Today's Devotions

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Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Tip Of My Tongue: Mark Heard/Pierce Pettis +

    There's an oasis in the heat of the dayThere's a fire in the chill of nightA turnabout in circumstance makes Read More
  • Because of Who You Are +

    Time and again Vicki Yohe provides us with songs that simply capture the heart of someone devoted to Christ as Read More
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Sylvia    The Bible says you are a priest.

The basic functions of priests were to represent God to man and man to God. One of the duties was to bless the people. Our culture doesn't understand blessing as it was practiced in the Bible. The Bible was written in and to a culture that was steeped in blessing: the blessing of shalom, blessing the child with his name, the patriarchal blessing to sons, the blessing of God for His people, the blessing of Jesus, of the disciples, of the early church, of Peter, Paul, and James.


     In the New Testament the priestly functions are transferred to all believers, and we are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). We have authority and privileges as priests. Through Jesus our High Priest we have the right to come into the holiest place in worship. We are called to offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and prayer (1 Peter 2:5), abiding in His presence, drawing near to Him and dwelling in Him, and He in us.


     In the Bible, blessing flows three ways: from God to people, from people to God, and from person to person. Because Jesus is in us, we can pass on to His people the blessings of His heart for acceptance, identity, meaning, affirmation, legitimization, and God's good purposes.

     Here's a blessing for your spirit in your identity as priest.

     Isaiah 61:6 promises, "You will be called priests of the L
ORD and ministers of your God." And in Revelation 1:6. "[Jesus] has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father. To him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."

     When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the holy of holies was torn from top to bottom. Now the awesome privilege of access to the inner court belongs to all believers. You may boldly come to praise, worship, adore, and glorify your Father. Be blessed with knowing your free access to Him. Receive the words of 1 Peter 2:5 and 9. You are a priest and minister to God. That is your duty and your privilege as a member of the royal priesthood. Be blessed in drawing near to Him, abiding in His presence, and dwelling in Him, and He in you, as you offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and prayer.

     Be blessed as you minister to God in the secret place where He releases His heart to you. Be blessed as you seek Him intimately and experience all of who He is. Worship and adore Him, being joyfully, willingly submitted to the One you love. Meet Him in complete surrender of all you are. Draw near as the Spirit of the Lord abides in you, indwells you, rests on you, and anoints you.
 
     You represent God to others by releasing His heart of blessing to your world. By prayer, faith, intercessory living, and blessing, you open the door for restoration for yourself, your family, and others. You are an instrument of renewal and rebuilding of generations of desolation and ruin. You can bless and minister to others, so that God can convict, woo, love, and reconcile them. He will make all things new and glorify Himself as He ministers through you, and the glory of the throneroom puts its stamp on all you are and do in His name.

     You are blessed to be a blessing. You can speak deeply personal words of acceptance, identity, meaning, affirmation, and legitimacy. Let God's presence and blessing flow through you to His glory and praise. As you sow to the Spirit, and you will reap the things of the Spirit, for the one who sows to the Spirit reaps life. Be blessed in the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2).

Be blessed in the name of Jesus, your High Priest (Heb 3:1; 9:11).

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • River of Love

    There's a river of love that runs through all timeBut there's a river of grief that floods through our livesIt Read More
  • I Am Nothing

    I stutter when I tryTo speak the language of lifeI want to shout out loudBut I just cry insideSometimes it Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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