondays today is Labor Day which means most folks have the day off from work. Today, though, still qualifies as the beginning of a new week so the same rules apply to getting our focus on to put into action what we gleaned from our time with God in worship yesterday. Our inspirational thought provides enough thought-fodder to last me all week. I would probably benefit from making a list of those things that would fall into the category of evil, and work to eliminate them from my life. I am convinced that the more I cross off my “evil” list the more will be added to my “good” list. I guess the secret is not to replace evil with evil – and to know what qualifies as evil. Enjoy your holiday and be ready to hit the ground running tomorrow so we can do good for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our pick verse today continues Peter’s imagery of our being living stones that make up the church. This is one of my favorite verses in scripture (check out the memory verse for this weekend) as it describes God’s purpose for the life of a believer. Paul portrays the church as a body, with Jesus as the head, and each believer as an important, functioning, and necessary part of the whole. In fact, the role of a believer is upgraded in Christianity to that of being part of the priesthood of all believers. In ancient Judaism, the tribe of Levi was granted the exclusive duties of the priesthood. And within the tribe of Levi, the family of Aaron was given even more exclusive roles of service in first the tabernacle and later in the Holy Temple. At Jesus’ death the curtain in the Temple tore in half. In one direction it indicated that God was no longer sequestered to the Holy of Holies thus giving us full access to God. In the other direction the torn curtain opened the way for you and me to be an active/engaged part of the ministry of the church. Rank, privilege, pedigree, nor wealth no longer separated believers from the work of God in the world. We are all in this - populating the Kingdom of Heaven - together. Join me in being the change the world needs!
Blessings
Pastor Jim
Tuesday – September 6th – 1 Peter 2:6
*Tyndale. The Daily Walk Bible NLT (Kindle Locations 48141-48142). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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