Redeemed

This is the day that the LORD has made and we shall be glad and rejoice in it. Thank you Abba for the Word and for giving us wisdom and understanding as we read it. Thank you LORD that with our minds we serve the law of God in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Today's Word is from Ephesians 5:30-32 (NKJV)

30. "For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

31. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.

32. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

Amen, thank you LORD.

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, He made man in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). When we read the above verses, we also see that God's heart is not for man to be isolated but for fellowship and communion. Later on, we see God forming woman who was a companion and helper to her husband, Adam, who had the responsibility of taking care of the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:20).

At the same time, John 4:24, reminds us that God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. When Adam and woman were in the garden of Eden, God also formed them to have a consistent and continual fellowship with Him. This direct fellowship and relationship between God and man was interrupted when the enemy introduced the deception of sin that made Adam and woman disobey God's instruction by eating the forbidden fruit. Adam and the woman's disobedience to God caused spiritual death.

Thousands of years later, God, the Father sends His Son Jesus to the world so that whoever would believe in Him would receive life as they would be redeemed from spiritual death and from the bondage of sin introduced by the enemy which caused a separation in fellowship and intimacy with God.

We also see that Jesus also departed from His home in heaven and from the Father so that He could be joined to the church, as His wife so we could become one flesh.

How did this happen? - This happened through Jesus' death on the cross where His flesh bore every sin, iniquity and disease in His body, His burial and His resurrection from the dead after He had defeated every power of the enemy. Colossians 2:13-15 (NKJV) says, "And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."

So when you receive salvation, you receive the life of God found in His Son Christ where spiritual death no longer has a hold on you because in Christ is the forgiveness of sins. Before salvation, you are under the dominion of satan (2 Corinthians 4:4), but after you are redeemed by receiving salvation in Christ, you are now in God's Kingdom and under His divine full-time protection.

Where sins are forgiven, it also means we have direct fellowship and communion with God as it was originally intended by God when He formed man and woman.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (NKJV) shares, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (underlining is my emphasis)

When you receive salvation, you in turn receive Christ who became sin by taking all your sins when he was crucified on the cross for a crime he never committed so that you could be made right with God that is, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). So when God sees you, He sees Jesus because Jesus is the head and husband of the church. As the head and husband of the church, you are one with Christ because You are a part of His bride which is the church. Ephesians 5:30 reminds us above, we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

Now, it is important to note, that as a new creation who is born again, salvation is not the end. It is the beginning of your life. It is of great benefit to intentionally grow in the knowledge of salvation so that your mind can be renewed to the inheritance that Christ has completed by redeeming and reconciling you to relationship with the Father.

The best way to acquire God's knowledge and truth is by reading your Bible. Hebrews 4:12 AMP, "For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Reading God's Word is also a form of worshipping God (John 4:24) and building a relationship with God where you get to know His heart concerning every area of your life while You also get to know His heart. The Word of God will also reveal you to you, where you will know your identity as the bride of Christ and all the promises that God has concerning your life and well-being.

For example, the Word of God is a healer. As you meditate on the truth of God's Word, God's healing power in Christ is released in you as His bride, to mention but a few benefits of reading your Bible. The Word of God is integral to walking and living your life as the redeemed of the LORD.

I'll end with this Word found in Hebrews 11:3 (AMP)

"By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible."

Psalm 107:1-3 (NKJV)

1. "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. For His mercy endures forever.

2. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

3. And gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south."

Amen, thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: If you would like to know about God as Your the Father who from the beginning of creation has always loved you and desires to commune with you through a personal relationship with His only Son Christ who has given you victory over sin and through Him, we have the blessings of the new covenant and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If this sounds like you - I invite you to speak this confession:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever." AMEN.

Congratulations, YOU'VE BEEN REDEEMED by the precious blood of Jesus. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen. In case you do not already, please join a church community and get water baptized!