February 22: Principles for Your Priesthood

Dearly beloved of the Lord, I invite you to reflect on these principles today: As a believer, you belong to the nation of, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God” (1 Peter 2: 9). As God’s priest, you are to intercede for others so they will return to God and be co-workers in His purposes. The ten steps of preparedness for entering God’s presence in prayer are:

To appropriate God’s grace – this means to acknowledge God’s holiness, and to turn from our sins and be cleansed through the blood of Christ.

To put on righteousness - this means to appropriate the righteousness of Christ through faith and to live in righteousness, doing what is right by keeping in step with the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Put on truth and honesty – this means to be clean and transparent before the Lord, desiring truth in the inmost part and living with integrity.

Cleanse yourself with the word – this means, before you come before God, make sure you have read the word and that you are obeying the word.

Worship and praise God - this means, worship and honor God in Spirit and in truth (see John 4: 24 – 25), acknowledge Him as your all in all.

Separate yourself - this means, leave your normal environment, activities and distractions. Find the place in God where He meets, coming to Him with the right heart, attitude and motives.

Believe – this means to have faith in God’s power to keep His promises and in the effectiveness of Christ’s sacrifice.

Give God the glory - this means, acknowledge that God provided for your atonement and reconciliation and He is worthy to be praised.

Wash in the word - this means, ask God to fulfill His purposes based on His will and promises.

Remain in the atonement – this means, remain in a state of preparedness for prayer. Honor the Lord by reflecting His nature in your life. Note: God desires a broken and contrite heart for righteousness with Him.

Let’s pray: Father, thank you for giving me knowledge and the understanding for prayer. Help me toacknowledge and appropriate the principles for priesthood, and to use them to guard my life of prayer so that I may remain pure in heart and continue to see you and have a good relationship with you always, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s reading: Numbers 3-4; Mark 3:20-35

God Demands a Broken and Contrite Heart.