Jesus didn’t suffer the brutal punishment and crucifixion on the cross so we could continue wallowing in guilt. He said it was finished. He meant exactly that. We are to embrace those three words and meditate on them and realize we are new creatures in Christ. And because we are new creatures in Christ our past is over and gone. Our sins have been removed by the blood of Jesus. They have been washed away. They are gone!

There is only one reason why we might find ourselves thinking about our past sins. We are allowing the enemy to bring up our past and constantly remind us of how bad we “were.” Notice I said “were.” As a child of God your sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west. God no longer remembers your sin(s). So you shouldn’t either.

As soon as you start to think about a past sin, immediately refocus your thinking on what Jesus did for you on the cross. He removed that sin forever. It is gone! It is finished!

What a great time to reflect on the purpose of the cross. Why is it that Jesus had to bear the cross? Why did God allow the blood of His son to be shed? What is expected of us today?

2000 years ago Jesus shed his blood to atone for man’s sin (Heb 10:10-14). Through the sacrifice of one man the sins of many were taken away. This took place at the time of the first coming, but what does the rest of Hebrews 9:28 say concerning Jesus’ return?

“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many;
and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

When does salvation come? When can we truly claim to ‘be saved’?

2000 years ago Jesus shed his blood to atone for our sins so that today we can be made into the perfect and holy kingdom and priests of God, those who have been purchased by Jesus’ blood and sealed with the seal of the living God (Rv 5:9-10; Rv 7:2-4).

The 144,000 who have been sealed and born of God’s seed, the word of truth (Rv 7:4; James 1:18), are those who can sing the new song (Rv 14:3).

If you don’t know what the ‘new song’ is, can you sing it?

Those who are singing the new song, the 144,000,  are gathered at Mount Zion, together with God and Jesus (Rv 14:1).

Today is the time when we can learn the new song!
Today we must be those who are harvested and sealed according to the prophecies in the New Testament (Mt 13: 24-30; Rv 14:14-16; Rv 7:2-4).

What was God’s hope and desire as He allowed the blood of His son to be shed?

God desires to create His eternal kingdom here on earth, as it is in heaven, His holy nation and treasured possession, His kingdom of priests (Ex 19:5-6), those who have been purchased with the blood of  Jesus.

Today is the time when Jesus’ blood comes into full effect. Today is the time we can truly receive salvation.

Have you been purchased? Have you been harvested and sealed? Can you sing the new song?

Now is the time! Let us not be like those living at the time of Noah, who lost the opportunity of salvation by not getting on the Ark because they did not recognize or understand the time they were living in.

Let us be those who fulfill God’s hope!

Don’t let the devil tell you otherwise, God will never accuse you or condemn and make you feel guilty. If He did that, He would be an unjust God because Jesus died so that you will not be condemned. God condemning you after Jesus took your condemnation on the cross is like punishing the same sin twice. Imagine a man being sentenced to 35 years imprisonment for murder and after serving his 35 years sentence in jail, He is released only to be arrested the next day and sentenced to another 35years on account of the same murder he already paid for. How possible is that? Of course not. The same offense can’t be punished twice, so if Jesus has already taken the condemnation for our wrongs and served our punishment, then we have no case to answer. There is no condemnation for us anymore. John 3:18 puts it nicely “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Also Romans 8:1 buttresses that as believers, there’s no condemnation for us anymore because we have believed Jesus and accepted all that He did on the cross for us. (Only those who reject Jesus stand condemnation.)

Contrary to what many envision; that judgment would be based on number of good and bad records, that’s not true. Rather it would be based on whether or not we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our life. So if you have Jesus, no condemnation, no accusation, no death.

Do you feel condemned about anything today? That guilty conscience/condemnation is not from God but rather from the devil. The bible says he (devil) is the accuser of the brethren (believers). Be free from a condemning conscience today by knowing that God loves you and does not condemn you rather He is ever willing to forgive you each time you make a mistake. Therefore as you celebrate this Easter season, delight yourself in the fact that Jesus took away your guilt, shame and condemnation. God Bless You.

REPENT! TURN AWAY FROM SIN.

Thus far, we have seen two posts in this series

• PART 1 considered three videos. Each gave an example of shameless behavior, behavior which should shame any Christian.
• PART 2 considered the importance of education in transmitting religious values. Unfortunately, we live in a society which more and more values freedom from religion.

What will we consider in PART 3? Today (was when I started writing        ) is Good Friday. Today we commemorate the willingness of Christ Jesus to suffer and die in payment for our sins. So that we may righteously celebrate on Easter, today we repent in shame.

Today we also recall to mind that God is Light.

1 John 1:5-10 English Standard Version (ESV)

Walking in the Light
⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Biltrix has been observing Holy Week the way Catholics observe Holy Week. Step-by-step they follow Christ Jesus to the cross. Today saw posted The Sixth Word, “It Is Finished.”

Jesus now knows that he is going. Once again, looking up to heaven, he cries out: “It is finished!” The cup of suffering is drained; his redemptive work is complete.

In Easter Week Devotion: The Importance of the Resurrection, Settled In Heaven leaps ahead from the horror of the crucifixion to Easter. Is it wrong to do so? No. When Barkman explains 1 Cor 15:12-23 (KJV), he speaks of the significance of the resurrection, and he reminds us that Christ Jesus died on a cross, was buried, and rose from the dead to save us from our sins.

With Good Friday— A Day of Necessity, The Christian Gazette returns to the cross.

Without the Crucifixion there could have been no resurrection.

And at Gracie’s Quest, we return once again to the celebration.  In Live by the Spirit…, Gracie comments on Romans 8:1-11 which begins thus:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Whether we speak of the cross or the empty tomb, the Bible makes the nature of our salvation and our freedom clear. To pay for our sins, Christ Jesus suffered and died. To accept His sacrifice, we begin by repenting of our sins.

Related articles

• Why did the thief repent in the end? (daveknickerbocker.wordpress.com)
• Good Friday Thoughts (voicesofthevalleys.wordpress.com)
• Monday: Feb. 25 (prayerscapes.wordpress.com)
• GOOD Friday? (faithlovejoyhope.wordpress.com)
• ‘In remembrance of Thy most sorrowful Passion’: Jesus crucified in Trafalgar Square as thousands watch Good Friday re-enactment (vineoflife.net)

We gathered to remember how his holy body was broken and how his holy blood was shed to pay the price for every sin. What kind of animal would we have to be to reject such sovereign grace? The just perishing for the unjust, the holy for the unholy in an act of pure love an grace unseen and unheard of prior. It is actually beyond the ability of the human mind to truly understand the gravity and vastness of the event. This is the condition of The God of Heaven, the creator of Heaven and Earth and all that is therein.

Revelation 4:  ³ And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. ⁴ And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. ⁵ And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. ⁶ And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. ⁷ And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. ⁸ And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. ⁹ And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, ¹⁰ The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹ Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

And this holy Lord God Almighty, the Great Jehovah, left that throne and took upon a body of flesh like ours, human in every way and yet God. For the Bible says that in him dwelt the fullness of the godhead bodily. Veiled in this body of flesh, with an appearance the Bible says had no comeliness that men should be attracted to him, he lived and preached, healed the sick, raised the dead, cleansed the lepers, gave sight to the blind, made the lame walk, preached the gospel to the poor, and suffered and bled and died to pay the price for YOUR sin and MY sin.

He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, surely he bore our sorrows, and by his stripes we are healed.

It is the greatest paradox in the Universe. Sinless and holy in every fashion, He became sin that YOU might attain righteousness. He is the author of eternal life, giver of all life, yet He died that YOU may live. He became like YOU so that YOU might become like him. HE even went into hell so that you may enter into heaven. The very God of heaven counted Heaven and all its glory but lost that he might redeem you back to himself.

All praise and glory be to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour, my healer and my deliverer, my King and my God. He has paid the price for sin with His own holy blood that from his side a bride might be born. He suffered shame, he suffered pain, he suffered death. He went into hell and preached to the souls that rejected Noah’s message. He didn’t preach salvation to them for they had rejected salvation. He preached judgment.

Today if you will hear his voice, he is preaching salvation unto you. His holy blood is still on the mercy seat. The fountain is open wide for all your sin. Plunge beneath the flood and wash away your sins today. While it is called today, hear ye him, for a day fast approaches when he will no longer sit on that mercy seat. They day he returns to catch his bride away, on that day and from that day forward, the just will be just still, the holy will be holy still, and the filthy will be filthy still.

If you have not done so yet, flee into the Ark of Jesus Christ for the door of salvation is about to close. At the writing of this blog, it is open, but at your reading of it, the door may well be closed. Watch for we know not what hour he will return. If you are not in Christ Jesus, if you have not obeyed the prescription for Salvation as written to us by the Holy Spirit, and voiced by Dr. Simon Peter, here it is for you. Accept it, believe it, obey it.

