VETTED

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.

 

We are “vetted” he said.

 

What does it mean to be vetted?

“to appraise, verify, or check for accuracy, authenticity, validity, etc.:” is what dictionary.com offers.

 

So given that definition, he could have said we have been “authenticated” as well.

 

Makes me think of a James Bond type film when in order to get to the secret vault or gain access to the nerve center of the operation, the agent has to pass a retinal, voice or fingerprint authentication.

 

He used the working for the CIA in his example. So you get the imagery right?

Who is he?

 

He is Pastor Mark who last Sunday shared a little off the cuff about our “vettedness” as followers of Christ.  He shared it to remind us of the amazing privilege we as believers have in our continuous 24x7, 365 access to GOD the FATHER through Jesus.

 

He reminded us that on a dime we can invite GOD to our conversations.  We can consult his wisdom without appointment, we can bring Him into a crisis and He drops everything and enters into the mix with us.

 

Why and how you ask?

Because WE, through CHRIST, have passed authentication.

We have been VETTED.

 

Hebrews 10:19(MSG)

So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body.

 

This is so POWERFUL!  Yet often forgotten.

 

In fact, I was sitting with a friend on Tuesday who STRUGGLES with old guilt, old shame, and old frustrations.  He fights daily with feelings of hypocrisy.

And while He is a gifted, albeit anointed, ambassador for Christ, he allows the enemy to cloud his “authenticity”. He fights daily with the perceived and false exclusionary power of his sin.  He feels like GOD remains constantly disappointed in him and disgusted by his failures.

 

He doesn’t feel vetted.  Instead he feels vexed.

 

I am sure he is not unique.  I feel that way many times myself.  I make huge mistakes and those feelings of unworthiness and guilt come pouring in.  The enemy then piles on with his statements like “aren’t you the Pastor?” and “how could someone who claims to be what you claim to be allow yourself to do something like that?”

 

It is then that I am thankful that in spite of all of my failings and mistakes, my “authenticity” is never diminished in the eyes of GOD. 

My appraisal hasn’t lost its value. 

My sins though as red as scarlet have been vetted to a pure white by Jesus Himself!

I am  “always in” never excluded!  You are too.

 

Romans 8:1(Phillips)

No condemnation now hangs over the head of those who are “in” Jesus Christ. For the new spiritual principle of life “in” Christ lifts me out of the old vicious circle…

 

…That old vicious circle of rumination on past failures, that old vicious circle of guilt and self-condemnation. 

 

Jesus has VETTED ME!  Jesus has VETTED you!  So we don’t have to slink into the PRESENCE of GOD any longer ashamed and covered in guilt.  Rather…

 

Hebrews 4:14-16

…we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

 

You are VETTED!

 

 

I love you all.

Freedom Church