DIG for Tuesday the 1st of August…..the best ‘swap’ ever…..2 Corinthians 5 v 21

When I was a young boy I used to collect stickers of football players with the aim of filling up and completing my album.

It got harder near the end and I remember swapping and exchanging stickers with my friends at school, trying to get rid of my doubles and find the ones I’d not got.

This was great fun, and this swapping took a great deal of time and effort!

I was strangely reminded about that this evening as I was reading my ‘all time’ favourite verse, 2 Corinthians 5 v 21.

This verse shows us the most important swap that has every taker place, a swap that occurred as a gift of grace through faith.

This swap took no effort on our behalf, as it simply required faith.

At the cross Jesus took all our sin on His body, and at our salvation we receive His righteousness.

Now that may not sound like a fair swap to you, Jesus suffering for our benefit.

But that was what the finished work of Jesus was all about!

He came to bring us life in abundance, He came so that we could live in health and prosperity, and He came so that we could be made righteous.

This was the plan!

And Jesus carried out the plan to perfection.

He went to the cross once and dealt with all sin for all men for all time (Hebrews 10 v 12).

And because of that we could be made righteous as a gift of grace through faith; what an amazing swap!

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I am righteous, made righteous as a gift of grace through faith in Jesus and His finished work”.

2 Corinthians 5 v 21…..For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him

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DIG for Monday the 31st of July…..stop making excuses and do something…..John 5 v 8

Once again I have been drawn to the account of Jesus with the man at the pool of Bethesda.

This is a vital account, giving us a picture of the responsibility we have when receiving of the good things provided by Jesus.

This man had been making excuses for his lack of healing and had been relying on others (John 5 v 6 and 7).

Jesus asked him to do something and then He was healed; he rose and took up his bed.

Now, I am not saying that works are required for us to be healed, however we have to play our part.

We have to act as if we are healed, we should be speaking out that we are healed.

We need to stop making excuses and behaving in a negative manner.

You see it is our mind-set, our thoughts and our words that impact directly on our lives.

If we act sick we will stay sick, however if we believe we are healed and act that we are healed we are for a more likely to see our healing made manifest.

The man in this account stopped making excuses and took actions that helped ‘promote’ his healing.

For us it is not that Jesus will heal us, it is that Jesus has already provided healing and we need to act in a manner to receive it.

Jesus has provided but we have to receive!

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you have already provided for my healing through the finished work of Jesus”.

John 5 v 8…..Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk

DIG for Sunday the 30th of July…..even the pinkie has a role to play…..Ephesians 4 v 16

In church this week I was preaching from Ephesians 4 and one of the truths was that every single person has a significant role to play in the church.

In Ephesians 4 v 16 we see a picture highlighting this truth.

Paul talks about a body, how every part fits together for the good of that body.

Every part of our body has a role and purpose, not matter how significant it may seem.

I used the little finger or pinkie for example; it may not seem of any use but when I have an itchy ear it comes into its own!

The heart is important, but cannot operate without blood, veins or arteries.

The brain is important but cannot function without nerves or without the protection of the skull.

Every part has its use and role.

The liver cannot do what the pancreas does and vice versa.

You have a role in the church, however insignificant you feel.

OK, you may never be a pastor but are you an encourager, could you put out seats or can you make tea or coffee?

There are many things to do in the church, not just the obvious things.

What is your role?

Have you asked God what you can or should do?

How do you fit into the body of Christ?

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I am significant, that I have a role and a purpose in your church”.

Ephesians 4 v 16…..From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love