Acts 2: ³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.³⁹ For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

The very day the Lord uttered these words through is apostle and prophet, three thousand souls believed obeyed and were added unto the Lord. Do you believe? Have you obeyed? How important is it?

Acts 19: 1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, ² He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. ³ And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. ⁴ Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. ⁷ And all the men were about twelve.

Apollos believed. Apollos was even a preacher. He also was highly educated with a university degree. Yet with all of that he did not have the Holy Spirit. Once he heard the prescription, he believed and he obeyed. Then God filled him and his congregation.

When you are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, in full immersion in water, and you repent of all your sin, then you receive Jesus Christ. It is at that time that you receive “remission of sins”. That is what you just read directly from the King James version. Without repentance and baptism according to the scriptures in the name of Jesus Christ, there is no remission of sins, and no Holy Spirit. Without that step we are LOST. It doesn’t mater how many times you go to church. It does not matter which church you go to. It does not matter how much money you donate. None of it matters without obedience to the Word of God. Here is what Paul writes of it.

1 Corinthians 13: 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing ⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth ⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things ⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away ¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things ¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known ¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

See, without the Love of God, Agapo, which only comes with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it don’t matter what you do. The only path to salvation is through Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 2: ⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ⁶ Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

What use is it to pray to a “saint” when the Bible says there is ONE mediator and that ONE mediator is Jesus Christ. HE alone is the mediator. HE alone paid the price for your sins. HE alone was crucified for you. HE alone shed his blood to pay for your sins. Nobody else could do it. We were all, every single one of us, dead in sins. Death is pronounce on us because of it. I could not die for youfor I would first need to die for my own sins. Neither could you die for me. Jesus Christ was the only sinless man in all history. So he was able to take the sin of the world upon him and pay the price to the last mite. Yet if we reject it, then we do not receive it.

His promise is to whosoever will. He will not force anyone to live. It is up to you and I, to receive or reject Jesus Christ. It is up to us to believe or disbelieve. It is up to us. For in Romans it says to WHOM we yield ourselves to obey, HIS servants we are, whether righteousness unto life, or sin unto death. It is your choice. It is my choice.

I have made my choice for Christ. I have repented of my sin and been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and received of his Holy Spirit. Will you?

And last night I gathered with the Saints of God and broke unleaven bread, and drank kosher wine, and washed the feet of the Saints, and remembered his death, burial and resurrection. Will you do the same?

Today holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, is cursed by the whole world for which he died. They trod his holy blood under foot and call it an unholy thing. The only path to life, the light of the world, all righteousness and holiness, is hated in this world. Jesus is taunted, made fun of, ridiculed and cricified afresh every day by unbelievers and many who call themselves Christians yet refuse to believe and obey his Word. There is a way which seemeth right unto man indeed, the end thereof is death. For as the prophet said, this world is darkness and gross darkness the people. We cannot serve both sin and righteousness. We cannot worship both God and the devil. WE must choose. You must make a choice. You must choose this day whom ye will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

There is only one name given under heaven by which man can be saved, a name above all names, the door to life and life eternal, the only path to God, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other name, no other way, no other philosophy or religion. There is Christ and him alone.

Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart as in the day of provocation in the wilderness, where Israel tempted the Lord for 40 years and perished. Be like Joshua. Be like Caleb. Be like Apollos. Choose this day. Choose wisely. Choose Christ Jesus the Lord of glory for on that good Friday when He died on that cross, HE CHOSE YOU.

May God bless you richly.

(Photo credit- clker.com)

I recently read in a devotional about the “Holy Presence of God”. Let me give you a brief breakdown: In the time of Moses when the Temple was built, there were two major parts (that concerns this post)- the Holy place and the Holy of Holies.

The Holy of Holies was were the Presence of God dwelt, where the High Priest went in ONCE every year to offer sacrifices. Now the place was so Holy that before the High Priest goes in, there’s a rope tied to his leg and bells on his garment. Why was this done? So that in case he was unholy and died suddenly, his body could be pulled out with the rope.

Such was the awe of that place. But what happened when Jesus came? Heb 10:19 (NIV)

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,”

Wow! Think about it for a moment and let the realisation sink in.

That is what Jesus did for you and me, that Jesus, our Hero. We celebrate that sacrifice He made today (Good Friday) and the victory He won on Sunday (Easter Sunday). He is risen! Hallelujah!

Food for thought:

The book of Hebrews tells us in detail about Jesus our High Priest. You can study it for more details. You can also use different versions.

Life nugget:

It is by grace that we are saved. No boasting necessary. I may have been one of those shouting “Crucify Him” on that day.

