Blog In Audio:
Greetings,
Jesus appeared once for the end of every age only to give us eternal life in every age. To save our life, we must be willing to lose our old life. To find our life in Christ, we must lay down our old lives of self. The sacrifice of Jesus upon our cross put away the power of sin for us all. He bore our sins to invite us into His eternal body of life. The body of Christ is a body of increasing glory in every generation of men. The second coming of Jesus is not just an event to come but an increasing glory of God in the lives of all who eagerly call upon His presence each day. Leaders set an example to those they lead in embracing both the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins and His manifest presence that reveals His increasing glory in our lives.
As sons and daughters of God we are called to be expressions of Christ in every aspect of our lives. We find our identity, testimony, and purpose in Christ. While we were still sinners, Jesus died for us to reconcile us to our heavenly Father. He was a last and eternal Adam to make a way for us to enter into His body as new creations in Christ. His mercy has triumphed over the judgment of sin and death. We are now seated with Christ in a place of authority to bring life to our world. This is part of our salvation in Christ. We have a destiny in Christ by the power of His resurrection life.
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Reigning in Christ was for the first century church of Christ and it is true for every generation in Him. The beginning and increase of the New Covenant was the end of the Old Covenant in the first century (Mt. 24:3) and is the end of every Old Covenant administration in every season of humankind. We lose our lives only to find them eternally in Christ. Jesus First Coming and Second Coming in the First Century was the end of the Old Covenant generation for Israel first to then go to all nations – First a man of flesh (living soul) – Second a life-giving Spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Matthew 24:34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
To know the salvation of God we must know Jesus in both His first coming and the eternally increasing testimony of His second coming in our lives. We must embrace His sacrifice for us upon our cross so that we can find His presence in our lives that empowers us to reign in life. We must live from the throne room of grace. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1:3) We are to live as sons of God.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
As members of the body of Christ we are empowered by Christ in us to live in the destiny of a purpose-filled salvation in Christ. We are part of the calling of Christ in Him. We are a testimony of His inheritance in the generations of mankind. The resurrection power of Christ gives us the authority of life to exercise dominion over every power of darkness.
Ephesians 1:18 …the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Leaders lead others to know and live in the salvation of God in Christ. This includes living in the calling, the testimony, and the purpose of Christ in all things. Life is more powerful than death! Light is more powerful than every form of darkness! Leaders are light that they might lead others to be the light of God in Christ.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
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Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728
