My Refrigerator Reminder

For 15 years I was a Field Service Technician who serviced mail opening and sorting equipment. You wouldn’t believe the amount of tracts that would come through the system that people send. It should be noted that people DO read them, and that I have seen machine operators get saved by the tracts that are sent through the mail along with their paid bills. So keep sending them.

This is a tract that I kept for myself and have hanging on my refrigerator at eye level for at least 10 years. It has been a constant reminder of how I should live my life. At the bottom I crossed out “I” and wrote in “Jesus” because He paid the valuable price which is more biblical.

Jesus was the one that exchanged His life for mine.

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:20

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 
1 Corinthians 7:23

...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
1 Peter 1:18,19

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. - Acts 20:28

For thus says the Lord:
“You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money.” - Isaiah 52:3

Christians were bought and paid for by God through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ as a ransom to save us from the empty life we inherited from our ancestors. We were paid for by the sinless, spotless perfection of the Lamb of God. Jesus Himself said that He came to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

Since we were obtained at such a tremendous cost, we should use our bodies to honor God with good needs. We are His masterpiece to use us as He sees fit (Ephesians 2:10). The ownership of our bodies have been transferred to Christ. We no longer had the right or freedom to do anything we wish. Just as slaves were purchased in the ancient world, we were bought with the price of Christ’s blood on the cross. We belong to Him.

For he who is called in the Lord [while] a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called [while] free is Christ's slave. 
[1 Corinthians 7:22 NKJV]

God and Jesus are not wicked task-masters, but care for those who are under them. The duty of a slave master was to take care and protect the slaves. Jesus said:

"All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and [the one] to whom the Son wills to reveal [Him]. "Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." 
[Matthew 11:27-30 NKJV]

There were times in my life when I when I tried to do things in my own way. I would get jealous of what unbelievers had, and I would fight and kick against what the Lord was wanting me to do. To solve spiritual problems with natural human means never worked out for me. This tract gently reminds me that I must die to self and surrender daily to Him and His will. To give the Lord my best, because He gave His best for me.

"For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. [Galatians 2:19-20 NKJV]