DIG for Saturday the 19th of July…..do you realise how important we are to this world…..Philippians 1 v 23 and 24

Paul talks in this passage of Scripture about wanting to go to be with the Lord but knowing that he needs to stay on earth for the present.

He wants to get to heaven, but knows he has a purpose on earth and needs to stay for the good of others.

In this case it was for the good of the church at Philippi.

My friend, do you know the same is true for you and me; it would be much better to be in heaven with Jesus however we have a purpose on earth and need to stay and fulfil that calling.

It is not arrogant to say that Christians are essential on this earth and we need to be here.

Jesus said we are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5 v 13).

Jesus said we are the light of the world (Matthew 5 v 14).

Without light there would be no life on earth; plants need light to produce sugars thorough photosynthesis and this is the basis of all food on earth.

Without salt all animals would die; we all need salt in our bodies to allow our nervous systems to pass electrical signals correctly for example.

Physical life is impossible without salt and light; and true spiritual life is impossible without Jesus.

And who will tell a needy world about Jesus if we do not?

We are essential on this earth.

We have a job to do.

We are ambassadors for Jesus (2 Corinthians 5 v 20) and we are here (or rather one of the reasons we are here) is to tell people about our Lord and Master.

The world needs you my friend; your family, friends, schoolmates or work colleagues need you.

You are salt and light to may people around you even if you do note realise it at the moment; to many people you may be the only exposure that they have to Jesus.

Shine my brothers and sisters and be the salt to this needy world.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I have many purposes in this world, and one is to be salt and light”.

Philippians 1 v 23 and 24…..For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you

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DIG for Friday the 18th of July….the ransom has been paid, we are now free…..Romans 3 v 24

I have been thinking about the word redeemed today.

I was given a thank you card after preaching at an event on Saturday night that used the word redeemed and I met the artist who actually made the card this morning in Costa.

We spoke about the card and that got my mind onto redeemed.

The root word for redeemed (and its other derivatives) is agorazo, which literally means to go to market and by implication to purchase.

When we read that we have been redeemed or that we have redemption it really means that we have been purchased or bought; that we have had a ransom paid for our freedom.

This is a wonderful concept; that we were once slaves to sin and death but have now been bought, had a ransom paid, so that we can live in freedom.

Once a person has been freed with a ransom they do not go back to their slavery or bondage.

The Word says that we have been redeemed (or purchased or ransomed) from the curse of the law (Galatians 3 v 13).

We should therefore not return to this and try to live by the law, we have been freed from this and now live under grace (Galatians 5 v 1 and Romans 6 v 14 and 15).

Through the finished work of Jesus Christ we have been redeemed; his blood has purchased us and we now have forgiveness (Ephesians 1 v 7 and Colossians 1 v 14).

The ransom has been paid to free us form the slavery of sin and death and we are now “slaves” to forgiveness, righteousness, mercy, love and abundance.

We have the fullness of God and all His blessings dwelling within us because of the work of Jesus as a gift of grace.

We would be crazy to try and return to live under the law.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I have been redeemed through the finished work of Jesus Christ and the shedding of His blood”.

Romans 3 v 24…..Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus