July 30, 2012
“Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.” 2 Cor. 5:14-15 The Message
He was a Messiah-hater and the Messiah turned him into a Messiah-messenger. He got it all wrong and Jesus turned it into something completely new .. inside and out. He got a fresh start. Could you use one? Do you know someone who could as well. Maybe you know a few. They’re out there .. just like you were once. You would have missed Him the first time .. the second time .. maybe a lot of times. But Jesus didn’t miss you. He saw you clearly through and through. He saw how blind you were and transferred the Light of His life into your darkness so that you could see clearly! There’s faith involved .. all those parts and pieces of what you once believed transformed by this Resurrected Messiah into a “far better life” than you could ever live on your own. It changes the way you look at people. You begin to see them as they would be “if” this Messiah .. this Jesus .. lived inside of them. And just like that Messiah-hater who wrote these words above and below .. you will find yourself becoming a Messiah-messenger. You can’t look at people the way you used to look at them. Your eyes won’t focus clearly with those old lenses. He gives you new eyes that see from a new heart and a new life. Need a fresh start? Tired of trying to make an old life new? Jesus isn’t asking you to clean up the old you. He’s offering a new you .. a new creation of you .. a Messiah-made you. Decide .. Receive .. Choose .. Trust .. Believe ..????? You decide … He’s already settled on you. It only takes a moment …
“Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! 2 Cor. 5:17-17 The Message
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Messiah-focused men and women following Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)
