Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
“Recovery is Bloody Business” is what I called it. What you ask; last night’s talk at FREEDOM CHURCH. I could have called it “Life is Bloody Business” and it would have still fit. I know, maybe the title is a bit graphic or even off-putting, but I do believe it is relevant and rooted in truth. It might be even more appropriately titled “Recovery and Life are ‘BETTER’ when Bloodied.”
Trust me.
Let me explain and unpack it a little.
The Lord had laid a song on my lil’ sister Natalie called “STILL BELIEVE” recorded by Kim Walker. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzsy_wdzWNw)
I thought I would share the lyric this morning:
“Your blood makes the deaf to hear right now
Your blood takes away the curse right now
Your blood heals every disease right now
Your blood sets the addict free right now
And I still believe you’re the same yesterday today, and forever
And I still believe your blood is sufficient for me.
Your blood mends the broken hearts right now
Your blood propels me to forgive right now
Your blood transforms my mind right now
Your blood brings the dead to life right now
And I still believe you’re the same yesterday today, and forever
And I still believe your blood is sufficient for me
You’re the highest power
Darkness cannot stand
No longer bound to sin, I am free
And I still believe you’re the same yesterday today, and forever
And I still believe your blood is sufficient for me.”
Powerful stuff huh?
But BLOODY stuff too.
I will be honest.
Sometimes I get fearful about sharing “churchy” topics with my dear friends at FREEDOM. For many of them, this is the “first church” they have come to in a while, maybe ever. And so my small-mindedness gets in the way from time to time when it comes to sharing “churchy” things like “the blood of Christ” fearing that I will lose them or alienate the recovery seeker. I mean you would agree, “Christ’s blood” is pretty “churchy”; a little “inside” if you will. But last night, I was thankful that GOD (and it was GOD) pushed me past my small-minded fears and allowed Natalie and me to share a collective message about the amazing power of the blood. I plan to share portions of the talk with you in the future, but today, I want to simply encourage you to do what I prodded my friends at FREEDOM last night to do.
See past the visceral and graphic; see past the “churchliness” when it comes to the blood of Christ and embrace its power; embrace its changing force and the hope that it brings! This blood does indeed do what that little lyric from Kim Walker says.
It heals, it changes, it mends and it FREES!
Don’t ever be resigned to pigeonhole the blood to an “Eastery”thing or communion reference or ever leave it to things like a Passion play to stir your memory. Instead remember those in Christ are covered with this blood and in life it is best to BE BLOODIED; soaked in it in fact. Remember WHAT it does and that is the SAME and SUFFICIENT for ANYTHING you may be facing today! Don’t think so?
Ephesians 1:7-9
Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need…
It IS best to be bloodied!
I love you all!
Freedom Church
Pastor GDelaney
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