Reconciled -

Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we beg you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2nd Corinthians 5:20

Did you know that if you are a Christian, you are now an ambassador for Christ? If you are a follower of Christ, you are His ambassador. The Strong’s concordances for the Hebrew word for ambassador is [tsiyr], which means “an official envoy or messenger of a country or state. Today, this may be akin to a goodwill ambassador appointed by a charity or other organizations to publicize their activities or promote a specific cause. An ambassador for Christ is a messenger of Good News, for the ambassador brings healing and health to the souls of those who will listen.

As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.
Proverbs 25:13

We should enjoy hearing the Good News of the Gospel, because it brings the message of Christ and reconciliation to God. In Acts chapter 3 in verse 19, Peter spoke these words, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” We may have missed the meaning of what Peter was saying in Acts 3:19, in that everyone should repent so that the time of refreshing comes upon us all. Having sorrow about our sins is not repentance. Even Christians need to repent from their sins and be reminded that if they have lost their standing with God, they need to confess before God instead of carrying the sorrow of sin within their heart. Repentance means to change your mind. A changed mind regarding sin, and the self-life to which only God can bring times of refreshing. Let us not be fooled in this regard about the true meaning of repentance. It follows Christ in word and in deed because he changed his mind not to be of this world.

As messengers of Christ, we must remember that our faith will be tested to prove where our mind and heart truly are. Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God,” see Luke 9:62. We are either for Christ or against Christ. We do not look back to what we were living in, for we came out of darkness since the light has shone upon our hearts. We no longer walk in darkness but in the light of His glory. Our eyes are now open to the truth, and our minds have changed to walking on a new path. The Lord may send you out like the seventy he sent forth in chapter 10 of the Gospel of Luke. We should pray for the laborers who are sent forth into the harvest field. We are all sent out into the field knowing about the ministry of reconciliation, as is stated in 2nd Corinthians 5:18. Are we not a new creation in Christ? Hasn’t the old man passed away because of Christ?

Let us examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith of the one to whom we believe. Prove yourself that you are walking in faith, for whatsoever is not of faith is sin [see Romans 14:23]. In Luke 10:17, the seventy returned to the Lord with joy and were amazed, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject unto us through thy name.” Yes, they came back as victors in Christ Jesus, and Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” You must read the rest of the story of that wonderful chapter. About the things being revealed unto babes, the power of God. These seventy people that Jesus appointed were not elders of a church; they were babes in Christ doing the will of Christ. Will you go forth and share your testimony of what Christ has done for you? Will you go forth and heal the sick and cast out demons?

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19

Jesus gives us power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over the enemy. Yet, I have not always witnessed this power in the church. However, laborers are to go out into the harvest field and gather the harvest. What if you were appointed as one of the seventy people? Does this frighten you? My husband asked the elders of the church to come to the men’s homeless mission in Seattle, Washington. To my surprise, some were afraid to go to a Christian-based homeless shelter for men. Granted, the scene sometimes in and around the shelter was not always pleasant to witness. Men were living in cardboard boxes by the mission. Some were intoxicated, some had mental conditions, and some were just rough around the edges. This was witnessing human degradation due to circumstances that happened in their life. This is where Human dignity was violated. You may think, Why would God be concerned about those who violate themselves as well as others? Why? Because God so loved the world that he gave us his only son. Everyone needs the love of God residing in their heart.

Human dignity is lost when there is slavery, torture, poverty, starvation, armed conflict, domestic violence, racism, genocide, rape, and human trafficking. The evil power in these practices does not reflect on the goodness of men, but rather the opposite. We may not want to be reminded of such wicked or cruel acts, but they are written down in many history books for a reason. The reason is that we should not fall to such a low estate ourselves. Can we change our way towards repentance instead of seeking our own success and power? Yes, we can. Charles Colson, who was involved in the Watergate scandal under President Richard Nixon, changed his mind and was reconciled to God. He told his story in a book titled “Born Again.” Colson became the founder of Prison Fellowship, a non-profit ministry. He made a promise while in prison to remember prisoners and their families. What a change of mind and profession Colson had, and many thought he was crazy. Would you be crazy for Christ?

To walk under God’s power is the best way to walk as ambassadors for Christ if we are reconciled to God. Our minds have changed from doing wicked works to doing good works in the love of Christ. This new life gives us human dignity because His love for us is genuine and not fake. We remember who we once were, but now we walk in the light of His glory. We go where he sends us, even if it is our own backyard, because we are now ambassadors for Christ. Do not be afraid of what you might see. Share how you have changed your mind for Christ and received freedom from the burden of sin. Live in the light of His love, hope, and peace and become ambassadors for Christ.

