For Ye Know the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, That Though He Was Rich, For Our Sakes He Became Poor - Part 1352

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us; we pray you in Christ's stead; be ye reconciled to God --for He hath made Him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 5:17-21)

Think about this for a moment. When we believe on Jesus by faith, repenting of our sin, and are then water baptized in the name of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ, we become a new creature. The heart desires that we once had are passed away, and all things have become anew. And this gift of salvation -- not of ourselves but because God reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and having done so, has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

In other words, He gave us the Word of reconciliation so that we could become ambassadors for Christ. Not only so that we can be reconciled to God but those around us too -- for He who knew no sin has made Him sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

For those who don't know Jesus personally, note that today is the day of salvation. Behold, now is the accepted time to ask Jesus to become Lord and Saviour in your life. (Isaiah 49:8) And thus, your purpose and heart desires renewed as a consequence of His goodness and grace. But don't stop with a change of heart. Acknowledge that this is a new turning point in your life. The new paradigm in which each and every one of us can receive peace and joy until even our cups runneth over. Now that is blessing.

But some within the religious community have translated the word 'blessed' to mean 'prosperous' in the worldly sense. To many in their congregations, this means financially set for the remainder of our time left on earth. However, as believers in Jesus the Christ by faith, we are instructed not to be deceived by the whims of man-made religion and the traditions of men.  Indeed, apostle Paul clarifies our new relationship in Jesus, saying:

"We then as workers together with Jesus beseech also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain -- giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be blamed; but in all approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. By honour and dishonour, by evil report and by good report, as deceivers, and yet true, as unknown, and yet well known, as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." (II Corinthians 6:1-10)

Thus, we are labourers together with God -- ambassadors for Christ. Ye are God's husbandry, God's building according to the grace of God -- for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 3:9-11; II Corinthians 5:20)

The God of hope fills you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13) Thus, let a man so account of us, writes Paul, as of the ministers [servants] and stewards of the mysteries of God, and that ye be found faithful. (I Corinthians 4:1-2)

Running the race and enduring to the very end, regardless of the hurdles life driven by a worthless enemy throws repeatedly at believers. This is why Paul writes -- ministers of God in much patience, and in much afflictions, and in much necessities, and in distresses, and in stripes, and in imprisonments, and in tumults, and in labours, and in watchings and in fastings.

As Paul himself has experienced, "in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes, save one. Thrice I was beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which comes upon me daily -- the care of all the churches." (II Corinthians 11:23-28)

Even so, there is a hope in Jesus that surpasses all human understanding. "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God ... because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 2-5)

By pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. (II Corinthians 6:4-7)

This is why we are not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Rather, we are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate," saith the Lord, "and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters," saith the Lord Almighty. (II Corinthians 6:14-18; Isaiah 52:11)

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons [and daughters] of God." (Romans 8:14)

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (I Corinthians 3:16)

Therefore, don't let the trials and tribulations of this world get you down. Instead, seek His love unfeigned both through and by the Word of truth, by the power of God. Stand by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and the left by the Holy Ghost -- the Comforter which will lead and guide you into all truth. Most of all, don't be misled by those who only want to take and take again from you because that spirit is the spirit of this world and not the Spirit of the Lord.

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY man to profit withal ..." (I Corinthians 12:7)

Stand in the offering plate.