Redemption through His Blood.....By Lynette Kittle

 Redemption through His Blood

By Lynette Kittle

“In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” – John 11:25

I love the picture Revelation 1:5 describes Jesus as “Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

It reminds me of how as a young child, I came running from the garage to my parents, screaming, crying, and dripping in kerosene from an accidental playtime mishap.

Striking a chord with me, this Scripture is reminiscent of my coming to my parents covered in stain, unable to cleanse myself, and in need of washing. I remember being tenderly swept up into their arms despite my soiled condition and lovingly having the potent fuel washed off me.

My childhood memory helps me to understand my own inability to cleanse myself from sin and my need for Jesus to wash me in His own blood.

Why His Blood?

It all began when God created Adam and Eve sinless. Because there was no sin in the world, there was also no death, because death is the penalty for sin (Romans 6:23).

But it all changed in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. As Romans 5:12 explains, “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”

After man’s fall, there needed to be a living sacrifice as a payment for each man’s sin because Leviticus 17:11 states, “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

Satisfied through livestock, the required sacrifice was offered each year on the Day of Atonement by the high priest who offered sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people (Hebrews 5:3). But it couldn’t be just any animal. It was required to be perfect, without defect (Leviticus 3:6).

Still, these continual sacrifices were only a temporary solution for sin’s permanent consequences, and God had a plan to replace it once and for all through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Hebrews 10:10 explains how “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Why Jesus?

Jesus is the only “holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners” man whose sacrifice could meet the perfect and without blemish requirements needed to cover the punishment for sin (Hebrews 7:26). Unlike the earthly high priests, Jesus did not need to offer a sacrifice for His own sin because He had none. In offering Himself, His sacrifice covered once and for all the sins of the world (Hebrews 7:27).

Scripture explains how “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of His blood (Romans 3:25), and through His blood, we receive forgiveness of sins.

Tearing Down Walls.....Denison Ministries

 Tearing Down Walls

Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Honesty is more than the words we say. It’s a posture of the heart. We weren’t made to try and be something we’re not. God never asks us to keep up appearances. He longs for us to have the courage to be vulnerable. He longs for us to be so founded in his unconditional love that we live honestly. May you experience new levels of peace and joy this week as we discover God’s heart for honesty.

Scripture:

“I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.” Acts 24:16

Devotional:    

In order to protect our hearts from the pain and wounds of the world we both consciously and subconsciously build walls. These walls take all sorts of forms. Some walls are built for appearance so that outward beauty covers up inward brokenness. Some walls are built to be strong and tough so that pride and strength cover up inward vulnerability and self-consciousness. Some walls are built in order to blend in so that people pass us by altogether and never try to know us. Whatever wall we choose to build, one thing's for certain: the walls might guard us from harm, but they also keep us from ever experiencing true life.

Abundant life comes from being both fully known and then fully loved. We can’t experience the love of God and others if we don’t allow ourselves to be known. We can’t experience God’s grace and affection for us if we shield ourselves from him out of fear that he will see us and reject us. And whenever someone tries to love us fully we will always reject their love by saying, “If you truly knew me, you wouldn’t love me.”  Living with walls up isn’t really living; it’s surviving.

God knows our pains. He knows our wounds. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” God is for you. He longs to be near to you and save you. But in order for you to experience the fullness of his love and healing you have to let him in. And in order for you to experience true life you have to stop trusting in your walls to protect you and start trusting in the powerful, capable hands of your loving Father.

In Psalm 57:7 David writes, “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident” (NLT). God is the one who protects our hearts. There is nothing we can do to fully shield ourselves from the wounds this world causes except allow our hearts to be fully open to God. Only in God can we have confidence. Only in God can we trust. And only in God will we experience true, abundant life.

Take time today to tear down your walls brick by brick. Stop placing your hope in that which can’t ever truly protect you. And look to God as your great protector that you might be fully known and fully loved today. May your time of guided prayer be marked by freedom and deliverance in the Holy Spirit.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of living without walls up.

“I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.” Acts 24:16

2. Where do you place your hope for protection? What walls have you built that you might not be truly known? In what ways are you guarding yourself?

3. Confess to God any places you’ve given your trust, and place your hope for protection in him alone. Journal about any walls you’ve built up and respond to God’s promise of nearness and healing by giving him your heart.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

“My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident” Psalm 57:7(NLT)

It’s important to take note when you begin to build walls around your heart. Run to God when you feel insecure. Rather than building up walls that have to be torn down again, seek to live openly and honestly. May you feel God’s hand of protection around your heart today.

