"How Much Are You Worth?"

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:20

Do you know what determines the value of something? It's the price that one is willing to pay for it. If there is something that I really want badly, and deem as valuable, I will pay the asking price- it doesn't matter how much it cost. I might have to make some sacrifices in order to purchase it, but I will make them because I consider that thing worth it. Why am I willing to do without something else in order to have this thing? Why am I willing to spend everything I have for it? Because it's something of great value to me. On the other hand if it isn't something that I consider valuable, I won't care if I have it or not. Therefore, I am not willing to pay whatever the asking price is for it.

Did you know that you are valuable? Do you know just how valuable you are? Do you know that you are priceless? Do you realize you are the most valuable thing in the universe? God is the one who determined the value of your life and He is the one who determined that you are priceless. He loves you and set His affection on you. He loved you so much He had to have you for His own but in order to "have you" He had to "buy you" out of the slavery of sin. The price was high- very high- but He was willing to pay it because He valued you that highly, and wanted you that badly.

When I get a chance to listen to the news I hear monetary numbers like "billions" and "trillions" (I am not sure I can count that high), that's a lot of money. But those figures don't even begin to come close to the price that was paid for you. You were purchased with the blood of Jesus. Purchased with blood not silver, not gold, not precious jewels. That blood was not the blood of animals, angels or some other person. The blood that purchased you was that of the only begotten Son of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Son of God Himself paid the price for you with His own blood. Why? Because He loved you so much and placed a high value on you and was willing to pay that price and make the sacrifice to have you. (1 Peter 1:18,19)

Have a great day. The God of heaven was willing to pay the highest price that could be paid in order to have you... you are that valuable to Him.

"Here I Am To Worship"

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." John 4:23

I was listening to this wonderful worship song last night and begin to think that I would love to be in a really great worship service. You know the kind I am talking about. The presence of God is so overwhelming, the place feels electrified by His presence, you are "raptured" in a sense of His love for you, time stands still, nothing else matters, your heart is pouring out it's deepest love and affection on Him. I truly love those times. (Can you only image what heaven will be like?)

As I thought about this, my thought was more of a prayer, then the Lord spoke this to my heart-- you don't have to wait until you are in the company of some large crowd to worship and experience that place where our hearts touch each others. I know this to be true for I have experienced those times when it was just me and the Lord.

Corporate worship is great, we are told not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together with one another. There is something that happens when two or more are gathered in His name. When the body of Christ comes together, we should worship in one accord offering up a sacrifice of praise that invokes His presence. But our worship time should not be restricted to only the times when we are gathered together with others.

Worship is as much a private thing as it is a public thing. Worship is as much an individual thing as it is a corporate thing. Worship should never be confined within the assembly of the church only. Worship is a place within the heart. Worship is not about the number of people present, it's not about the place, it's not about a gathering with others-- it's about touching the heart of God and that can be done whether you are alone or with others.

Have a great day. If you are not spending time worshipping Him when there is no one there but you and Him, you are missing out on the intimate fellowship that He desires to give you.

"Sorry"

"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." 2 Corinthians 7:10

I have to admit that I missed it this morning. I rolled back over in bed and fell back asleep. What's so bad about that? The Lord woke me up a little earlier to spend some extra time with Him before my day got started. I knew it was Him and I didn't get on up. I really regret that I didn't because it's getting late in the morning, I have several things already wanting my time, I have some responsibilities that must be attended to but I still need to have that extra time with the Lord. Other than confession being good for the soul, I told you all this because when I told the Lord I was sorry, He spoke back and said, "It's not about being sorry, it's about being repentant".

Being sorry and repentance are not the same thing. Sorry is more of an "emotional" thing and repentance is a complete change of mind. Sorry often involves regrets- regrets over something that you lost, something that you forfeited, something that you missed out on. Sorry also more often responds to the consequences. It's like the little child who gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar after his mother told him he could not have the cookie. He is sorry because he got caught. He is sorry because he doesn't want to face the punishment and is hoping to avoid it. But when mother turns her back he's in the cookie jar again- he wasn't repentant.

Repentance involves a change of mind. When the Lord spoke that to me this morning, He meant that He did not want me to just be sorry because of what I missed, but He wants me to have a totally different outlook on it. He wants me to change my way of thinking and get up just because He said to get up. Repentance motivates me to do the right thing for the right reason. My earthly sorrow does not lead to repentance- how I look at the situation- but godly sorrow does- how does God look at the situation.

Have a great day. It's not about being sorry, it's about repentance.

"Second Chance- Part 2"

"She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." John 8:11

Yesterday I told you that I had run into a man that I used to go to school with years ago. He was telling me that he had received a liver transplant five years ago because his life of drugs and alcohol had destroyed his. I told him to take care of it because it cost someone else their life for him to have it- in essence, for him to have a second chance at life. This morning let me say this, unless he changes his way of living he will wind up doing the same thing to this new liver- destroying it.

Then we also discussed yesterday that we have been given a second chance at life because someone died for us so that we might live- Jesus. I asked the question, "What are you doing with this second chance?". This morning I want to talk about the second chance again that we have been given. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn us (John 3:17), but to give us life. Once we have received that new life we are commanded to "go and sin no more". Jesus expects us to live and walk in a new life of transformation and leave the old way of life behind.

Just because He has washed your sins away does not mean that you can keep living in sin. His message has always been and will always be- turn from your sins, walk in newness of life, go and sin no more. The man I was talking about has received a new liver but if he doesn't make a complete turn from a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol he will destroy this new liver and face the consequences again of his actions. A new liver does not give him more opportunity to keep drinking, it gave him a second chance at life. Jesus doesn't just give us a "guilt free" conscience to continue in a sinful lifestyle, He gave us a second chance to live and to live an abundant life. Like the woman caught in the act of adultery, Jesus did not condemn her, He forgave her, but then He told her not to keep doing (living in) the sin she was doing. He still says the same thing to us today.

Have a great day. Once you have received forgiveness and the new life He gives--- go and sin no more.

"Second Chance"

"In him was life..." John 1:4a

Last night at the recovery center I saw a man that I used to go to school with and had not seen for years and years. We briefly caught up on each others lives. He told me that he had received a liver transplant about five years ago after having destroyed his through alcohol and drugs. I told him to take care of the new one because in order for him to have gotten it someone had to die.

As I said those words I was reminded of another time when someone had to die in order for others to live. Jesus had to die in order for us to live, in order for us to have eternal life, in order for us to be able to have a relationship with the Heavenly Father and He had to die in order for our sins to be forgiven and washed away.

My statement to this man was also asking him what he was doing with the "second chance" he now had. Was he going to waste it? Was he going to continue to ruin his life? Was he going to take advantage of the new life he has received? Was he going to show his gratitude by being productive and accomplish something worth while? I have to ask you the same questions this morning. Since you have received a "second chance" and a new lease on life through Jesus, what are you doing with it? Are you going to take it for granted? Are you going to enjoy the life He has given to you? Are you going to squander it on doing your own will? Are you going to show your gratitude by surrendering to God's plan for your life? Are you going to use this marvelous gift to fulfill the plan and purpose that God has for your life? What are you going to do with it? What are you doing with it?

Have a great day. Through Christ's death we have been given the opportunity to have life. Have you received that life? If so, what are you doing with it?