The last statement Jesus made before giving up His ghost was “It is finished”. This statement was a proclamation of a well-executed and finished mission as the bible recorded that the God/Man barrier (the curtain of the temple) tore from top to bottom. All our debts had been completely paid for and the ordinances/laws written against us erased by the Blood of Jesus. He died to save you and I. The spiritual darkness that engulfed our beautiful selves and made us ugly and terrible people has been cleaned and wiped out by the Blood. Now God sees us as clean and perceives us as a sweet smelling fragrance (2 Cor 2:14-15). Through the shedding of his blood, we can now address God as Father; we are now one big happy family. In practical terms, your surname is now God because He is Daddy now.

When Jesus said it is finished, truly, all things that oppressed your expression were over: your pain, your struggles and the sinful nature in you. Because He died in your place you don’t have to die anymore. Oh what a good Friday it really was when Jesus took your sins upon himself. No one else can love you the way He does.

Friends, the Blood of Jesus broke every barrier between you and God. Not even your sins can stop you from reaching God (Heb 4:16). Until a believer can appreciate this fact, true liberty from the bondage of the devil and guilt will be far from reach. People who think God turns his back on them and close his ears to their prayer when they fall short in sin unknowingly rebuild another barrier in their mind. This certainly makes the adversary/devil happy when you can’t flow any longer with God and thus easily tempts you from sin to sin. Friends, stick to Heb 4:16, the blood of Jesus has broken every barrier between you and God, don’t allow anything (not your shortcomings/sins or even your religion) rebuild another false barrier. Access God BOLDLY anytime, any day, anywhere and continually bask in His presence because Christ died for this very purpose. Halleluiah.

Scripture reading: Daniel 7:27

Let us go back again upon the Word and take some context of Matthew 16. First of all, in Matthew 16:13, Jesus says, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” Actually, who men say Jesus is does not really count! Who YOU believe Jesus is – this is what counts! Amen!

Verses 14-15, “…And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am?”

We have not employed the power of Jesus to the extent and with the intensity that we should. We all get in trouble and in the midst of the trouble we sometimes forget to call upon the Name of Jesus. However, I want you to remember that at the name of Jesus, “…every knee shall bow” (Philippians 2:10-11).

What does that mean, “…That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow?” Somebody believes that it means that the people are going to praise God and say, “Oh, Lord God, you are wonderful.” That is one way to bow the knee – that is the way Christians bow the knee. However, when a strong man meets a stronger man, he bows the knee by force. Now, we are talking about spiritual force here and that we do have the power to overthrow Satan and all his works. Do you know why the Church will do it now? It is because this is the hour and our time has come. The time has come. Our time is near at hand! Let me show it to you, because some people do not believe that we are really at the time.

Daniel 7:27, “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Who is the power being given to?  “…the people of the saints of the most high.” They will break Satan! We are not talking about any rapture where we run away and leave things in this condition, but we are talking about beating the devil by the power of the Blood and the Spirit; beating him in this earth, in this life; overcoming him and standing on mount Zion with Jesus Christ! Amen!

We are talking to an overcoming people! Those of you who do not believe in overcoming might as well stop reading now. I am talking to a people who are slated (who are designated; who are mandated) to overcome the devil! The same devil that is striking you in your body; the same devil that is making you sick; the same devil that sends some of us to the hospital; the same devil that sends some of us to every kind of degradation, and sin, and destruction, and distress – that same devil! We are mandated by God to destroy him and we have the power. Oh, yes! We should not bow to the beatings and the slappings of the devil, because if God did not know that we were tough enough, He would not have allowed him to slap us so hard. Some of the things I see some of you going through, I say, “My God, what would I do if I were in that position?”

But the point is that God says of the Sons of God, “…they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11b). God is making soldiers out of us. People who will not give up because the storm is raging. People who will not give up because things are going against them. People who will not give up because they are weary!

Sometimes you feel like you cannot go another minute. You are weary, you are tired, you are distressed, you are embattled on every hand – that is the time to fight! Hallelujah! Amen! For the victory is just ahead!

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, July 1997, pg. 4-6)

Thought for today: Will you take up the challenge and be one of those overcoming people who do not bow to the beatings of the devil? Keep fighting for the victory is at hand!

