Monday, March 19, 2007

Champions

haha. The desire to blog on this post was birth from talking to a secondary school friend.

He was talking about soccer and he's an Arsenal fan. Then he told me that Arsenal is in the 4th place this season, because previously I mentioned Man-U (this is the only club I know and could get the spelling right. haha! anyways, this is not the point. haha.).

He sighed when mentioning that Arsenal's 4th so I told him not to be sad. haha. Then he said something that struck me. He said, "nah. i'm not sad. juz cannot feel the excitement for arsenal being the champ"

Then I thought about how people would be excited when their favourite club gets the championship and how much more would we be excited and happy when we know we are ALREADY champions in Christ. Hey! We are champions. We as children of God are Champions and we can reign in this life!

haha. Praise Jesus for the message pastor preached today/yesterday. hehe. Wanna thank God for Pastor Prince's ministry and his heart for Jesus. ((:

Pastor preached on Romans 5:17, For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Seeing it in Amplified is beautiful...

Romans 5:17 (AMP)
For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

Maybe you would ask, "How to reign? I don't feel like I'm conquering; I'm sick, I'm poor." The answer is in the verse itself -

much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

It's for Christians (those who believe in Christ and His finished work) because it is through the one Man Jesus Christ. We can only come to the Father through Jesus.

Wow. Surely this verse is very rich!! Oh my. Please munch on the verse. Emphasis has been added. haha.

It's so coooool! haha. It says SURELY will those who RECEIVE abundance of UNdeserved, UNmerited favor and the FREE Gift of Righteousness (noun) reign as kings through Jesus!
It's not maybe but it is SURELY when you receive and continually receive His abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness (especially when you fall/sin) you would reign in life. You would reign over poverty, over sickness, over your bad habits. YOU WOULD REIGN.

All these circumstances would have no hold on you but you would be free to be a blessing to those around you because YOU have been blessed by God.

_________________________________

God rejoices over you to do you good
Jeremiah 32:41 (NKJV)
'Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good ... with all My heart and with all My soul.'

He wanna bless you beyond your wildest dreams
1 Corinthians 2:9(NKJV)
But as it is written:
" Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

Jeremiah 33:8-9, 16 (NKJV)
8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.'

16 In those days Judah will be saved,
And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
And this is the name by which she will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'

Now we can worship our Righteousness, no, not our works or deeds but Jesus is our Righteousness. By Him, we are put into right standing with DaddyGod.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Wow. Margy makes room for the grace of God. Hope this post has blessed you because it surely did for me. haha. I'm just so excited at the thought of us being able to reign in life just by receiving the two precious gifts - abundance of undeserved favor and the GIFT of Righteousness, again and again. ((:

Righteousness of God,
Margy