Showing posts with label straight from the Word yo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label straight from the Word yo. Show all posts
Sunday, November 11, 2012
The Blood of Christ
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the blood of Christ…do you know how precious that stuff is? Worth more than any earthy thing we could ever possess. Seriously, let’s consider this for a moment. When Adam and Eve sinned they really messed things up. They opened a huge chasm between mankinds relationship with God, a chasm that unfortunately cannot be bridged BUT for the blood of Christ. So Adam and Eve could come out from hiding God had to make them animal skins to cover themselves. (Genesis 2:8-9, 21) but here’s the thing: an animal generally has to be dead before you can skin it. This was the first death God used to make atonement (the literal translation for atone is cover) for sin. From then on out God’s people needed to shed the blood of animals so that they could be in right relationship with God. I gotta tell you though, it was not a perfect system. Now don’t go all pitch fork shouting “blasphemy” on me, God Himself said that the system was flawed! “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under the system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship” [Hebrews 10:1] You see the thing is God’s people continually had to make sacrifices for their sins and even then they couldn’t ever actually be in the presence of God. One guy, the high priest, could go into the Holy of holies once a year and only after extensive purification rituals and sacrifices atoning for his sins and for the people sins. Even after all that they still tied a rope around his ankle and put bells on his robe in case he was struck dead in the presence of the Most High God. See, flaws.
Then Jesus entered the picture! (cue the angelic choir sounds) Jesus came to earth for a very specific reason. To be the One sacrifice for all. That short sentence is bigger than it sounds. What Jesus did required personal sacrifice, it required humility, it required obedience, it required blood. When Jesus died on the cross He bridged the chasm, forever! His spilled blood caused the curtain in the tabernacle to rip right in half (from top to bottom none the less) opening the Holy of holies to show that the presence of God was now made available to all! You guys?! This is a HUUUUGE deal!!!!!!! No longer do we need to slaughter sheep, doves and bulls to obtain forgiveness; no longer do we need a High Priest to go into the Lord’s presence on our behalf. Jesus was our High Priest, for all time!
The thing about all this that is just blow me over amazing is that because of this, because of the blood of Christ we can go boldly into God’s presence, with no condemnation for our sin. Wow. “And so, dear brothers, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” [Hebrews 10:19-22]
We are able to go into the presence of God, whenever, with no condemnation!! God, who is holy and blameless; without sin! That's what Jesus did for us when His blood was spilled.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
No Room.
You know what I've found myself thinking about often this Christmas season? It's not what you think but go ahead, take a guess...
The Inn keepers in Bethlehem that wonderful and profound night so many years ago.
I've found myself wondering if maybe after the census rush, maybe even years down the road once Jesus was a man, some of them realized who Jesus was and felt ridiculous for turning his parents away when they needed a place to sleep. Seriously! I mean here it turns out that the Messiah that people have been waiting for was born in their town and they turned Him away! Granted they didn't expect the Messiah to come in that manner and they didn't know just who they were leaving on the street, I realize this. I'm just saying, how did they feel after they figured it out?
It makes me think about the "whatever you do for the least of these you do for me" passage of scripture in a different light
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
I'm sure some of those Inn keepers, if they had known just who Mary was carrying in her womb, would have given their own rooms for Him to be born in. As it is now, I should make sure I'm being kind and helpful to people because when I'm not it's the same as turning Jesus away.
Not something to remember only during the Christmas season but for everyday of life.
The Inn keepers in Bethlehem that wonderful and profound night so many years ago.
I've found myself wondering if maybe after the census rush, maybe even years down the road once Jesus was a man, some of them realized who Jesus was and felt ridiculous for turning his parents away when they needed a place to sleep. Seriously! I mean here it turns out that the Messiah that people have been waiting for was born in their town and they turned Him away! Granted they didn't expect the Messiah to come in that manner and they didn't know just who they were leaving on the street, I realize this. I'm just saying, how did they feel after they figured it out?
It makes me think about the "whatever you do for the least of these you do for me" passage of scripture in a different light
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
I'm sure some of those Inn keepers, if they had known just who Mary was carrying in her womb, would have given their own rooms for Him to be born in. As it is now, I should make sure I'm being kind and helpful to people because when I'm not it's the same as turning Jesus away.
Not something to remember only during the Christmas season but for everyday of life.
Monday, April 12, 2010
As promised...
So here is the promised blog, I know you've all been waiting in great anticipation for this moment. I'm sure you've checked my blog faithfully everyday and experienced great dissapointment each time it was the same. Mmmmhm. ANYway...
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him:
" 'I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope."
Ok so, we all know (or maybe you don't but now you will!) that Jesus died on a cross and then 3 days later was raised from the dead again, quite amazing right? More amazing then we can even fathom! That passage of scripture up there is from Acts 2:22-26 it's after all the believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and Paul stands up in boldness and preaches the first sermon. He starts to talk about Jesus' death and resurrection, a few things from this passage stand out to me.
1. [vs 23] This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
God had complete control over this situation, it was God's plan all along that Jesus would die for His people. Because of Adam and Eve's sin there had to be a sacrifice, it was always God's plan that Jesus would be that once for all sacrifice. There's more to this point, we'll get there in a second...