The illustration that came to mind is that of a prisoner who their price has been paid. The prison doors have been opened and they are released. Yet, instead of getting up and exiting their prison cell, they choose to remain behind bars. The doors are open. They have been released to leave. The price has been paid. However, they choose to remain in bondage.  It is the same thing when it comes to the sacrifice of Christ. He paid the ultimate price by shedding His blood on the cross for our sins. He was the ultimate sacrifice that died for our sins in the past, present and future. He took them all on so that we can be free.  We no longer have to be bound by sin and we can embrace the gift of eternal life. Yet, there are some who are just like the prisoner. Remaining bound on their own accord. However, I wanted to take a few moment to remind you that the chains of imprisonment have been broken by the blood of Jesus. What is it that has been keeping you in your personal prison?

Embrace His forgiveness and realize that your Heavenly Father loves you with an everlasting love. He has been waiting with loving arms to welcome you back home. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness. Repent, move forward, and remember that the price has been paid. Walk in your freedom in Jesus Name.

I recently heard someone pray that the blood of Jesus be poured out on everyone who walked into the church and be poured out all over the children. Then they prayed that the blood would overflow from the highest mountain to the lowest valley covering everything in sight. They prayed that blood would pour, flood, flow and overflow. The number of times I heard the word ‘blood’ in the rest of the prayer was astonishing and I was horrified by the end it.

I grew up hearing prayers like this but the graphic imagery of everyone being covered in so much blood from head to toe, practically drowning in it, freaked me out this time. For the first time I actually listened to word ‘blood’ in the prayer and let it actually mean ‘blood’. I then imagined literal blood being poured out on people as they walked in, slipping on blood drenched floors after dropping their kids off in the blood filled pool.

It made me want to throw up.

But since everyone says “Blood of Jesus” none of that imagery usually comes to mind. It’s as if so many people have shifted meanings in their mind and say ‘blood of Jesus’ in prayers when they really mean ‘covering of Jesus’. But they’ve used it in that way so much that they say it without thinking about it.

Where is all this blood coming from?

Of course, the spilt blood we are referring to is the blood that was spilled when Jesus died on the Cross (if not, then we would be saying that Jesus is in Heaven still bleeding away as if he had eternal Hemophilia.)

So. Much. Blood.

The first shedding of blood in the Bible was in Genesis 3. The first man and woman of the story commit their first sin. Their eyes are open to their nakedness and they try to cover themselves with fig leaves. But the fig leaves still couldn’t cover up everything. Something else needed to be done. So in verse 21 God gives them garments made out of the skin of an animal. That animal’s blood was the first blood shed and only then were Adam and Eve fully covered for their sin.

Later in the story, God gives Moses and the Israelites a covenant (or a promise) between him and his people, including a law and a system of sacrificing animals to cover over all of the people’s sins. This system was flawed though because it required people to make sacrifices again and again and again.

So. Much. Nasty. Blood.

Hebrews 9 puts it:

When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:19-22

This terribly violent and flawed system was all leading up to something greater. Jesus died on that cross to be the last sacrifice to spill the last blood needed to cover over every single sin of every single person. This blood was spilled once and for all. And none of it needs to be poured again.

I tried finding biblical backing for why we should go around “pleading the blood of Jesus” on things and the only thing I found was people pointing to Revelation 12:11:

They triumphed over [Satan]

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony.

This shows that the triumph has occurred through the sacrifice on the cross but what is the word of their testimony? I don’t believe it means proclaiming that Jesus bleeds over and over again when we are in need to triumph over evil. But I do believe the blood of Jesus is powerful for what it did for every single one of us. And every single one of us who has come into a realization of everything that it has done for us have a story. We have a story of what it means to let that blood cover over everything once and for all and live in peace and joy that we no longer need to shed any blood ourselves. And our ‘testimony’ that triumphs is our story of what that blood has done for us in our lives.

And on Good Friday we celebrate this. People made sacrifices and the priests entered into the “Holy of Holies” behind a thick curtain in the temple to cover over the peoples’ sins year after year. But once Jesus’ blood was spilled, the curtain was torn in two, signifying that there no longer needed to be anymore blood.
So I’m grateful for the blood of Jesus signified: cleansing us of our sins. So now, I want to live a life without blood, glad that it has been dealt with. Most blood worship songs are fine because they’re commemorating what it did, long ago, as opposed to asking it to be spilled today, but I ask you all to consider the words you use in your blood prayers this Good Friday. If we are just blindly using cliché phrases then we’re not really saying as much as we want to.

And if you are just using it as a cliché phrase without thinking about what you’re saying then I suggest you put a Band-Aid on your prayers. Happy Holy Week!