Extended Reading: Psalm 57

Living Sacrificially When I’d Rather Live for Self.....BETH KNIGHT

 Living Sacrificially When I’d Rather Live for Self

BETH KNIGHT

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Have you ever been caught off guard by the harsh truth spoken from a “tagged” picture? Shortly after having my third child, I unsuspectingly came across a photo of myself and cringed.

Looking to escape my feelings of inadequacy, I was aimlessly scrolling through social media. You know the drill: I received a notification, thrust my phone toward my face, frantically moved my thumbs to zoom in and scrutinized every detail, wondering, Is that what I really look like?! And friends, Facebook Timehop didn’t waste any time confronting me with a pre-pregnancy picture of myself.

In an online world of filters and carefully curated highlight reels, it doesn't take long before I begin comparing my body, life experiences and accomplishments with others’. That day of the “tagged” photo, the temptation to sacrifice my body and make it a slave to the world grew with every passing thought.

Like me, are you ever tempted to sacrifice your money, time and efforts to please the world?

Yet Romans 12:1 tells us, "in view of God's mercy, to offer [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is [our] true and proper worship." Sacrificing my life to please God is an act of worship, not to obtain mercy but because of God’s mercy on undeserving sinners like me.

Our world is merciless, graceless and downright mean unless we meet its demands. Yet when Jesus fulfilled God’s demands on our behalf, we were given unlimited access to His mercy and grace.

Praise God that Jesus sacrificially laid down His life for the sake of my soul. What a privilege to sacrificially yield my body to the Lord instead of the whims of the world. Nevertheless, living for Christ will require at least three things from me:

1. I must admit my heart is “desperately sick” and in need of a Savior (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV). I am sick because I love the world too much and instinctively exchange worship of God for the worship of self, preferring my glory over God’s glory.
2. I must become spiritually minded. Unless I become inwardly transformed by renewing my mind in Christ, I will inevitably live for lesser things. (Romans 12:2) Thinking godly thoughts transforms how I live.
3. By God’s grace, I must deny and die to myself daily. (Luke 9:23)

Friends, we will never gain lasting acceptance and mercy from the world. Someone will always be younger, smarter, faster or stronger, and the goal posts are constantly changing. Therefore, may Christ's love compel us, His Word guide us, and His grace enable us to turn away from living for the world — so, instead, we live to please the Lord. He is worthy.

Lord, help me resist the temptation to live only for myself and worldly praise. Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit in me so I will wholeheartedly sacrifice my life for the sake of the gospel. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Cross: The Believer's Motivation.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Cross: The Believer's Motivation

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Paul was single-minded in the message he preached. The cross was not only his primary subject; it was also his motivation for living. When we begin to understand all that Jesus did for us at Calvary, we, too, can receive fresh motivation to live for Him. For instance, we can...

Walk humbly before God. Since the power to live the Christian life is supplied by Christ, there is no room for pride. When Jesus died, our "flesh" nature was crucified with Him so that we could live in newness of life. Any success we achieve in living righteously or walking in obedience is possible only because He is working through us.

Serve the Lord faithfully. At the cross, we were placed "in Christ," and He is in us (Gal. 2:20). We are now His body on earth, created for good works which God has prepared for us to do (Eph. 2:10). Jesus wasn’t crucified so we could sit in pews each Sunday and listen to sermons. He has specific tasks for each of us to achieve during our lifetime.

Share our faith. Knowing all that Jesus accomplished at the cross should motivate us to share the gospel with others. This world is filled with hurting people who know nothing about salvation. Since their eternal destiny is at stake, how can we keep our mouths closed?

Too often we view the cross only as a past event that secured our eternal destiny, and we fail to see how it can motivate daily choices and activities. Stop to contemplate all that God is continually accomplishing in you though the cross. Let it be your motivation to live wholeheartedly for Christ.

Both / And.....by Shawn McEvoy

 Both / And

by Shawn McEvoy

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. - Ephesians 4:15

Consider the following sets of words:

• Compassionate, communicative, kind, fair, long-suffering, patient, accepting, gentle, merciful, understanding.
• Honest, holy, set-apart, stand-taking, consistent, dedicated, mature, righteous, unyielding, just.

Which set best describes you?

