But you are a...

Saturday. February 5. Day 3.

1 Peter 2

Encouragement

• We are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus (vs. 5) 
• We are a CHOSEN race, a ROYAL priesthood, a HOLY nation, a people for his own possession, that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (vs. 9)

Conviction

• Put away ALL malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy & slander (vs. 1) 
• Abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul (vs. 11)

And then comes vs. 9-10! I love letting my imagination go wild when I read scripture. So picture this...

Here I am, a plain-jane lonely girl, wondering through the streets. Homeless. Unloved. Untouchable. One day, a man approached me and asked me to come with him. There was something different about this man, different from other men who just want to use me for my body. But this man... I felt drawn to him in an unusual, comforting, safe way. So I agreed to follow. I soon realize that I'm heading towards the King's Palace... this is strange! I've never gotten this close before that I could see the beauty of even the outer gate. But this man... he's heading directly for the gate. He begins to dig for something in his pocket... presents it to the gate-keeper & motions me to follow him in. WHAAAT?! Are you kidding me? Do you know who I am? Do you see what I'm wearing? Someone's going to know that I don't belong & I'll surely be put to death! But I feel no option but to follow. I have been CHOSEN! So as we continue walking, I can see begin to see the King's Palace. I've seen it once before on a picture, but never in my wildest dreams could I imagine seeing it with my own eyes! As we get closer, I realize we could be entering the palace. I mean, the way this day's gone I wouldn't be surprised! And it's true. We walk up the stairs, through the front doors & there He is. The King. He's standing before me with a crown in His hands. Does he not understand who I am? Look at me! Surely he will soon realize that this whole thing is a mistake, this poor man found found the wrong girl! But the smile on his face remains. He said some words as I stood before him, but I can't remember anything he said, I was so caught up in the moment. Next thing I know, I have a crown on my head... I am now considered ROYAL! One thing leads to the next & many secrets of the King's Kingdom are revealed to me. I find out that this nation is HOLY! So now what do I do? What does this mean for my life? What do I do with what I've just received?? I worked up the courage to ask the King... He replied, "Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew. 10:8). So I made my way out to the streets, with full access to the King's Kingdom, looking for someone who would follow me in! 

I AM a chosen race.
I AM a royal priesthood.
I AM a holy nation.
I AM a people for his own possession.
THAT I may proclaim the excellencies of him who called me out of darkness into his marvelous light.

THANK YOU JESUS! Thank you for calling me out of darkness and welcoming me into Your marvelous light. From lonely to accepted. From angry to free. From death to life. Thank you for transforming my life, day by day!

This Jesus I talk about... 

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin & live to righteousness. By his would you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:22-25)

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Do you know Jesus? If so...

Do you believe that YOU ARE a chosen race?
Do you believe that YOU ARE a royal priesthood?
Do you believe that YOU ARE a holy nation?
Do you believe that YOU ARE a people for his own possession?
Do you believe that THAT YOU MAY proclaim the excellencies of him who called me out of darkness into his marvelous light?