Power is the ability to get results, and there is undeniable power in the blood of Jesus. However, if we do not know about it, we cannot have faith in it. We must have faith in the blood of Jesus in order to appropriate it daily. In Power Released by the Blood, Creflo Dollar reveals six critical benefits of Jesus’ blood. Order this powerful message today!
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Here’s a short video I created that attempts to express the love Jesus has for us…

As Creator, God loves His creation.  In the beginning when He created the universe, He said: “It is good.”  But alas, there was that incident in the Garden of Eden when, after Adam was given authority over God’s earthly creation, he, Adam, decided that he would go against the commandment of God and partake of the forbidden fruit.  Did God stop loving Adam and Eve?  God forbid!!  No, instead He spoke of a plan that was already conceived before the foundations of the world, in which the “seed” of the woman would bruise the head of the seed of the serpent.

Genesis 3:15 (KJV) ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Everything changed that day in the Garden of Eden.  The God who is love also is the God of Judgment. Man by his own will chose his way over God’s way and thus built a wall of separation between himself and God.  But the God who is love gave mankind an escape route, a way to break through that wall of separation.  In this way, the God who is love manifested His Love to all mankind.  In this sense God loves everyone.  But the manifestation of that love comes in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  To speak of God and the love of God apart from the Lord Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, is to speak of something that does not exist. The love of God is the Lord Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.

John 3:16 (KJV) ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Apart from Jesus Christ there is no love but only the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Because God is love and because He so loved, He gave this Only Begotten Son to whosoever will believe upon Him.  This is the Love of God that was given to all but not all have obeyed the truth, therefore, not all will be partakers of this divine love.

Those who have died apart from the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ  exist in eternal torment.  Try to talk to them about the love of God – they know it not.  They only know the wrath of God and His eternal judgment because they refused the gracious and loving offer of the gift of God and His abiding love in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those that claim the love of God while living in a manner that God finds abominable will, if they refuse to repent, face only the wrath of God. For those who truly desire the love of God, there is only one way to embrace it and that is repenting and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  God loves those who love His Son and grants them the gift of eternal life, fellowship with Him and makes them heirs of all that He has. And God is not a respecter of persons but bases His love extended to them upon the condition that they accept and love His Son, into whose hands He has given all things.

Does God really love everyone?  God offers all the gift of His Son but those who reject that gift reject His love and the wrath of God abides upon them.  And to all those who have once known the way of righteousness and even stand in the pulpit and preach while engaging in affairs, in homosexual relations, in sexual activity with minors or their own kin, in deceptions and lies, in drunkenness and drug addictions, in the taking of tithes and offerings for their own greedy gain, and all manner of unrighteousness the scriptures have a stern warning for you:

Hebrews 10:26-29 (KJV) ²⁶ For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. ²⁸ He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: ²⁹ Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

The same God who is love destroyed the world that then was when He spared Noah and his family, eight souls in all.  The same God who is love destroyed all of Sodom and Gomorrah but spared Lot and his family.  The same God who is love opened up the earth and swallowed the rebellious Hebrews who railed against Moses.  The same God who is love struck down Ananias and Sapphira when they lied to the Holy Spirit.  So let us address the question again: does God really love everyone?  Was it His love that was manifested in the above incidents?

Oh foolish people!!  You who claim the love of God and at the same time mock Him, reject Him and curse Him and go your own sinful way. You who preach the love of God while engaging in all manner of unrighteousness as if God is blind to your unholy ways. Can we not learn from God’s dealings with the disobedient in times past?  Are we so ready to accept a God of love but refuse to even acknowledge the One True God who really is love? But the message is still the same – the God who is love is still speaking the same message: repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Repent, turn from your sins and He stands ready and willing to forgive and receive you into His Everlasting Love.  For though your sins be as scarlet, yet will they be white as snow but only through the Holy Blood of the Only Redeemer – the Lord Jesus Christ.  But to all who refuse the Lord of Glory, the wrath of God is your reward.  To those who continue in a live of sin after receiving the gift of salvation, this warning is also for you – the God of love will not spare the unrighteous.

The only escape from God’s wrath remains in our fellowship with the Lord of Glory – our redemption is solely based upon His Righteousness, upon His cleansing Blood, upon His forgiveness of sin which He freely gives to those who confess and turn from their wicked ways. Jesus Christ and Him alone – He is our only Lifeline, He is our only Hope, He is our Only Deliverer, He is our Only Sacrifice, He is our Only Scapegoat, He is our Only High Priest, He our Only Mediator, He is our only Cleanser of Sin, He is our only Way to God the Father, He is the only Truth, He is the Love of God manifest in the flesh, the fullness of the Godhead Bodily.  Those who speak of God but deny Jesus Christ know not what they speak about.  Those who speak of God and continue in unrighteousness know not the Lord of Glory nor the only way of salvation or the truth.