Sometimes it feels like we Christians divide ourselves into these two camps. Camp A rightly believes that "God is love," and as such they do a fairly good job of not alienating those they meet and know and care for. Of course, with every strength there's a weak side, and sometimes our well-meaning Camp-A brethren can become wishy-washy and overly accepting, even false.

Camp B, on the other hand, rightly believes that "God is holy," and as such they do a fairly good job of reminding those they meet and know and care for that sin is sin, and God can not tolerate it. Of course, sometimes our well-meaning Camp-B brethren can end up sounding a lot like gongs and cymbals, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. People know we're here, but they wish we'd quiet down for a bit. Perhaps all the conflict between our own camps has torn at your heart and worn down your spirit, too.

Now consider... which set of words best describes Our Father? Think about it before answering. We'll come back to that thought in a minute.

I have a close friend, a youth minister, who has served many years at his current church. Recently, he was summoned to a meeting with the personnel committee and several parents. The gist of their message was that he was teaching the students too much about discipline and truth and knowing what the Bible says and so on. The criticism apparently was that there wasn't enough about love and compassion in his messages.

Reading between the lines, it was clear that fear was at work: fear that these students weren't being prepared for college and a world that is more about tolerance and acceptance and where Christian students who literally believe the Bible are ostracized. After all, who hopes for their child to face unpopularity, embarrassment, and harsh criticism while they're already struggling to get ahead in the world? My friend would point out that he's not opposed to compassion and love, not in the least. But what kind of foundation do you want to build in the youth?

It's sad. Because at the end of the day... why can't we have both?

I'm not talking about vacillating. I'm not talking about compromise. I don't want to be lukewarm.

I am talking about balance; checks and balances. I do wish to be balanced. A position of balance is a position of strength. A balanced person stumbles less often. How much fun is a teeter-totter where all the weight is pushed to one side?

I am also talking about paradox. A paradox is a seeming contradiction that nonetheless contains truth. A paradox says an object or person or idea is both this and that. Jesus is the world's greatest paradox, being both fully God and fully man. With Christ as the example and the cornerstone, one learns to see that the whole Bible is full of paradox, including the fact that we can and should "Speak truth." "In love." Both/and. Just like Jesus.

• He didn't excuse sins. But He did forgive them.
• He was equal with God. But He didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped.
• He was sinless. But He refused to cast the first stone at the accused.
• He demanded His followers take up a cross and follow Him unreservedly unfettered. But He was sad for those who weren't ready to do so.

Truth. In. Love. Both. And.

Don't forget, Campers, you have the Holy Spirit, which gives you wisdom, which instructs you as to which set of characteristics is needed in a given circumstance. Pull up the tent poles. Become nomadic. You can put on the armor of God, but if your feet aren't balanced beneath you? Ask any beginner student of martial arts what the result will be.

But even if you find yourself gravitating more towards one campsite or the other, that's okay. The same chapter that talks of the need to speak the truth in love also mentions, just a couple verses earlier, that, "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

We're on the same team. And the goal is a "built-up body." One that won't stand unless balanced, unless level, unless unified. What's the result? Refer back to our verse today. When we "speak truth in love," we will "grow up." Bottom line, Campers, our body needs to mature.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Simply ask yourself the next time you proclaim the Word: am I being loving? Are my motives pure? Likewise, the next time you get those warm feelings about how fair and open-minded and communicative you're being with unbelievers and sinners, ask, "Lord, what truth do they need to know?" Love enough to tell the truth. Be truthful enough to not misrepresent how your Lord meets broken people where they are. It can be scary to think about doing, but remember that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and discipline."

Further Reading

1 Corinthians 13

A Prayer to Share the Gospel without Shame.....By: Victoria Riollano

 A Prayer to Share the Gospel without Shame

By: Victoria Riollano

“The Lord gives the command; The women who proclaim good news are a great army” - Psalm 68:11 NASB

I must be honest.

It’s not always easy for me to share the Gospel. One would assume that being a pastor’s wife or being in ministry for decades would make proclaiming God’s word like second nature for me. Yet, there are many days that I struggle to know when and how to share my faith. In a world that seems to despise God and is desperately seeking anything that makes them feel good, I wonder how my words could break through all the noise. Fear of being rejected, ignored, or ostracized for sharing the Gospel can be hard to handle. But the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I can’t help but share how good He has been.

From healing me from the inner pain of growing up without my father, to restoring my marriage, to bringing my daughter to complete health, God has been so good. Even more so, what He did for me on the cross and the eternal salvation for those who believe is something that I can’t help but share with anyone willing to listen.

