. . . as though God did beseech you [plead with you] by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. —2 Corinthians 5:20, emphasis added

It’s over! It’s done! God has reconciled you to Himself, became sin so you could be made righteous, delivered you from fear and guilt, and made you holy, in right standing before Him. He has done all He can do for you, so He is beseeching you! He is pleading with you! Be reconciled to Him! Stop calling yourself unworthy. Stop thinking of yourself as a sinner or a failure. Accept what He did for you and come into fellowship with Him. He longs for and desires a Garden of Eden experience with you. Renew your mind to His Word and His promises. Believe in the price that He paid—He was made sin with your sin, so you could be made righteous with His righteousness. Why not pray? Why not take your place in God? Your prayers pack power! Your prayers move mountains! Your prayers shake hell! “The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 1:5). You are that righteous person—your prayers do make a difference!

Pastor Tom Kehres

. . . that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. —Luke 1:74–75

Glory to God! Jesus came not only to give you a ticket to heaven, but also to deliver you from fear, so that you can live before Him, in His presence, in His glory, holy and righteous, all the days of your life! There isn’t anything keeping you from a wonderful relationship with God other than your own thought life. You have been created holy and righteous; you have been reconciled to God; He is no longer holding your sin against you; you can go before Him every day of your life. He paid the price! Fellowship is His idea! Your holiness and righteousness was His plan. Come out of the fig-leaf mentality, come out from behind the bush of fear, and take your place as a righteous one of God. Serve Him in power, in confidence, in boldness, before Him all the days of your life.

Pastor Tom Kehres

. . . who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. —2 Corinthians 5:18

At one time, Adam had sweet fellowship and relationship with God. He walked and lived in God’s presence. He heard God’s voice and communicated with God on a daily basis. But when Adam sinned, fear, guilt, and condemnation came into his life and separated him from God. Because of fear, he hid from the presence of God and no longer had that sweet fellowship he had once enjoyed. He tried to restore that relationship with a fig leaf, but there wasn’t anything he or anyone else could do to repair his relationship and erase his mistake. So God came to the earth in Christ, “reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing [or holding] their trespasses unto [against] them” (verse 19, emphasis added). God personally came in the Person of Christ to once again restore fellowship between God and man! God is holding absolutely nothing against you today. He has removed sin, guilt, and the sense of inferiority between you and Himself. Once again, you can go to Him, spend time with Him, hear His voice, and live in His presence! You have been reconciled to God by Christ Jesus.

Pastor Tom Kehres

The effectual fervent [unceasing, confident] prayer of a righteous man availeth much. —James 5:16, emphasis added

The prayer of a person who has been made right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with! Righteousness gives you the legal right to declare, proclaim, and receive the promises of God. A man who is righteous and knows it, will not tolerate or settle for less than what legally belongs to him. He knows that he has a right to health, a right to wealth, and a right to a life of power and victory because of the blood of Christ. His prayer dominates natural laws; his prayers open the door to the miraculous of God. There is power available to a person who has been made righteous toward God. Out of righteousness comes a confidence and a boldness to rule the forces of darkness. The best news yet is that you are that confident, bold, righteous person whose prayer packs power.

Pastor Tom Kehres