Jews
and Gentiles are all capable of claiming friendship with God through the power
of Jesus Christ abiding within us. We are fellow heirs of God's Kingdom,
members of the same Body of Christ, and partakers together of the promise of Christ
in us by believing the Gospel (Ephesians 3:4-6).
All
Believers are His children, heirs of His glory, and adopted into His family. We
are also subject to share in His suffering, which He endured throughout His
lifetime (Romans 8:17). God calls us to willingly submit as bondservants to
Jesus, and slaves to His righteousness.
We
are not merely His servants, He considers us as His family. We are adopted into
God’s family and co-equal heirs with Jesus to inherit everything that our
Father owns (Romans 8:17). We are also regenerated disciples of Christ, ever-learning
from His truth and walking in His Spirit.
Yet,
the most amazing position we share is that of living as friends of God (John
15:13). This thought warms my soul and fills me with joy, peace and abundant
love for both our Heavenly Father and our brother, Jesus.
Jesus
is both the Lion of Judah and the sacrificial Lamb. He took on the sins of the
world and is also the righteous Judge. He is the consuming Fire and the Light
of the world, the Root of Jesse and the King of the Jews, as well as the future
King of the whole world.
Jesus
no longer calls us servants, because a servant does not know his master's
business. Instead, He calls us His friends, because everything that Jesus
learned from our Father He has made known to us.
Jesus
is ultimately our Emanuel - God with us, and He dwells in our spirit and
changes us from the inside out. Jesus is our loving Friend who is always here
for us. As His friends, we always do what His Spirit leads us to do (Proverbs
3:5-6).
Prayer:
Father
God, thank You for Your Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and that the fullness
of the godhead is in us as well (Colossians 1:19; 2:9). We rejoice at the
sanctifying work of Your Spirit within us. We like who You make us, much better
than living as a product of our genes and upbringing.
Although
we did not choose You, You chose us and appointed us to go forth into the world,
in order to bear fruit for Your Kingdom (John 15:13-16). Jesus is our very best
friend, and we thank You for His finished work on Calvary’s Cross. This allows us
to walk in His love, as well as in His acceptance as members of Your family,
and as Your friend.
Thought
for the Day:
We
do not have to earn God's love or acceptance by good deeds or righteous acts; we
simply surrender our will to His, and walk in obedience to His calling for our
life; then, He gives us His Holy Spirit as our comforter and guide, and He
promises never to leave us or forsake us.
-
Deuteronomy 31:8; John 15:26; Hebrews 13:5