Romans 1:17-32 (KJV) ¹⁷ For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. ¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; ¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. ²⁰ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³ And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. ²⁴ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ²⁵ Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ²⁶ For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: ²⁷ And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. ²⁸ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; ²⁹ Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, ³⁰ Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ³¹ Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: ³² Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  

Would there be blood involved again? Should they prepare to sacrifice a lamb in order to use its blood to mark their homes as a sign that they were God’s chosen people? Would he once again pass through their midst – sparing only those whose homes were marked with the blood of the lamb?

It is amazing to me to see this in hindsight. To see that they had no idea that this Jesus was about to become the sacrificial lamb. That his blood was not going to be used to mark their homes, but rather their hearts. And that his blood was going to accomplish the ultimate freedom and the ultimate Passover. From sin and death. From eternal judgement.

And now the question is presented to each of us…this week and every day. Are our hearts marked with the blood of “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”? (John 1:29)

Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. Then a loud wail will rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again. But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. (Exodus 11:4-7 NLT)

Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go, pick out a lamb or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down. “Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever. When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” (Exodus 12:21-27 NLT)

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days. (1 Peter 1:18-20 NLT)

    For years, his blood-stained pillow remained on display – a testimony to the horrific events of April 14, 1865, and the violent death of one of our greatest presidents.

     A while back, some friends of mine visited the Petersen House only to discover that the pillow had been removed, and placed into storage. The only item that contained the blood of the Great Emancipator had been taken out of public sight, and put into a place where it could, potentially, be forgotten.

     As Christians, we must never let it be forgotten that it is only by the blood — the blood of Jesus — that we have been forgiven. We must never forget the price that was paid when Jesus spilled His blood, and willingly gave up His life out of love for us.

     In this time of history revisionism and self-obsession, as well as being an appropriate reminder during this Holy Week, may this story remind us all that we must never lose sight of the ONLY thing that can save us… the blood of Jesus.

They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. (Hebrews 8:5) The author was referring to the ministry of priests, blood sacrifices, and the traveling tabernacle constructed under the supervision of Moses. When I think of copies and shadows, I think of photo copies and shadow puppets.  They are pretty direct images, but not the real thing.  They may have some impurities, imperfections and hints of darkness.  However, they do point us to an original that is perfectly pure and holy–in this case Christ and Heaven!

• To enter the tabernacle, there was only one gate.  In John 10:9 and 14:6 Jesus says that He is the gate and the only way to the Father.
• The next furnishing was the bronze alter where sin was atoned for by the blood of a sacrificial lamb.  It is impossible to draw near to God with sin in our lives.  John the Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
• The bronze wash basin comes next.  It is a sign of clean hands–sanctificiation.  In Psalm 24 we are told that only those with clean hands and a pure heart can enter the presence of God.  In Ephesians 5:25-26, it says that Jesus washes us with the water of the Word to present us in splendor as holy, pure and blameless.
• Next the priest would travel through the door into the Holy Place.  John 10:2 says that the one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  Jesus is the Great Shepherd, and He is also the door.  All things are accomplished by and through Him.
• Inside the Holy Place are three furnishing.  The first is the Table of Shewbread–or the Bread of the Presence.  Bread has to be continually offered on this table.  In John 6:35, 48-51, Jesus refers to Himself as the Bread of Life.
• The second furnishing is the golden lampstand-or Menorah–which had to be perpetually burning.  It was the only source of light in the tabernacle.  In John 1:9 and John 8:12 we learn that Jesus is the Light of the World, and in Revelation 22:5 we see that there will be no need for the sun because Jesus will be our perpetual Light!
• The final furnishing in the Holy Place was the alter of incense which also must constantly burn.  When we look at the true, original tabernacle in Heaven in Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4, we see that this incense is actually the prayers of the saints that rise before the throne of God–where Jesus is always making intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).
• A veil separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place where the glorious presence of God dwells.  It offered protection from the holiness of God to the earthly priests who ministered there. In Hebrews 10:19-20 we will learn that the veil represents the flesh of Jesus.  Matthew 27:51 tells us that when Jesus proclaimed, “It is finished!” and breathed His final breath, the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom almost as if heavenly hands ripped it open, saying that the way to the Father was open to all who would draw near through the sacrifice of Jesus.
• The only furnishing in the Most Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant covered by the Mercy Seat.  Once a year a priest would enter the Most Holy Place and make atonement on behalf of the people, but when Jesus died, His blood offered atonement for humanity once and for all.  Therefore we can boldly and confidently draw near to the presence of God by the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

If you were to take a marker, you could draw two lines through the furnishings of the earthly tabernacle and it would make a perfect cross!