When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Luke 18:8

What will the Son of man find when he comes upon the earth? Will he find obedience in the faith of Jesus Christ? Will he find anyone standing fast in the faith and doing all things in love? Will he find you settled and grounded in faith to where you are not removed away from the hope of the gospel? The truth of the gospel is found in the power of God’s Son Jesus Christ who brought us with a price. The redemptive work in Christ is our saving grace towards forgiveness and eternal life. We must not devalue what Christ has done on the cross for each of us. He is our peace and has reconciled all things unto himself [see Colossians 1:20]. We are complete in him.

And ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principalities and power.
Colossians 2:10

I pray that your faith is not a shallow faith. I pray that you become strengthened in the might of His Spirit, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith and that you be grounded and rooted in love [see Ephesians 3:16-17]. To know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God [see Ephesians 3:19]. We all must be able to comprehend the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of our precious Lord. The apostle Paul warns us of a perilous time that is coming, and it seems fitting to say that we may be entering a perilous time and our faith will be tested. The apostle Paul warns us that professing Christians will reject the truth that is in the Deity of Jesus Christ. The snare of Satan is to deny our Lord’s provision in the power of his resurrection. Our faith in Christ alone guarantee’s our inheritance of eternal life. Do not let anyone take that away from you. Paul tells us that in the last days of perilous times men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, and disobedient [ 2 Timothy 3:2].

Those who boast the loudest have lost something in life. We should question why they are boasting. What are they trying to gain except their own recognition. Our recognition is in Christ Jesus, and we can only boast what he has given us which is mercy, love, forgiveness, and a new life. There will be men who are high-minded, heady, false accusers, despisers of those that are good, and traitors because they deny the power of our LORD in vain believing in their own form of godliness. We are to turn away from those who are like this for they are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth [see 2 Timothy 3:7]. We are to continue in the love of our Lord and stand firm in the faith that is through our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the death and resurrection of our Lord, for He alone is able to save us from death and hell. Keep the word of God nigh thee even in thy mouth speak the word.

Preach the word; be diligent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.”
2 Timothy 4:2

Yes, we are to preach the word, and fight the good fight of faith. We all should have a good profession [see 1 Timothy 6:12]. Is your profession a good profession before many witnesses? Check thy mouth for it will speak what is in your heart. You may have to pray and ask the Lord to deliver you from evil speaking and from every evil work. I pray that He will preserve you unto His heavenly kingdom, and not your own kingdom. Those who have departed from the faith within their heart but still confess they are Christian will be awaiting judgement. The scripture tells us that their folly shall be manifested unto all men [2Timothy 3:9]. There is reconciliation through Jesus Christ for our sins if we confess them before our Lord. We should all continue to grow as the scripture helps us towards correction and it is the instruction into righteousness. It reveals the truth of the folly of humanity. Paul tells us to examine ourselves whether or not we are standing in faith [see 2 Corinthians 13:5]. Our faith is our confession, for whatever is not of faith is dead. Faith in Christ Jesus is alive and carries the power to save and heal us.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.”
Hebrews 10:23

That is why it is so important that we hold fast our profession of our faith without wavering. We declare the Lord Jesus who is the final sacrifice for our sins. He died and arose from the cross to give us eternal life. Profession is our declaration, a public announcement of what we believe in. If we lack faith, we can ask in prayer for help of our unbelief like the father of the child who had a dumb and deaf spirit [see Mark 9:24]. He is faithful to help us in our weaknesses. It is interesting to note that the disciples could not cast out the spirit of dumbness and deaf out of the child and they asked Jesus why? Jesus answered, “this kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” [Mark 9:29]. Prayer and fasting are needed at times to gain understanding of the revelation about a situation that God can only reveal through prayer and fasting. The believer is complete in Christ.

Buried with him in baptism, in which also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
Colossians 2:12

Through the faith of the operation of God, yes, the operation of God and not of man. Christ was raised from the dead, and so shall we if we continue in the faith. We have a part in the ministry of reconciliation as ambassadors for Christ bearing the word of God and declaring the truth of the gospel of Christ. Christ is our redemption and reconciliation to God. The operation of God is through faith in Christ.

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Luke 18:27

Whatever is impossible with men are possible with God. How exciting is this. Our God of mercy makes it possible if only we would believe in his provision through his son Jesus Christ. Our faith in Christ can move mountains. Remember what Jesus said to the disciples, “whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith,” [Mark 11:23]. Jesus also told the disciples to have faith in God. Have faith in God.

When He the Son of men comes, may you be found in him standing in faith.

Category: Reconciled

Ambassadors for Christ

The Son of man cometh, Shall He find faith on the earth?