2. [vs 24] But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him
It was impossible! Death had no authority, no power and no way to hold Jesus in its grip!! Knowing that fact it's astonishing that Jesus would die for us, isn't it?! Death was something so far removed from Him but he entered it fully so that we would have a way to restore our relationship with God. Wow.
Onto the extension of the first point that I was mentioning, which actually could also be an extention of the second point as well. Matthew 26:39 says, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." So this is when Jesus takes his disciples to Gethsemane to pray. Jesus knew how incredibly painful and horrible the experience was going to be but He also knew what was at stake here. He knew how important it was for His death to happen and He did what needed to be done, at a high cost to Himself. How amazing His love was for us all!
And because of all that, shouldn't something inside of us, as believers, rise up and want to have that same dedication to what God has called us to? Jesus was anointed for a set purpose, so are we! The cross of Jesus and everything that means should fill us with a deep desire to carry out that purpose we've been given!
God is amazing, I love learning more about Him everyday!
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him:
" 'I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope."
Ok so, we all know (or maybe you don't but now you will!) that Jesus died on a cross and then 3 days later was raised from the dead again, quite amazing right? More amazing then we can even fathom! That passage of scripture up there is from Acts 2:22-26 it's after all the believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and Paul stands up in boldness and preaches the first sermon. He starts to talk about Jesus' death and resurrection, a few things from this passage stand out to me.
1. [vs 23] This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
God had complete control over this situation, it was God's plan all along that Jesus would die for His people. Because of Adam and Eve's sin there had to be a sacrifice, it was always God's plan that Jesus would be that once for all sacrifice. There's more to this point, we'll get there in a second...
2. [vs 24] But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him
It was impossible! Death had no authority, no power and no way to hold Jesus in its grip!! Knowing that fact it's astonishing that Jesus would die for us, isn't it?! Death was something so far removed from Him but he entered it fully so that we would have a way to restore our relationship with God. Wow.
Onto the extension of the first point that I was mentioning, which actually could also be an extention of the second point as well. Matthew 26:39 says, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." So this is when Jesus takes his disciples to Gethsemane to pray. Jesus knew how incredibly painful and horrible the experience was going to be but He also knew what was at stake here. He knew how important it was for His death to happen and He did what needed to be done, at a high cost to Himself. How amazing His love was for us all!
And because of all that, shouldn't something inside of us, as believers, rise up and want to have that same dedication to what God has called us to? Jesus was anointed for a set purpose, so are we! The cross of Jesus and everything that means should fill us with a deep desire to carry out that purpose we've been given!
God is amazing, I love learning more about Him everyday!
Monday, December 7, 2009
So that's the point!
You know the other day it hit me, what the birth of Jesus really was. It turns out I've had a slightly skewed idea of the awesomeness of it for a long time now. I've always read the story in Luke chapter 2 and had such thoughts as these, "Wow, a virgin birth. That's a miracle!" or "Imagine, the King of kings coming to earth as a baby and born in a barn nonetheless, amazing!" Now those things are all true and I'm not trying to say it's wrong to have those thoughts. The birth of Jesus was an amazing event but there's so much more to it then the birth!
Jesus' birth was the fulfullment of prophecy!
All through the Old Testament we see how God has promised that a Messiah would come for the people. "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city." [Numbers 24:17-19] "The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness." [Jeremiah 23:5-6] "Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." [Isaiah 7:14] There's lots of verses I could bring up but the point is the people knew that a Messiah was coming, the prophets had told them it would happen. The people of Israel were waiting in great anticipation for the coming of their Messiah.
When Jesus was born the prophecy was fulfilled; the Messiah had finally come!
There's another prophecy though that hasn't come to pass yet. Jesus is coming again! "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." [John 14:1-3]
Am I waiting in great anticipation for the return of the Messiah?
Jesus' birth was the fulfullment of prophecy!
All through the Old Testament we see how God has promised that a Messiah would come for the people. "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong. A ruler will come out of Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city." [Numbers 24:17-19] "The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness." [Jeremiah 23:5-6] "Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." [Isaiah 7:14] There's lots of verses I could bring up but the point is the people knew that a Messiah was coming, the prophets had told them it would happen. The people of Israel were waiting in great anticipation for the coming of their Messiah.
When Jesus was born the prophecy was fulfilled; the Messiah had finally come!
There's another prophecy though that hasn't come to pass yet. Jesus is coming again! "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." [John 14:1-3]
Am I waiting in great anticipation for the return of the Messiah?
Monday, October 12, 2009
With greatful hearts, we say thank you...
Psalm 103:1-5
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
I have a whole lot to be thankful for, God definitely deserves to be praised! God has blessed me with amazing friends, who feel like family. With parents who have been patient with me as I find God's place for me in my time on earth. God has set me free from many worldly desires that used to claw at my mind, heart and soul. God has healed me from sickness many times this past year. God made a way for me, a fallen person, to be reconciled with Him; to ensure my eternal state would be with Him! I am blessed, and I am thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
I have a whole lot to be thankful for, God definitely deserves to be praised! God has blessed me with amazing friends, who feel like family. With parents who have been patient with me as I find God's place for me in my time on earth. God has set me free from many worldly desires that used to claw at my mind, heart and soul. God has healed me from sickness many times this past year. God made a way for me, a fallen person, to be reconciled with Him; to ensure my eternal state would be with Him! I am blessed, and I am thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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