Only by Jesus can we be made holy, be reconciled to the Father, and draw near to Him.  Christ’s priestly ministry is much more excellent–He is a better mediator and holds a better promise, a better covenant, and a better hope.

All of history pointed to Jesus.  Every promise finds its fulfillment in Jesus.  Redemption and reconciliation are the very heart of God!  He wants us to draw near.  He made a way for us to draw near.  We can draw near to Him with confidence because of Jesus Christ.  He is the only way, truth and life!

The word tabernacle actually means, “to dwell.”  It is a word picture of God’s glory being in the midst of His people.  The first tabernacle was constructed during the wilderness experience with the Israelites.  Then John 1:14 says of Jesus, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us, and we have seen his GLORY, GLORY as the only Son from the Father full of grace and truth.”  The true tabernacle is in heaven where Jesus is now. In the meantime on earth, 1 Corinthians 3:16, and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 say that we as followers of Jesus Christ are the temple of the Holy Spirit–the place where He dwells and shows His glory!

How is my life showing the power and glory of God to the world?  Is there anything that is casting a shadow on His glory in my life?

Purchased and pardoned,
Bought with a price.
Indwelt by His Spirit,
And born to new life.

Anchored in Jesus,
Steadfast and sure.
Anchored in Jesus,
Made Holy and pure.

Chosen and cherished,
Forgiven and loved.
Anchored in Jesus,
Saved by His blood.

©1994 J M McIntosh

This hope we have as an anchor
of the soul, both sure and steadfast,
and which enters the Presence behind
the veil, where the forerunner has entered
for us, even Jesus, having become High
Priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20)

Do you ever feel as though as you can’t do anything for God because of your past? Do you constantly feel like you are blowing it? Do you struggle with thoughts that you will never be good enough?

If you are a believer, in the Lord Jesus Christ, Satan is standing before the throne of God accusing you, day and night.

He whispers lies into ears of believers……

You can’t be in ministry. Everyone knows about your past; they will never take you seriously. Remember how you lost it with your kids? Remember how you blew it with your husband? What about that time you refused to listen to God? You will never be good enough. Just stop trying and do things your way.

Thoughts like these come from your accuser and adversary.

In Zechariah 3:1-10, we see a picture of Joshua standing before the throne of the Lord. Satan is pointing his finger at Joshua and yelling out every sin he has ever committed. “

“He’s filthy, you can’t allow him to enter into Your Kingdom,” Satan accuses.

This is the very same thing Satan is doing to you, me, and every other believer.

Picture the scene, in heaven, as you read Jesus’s response:

“And the Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?’ Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel (Jesus). Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, ‘Take away the filthy garments from him.’ And to him He said, ‘See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes,’” (Zechariah 3:3-4).

Satan stands before the Throne of God, pointing his finger at us yelling, “Filthy! Sinner! Unworthy! Guilty!”

Jesus comes to our defense, “Rebuke you, Satan! I have clothed her with righteousness! I have removed her filthy rags and replaced them with rich robes!”

You see, sweet friend, Satan might be your accuser; but, he is not your judge. Only God can declare you guilty or innocent. Through the defense of the  Blood of Jesus, you are declared righteous and innocent before the Throne of God!

Satan cannot keep you out of Heaven. However, he can make you feel so guilty that you never take any ground for the Kingdom of Christ while you are here on Earth.

This passage in Zechariah says Joshua was clothed in filthy rags. Yet, we know God used him in a mighty way to lead the Israelites out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land. In the same way, God used Joshua to gain ground for His Kingdom, He longs to use you. Do not allow Satan to use guilt to keep you from being used by the Lord!

Every time Satan starts to whisper those lies into your ear, replace them with the truth of God’s Word.

Tell Satan, “But of Him, I am in Christ Jesus, who became for me wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,” 1 Corinthians 1:30.

That’s right, dear sister, you are righteous, sanctified, redeemed and therefore, INNOCENT! Use these Words to move through Satan’s guilt and into God’s Glory!

Lord, Jesus. Thank You that I am covered by the Blood of Christ and stand before Your throne innocent of sin. Lord, please help me to refute the lies of Satan with the Truth of Your Word. Help me to follow Your path and live in a way that brings You glory. I love you with all my heart. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.