As the prophet Jeremiah said centuries ago, “But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” Jeremiah 20:9 NIV

In other words, Jeremiah proclaims that God’s word in his heart and in the depths of his soul just can’t be contained. It’s as if he could just explode if he holds in God’s word any longer. I believe that this fiery passion is what the Lord is calling us to have even now. What if we make a choice to proclaim the good news? What if we make a choice to share our testimony as often as possible? How would our lives change if we develop this same deep desire to share this message of hope and love with anyone willing to listen?

I believe we would see the world radically changed. We would see our families restored. We would see hearts healed and minds made whole. Today, my prayer is that we can embrace the discomfort of sharing the Gospel to a stranger or even praying for a person in need. My hope is that we won’t ever be ashamed of what God has done or is doing in our lives. Instead, we can rise and stand on God’s truth in a world that is desperately seeking affirmation. May we come together like a great army to influence the culture with prayer and action. So many are waiting for us to simply open our mouths and proclaim the goodness of God. On the other side of sharing our faith, generations can be impacted. My prayer is that silence is never our testimony, and that God would help us to boldly share His Word.

Let us pray.

Lord, I thank you for your work on the cross. Within myself, I could never be good enough. Daily, I struggle with how to live a life that is pleasing to you. Yet, amid my troubles and imperfections, you sought to save me and draw me unto you. For this, I praise you. Thank you for the daily, weekly, and yearly blessings that remind me that you are looking out for my best interest. Help me never take this for granted.

Today, Lord, I ask that you give me boldness to share what you have done in my life. I pray against all timidity and fear associated with sharing the Gospel. Show me how to formulate my words in a way that the hearer can understand and relate to. Give me a heart for your people and show me how to speak in a way that draws many to you. I ask for opportunities to pray for people and proclaim the Good News.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

New Blood, New Covenant.....By Skip Heitzig

 New Blood, New Covenant

By Skip Heitzig

Several years ago, I got a birthday card that had a little speaker attached to it, and when I opened it, it chirped out a song. It was sweet, but I eventually threw it away. Get this, though: when I did that, I threw away more computer power than what existed on earth before the year 1950. Isn't that amazing? Technology is great, but it moves so quickly. You're never quite there.

If you look at the Scriptures of the Old Testament, you have an incomplete system. Yes, God could be accessed through the shedding of blood, but it was never quite enough, because sin was just covered over temporarily. It was like old spiritual technology. In Jeremiah 31, God said, "The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…. I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts" (vv. 31, 33). He anticipated that the old covenant would pass away and something new would come, because it was needed.

With this being the period leading up to Easter, I want to take a look at the days, hours, and moments before the crucifixion of Christ—specifically, the Passover. The Jews already saw this night as a special night, but this time, the lamb that the Old Testament anticipated would be a Lamb that would once for all take away the sins of the world, and that would be Christ.

Jesus and His disciples gathered together for the Passover supper, and Matthew 26 tells us, "As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body.' Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'" (vv. 26-28).

In the Passover supper, also known as the seder, there is an order to the service of the meal. It basically revolves around four glasses of wine that are raised for commemoration purposes, all speaking of the Jews' history.

The first is the cup of blessing: the host welcomes his guests and offers the blessing in Hebrew: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe who gives us the fruit of the vine." Then the cup is taken among all of them.

Second is the cup of judgment. The host tells the history of the exodus and the judgment of God upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Then the host breaks bread and dips it in bitter herbs, speaking of the bitter bondage of the past, and in a paste that speaks of the mortar made by the slaves. Then the second cup is taken.

After the meal is eaten, the cup of redemption is raised. And it was this third cup that Jesus raised and said, "This is the cup of My blood, a new covenant that I'm making." At the very end of the meal is the fourth cup, the cup of praise, and a hymn is sung (see v. 30). The Jewish people have done this all throughout their history, at every Passover meal around the world, for thousands of years.

But now Jesus Christ was transforming an ancient meal to have a different meaning. No longer did the Passover speak of the temporary, physical bondage of Egypt being broken, but the permanent spiritual deliverance from sin through Jesus Christ's blood and broken body.

This Easter, I want you to remember that you and I were once marked for death. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). But because of the blood of Christ, because of the cross, God has passed over your life, over the execution of judgment, because all that judgment was taken by Jesus Himself. What a marvelous, marvelous truth! Rejoice in that today.