Christ’s Blood :The Necessity

Read | Romans 3:21-26

Romans 3 communicates the very heart of Scripture. Apart from the cross of Christ and His atoning death, no one can be declared righteous.

In other words, there is only one way to become a child of God—through the blood of the Savior (John 14:6). Good works and right living will not earn the Lord’s favor, because every person inevitably sins, and a sinner cannot enter the presence of holy God. The shedding of Christ’s blood on the world’s behalf made it possible for anyone to be cleansed of sin and have a relationship with the Creator. The only requirement is trusting Jesus as Savior.

For God to be just, He must remain true to His own principles. His holiness dictated that “the soul who sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4). The penalty for sin—namely, death—had to be paid in a way that was acceptable to God. He explained through Moses why a blood sacrifice was required: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement” (Lev. 17:11). A life must be given for a life to be spared.

On that basis, the heavenly Father provided a perfectly sinless sacrifice for all mankind. The only way God’s justice could be satisfied and His holiness could be maintained was for Jesus Christ to take our guilt and sin upon Himself and die in our place.

When we say that there is only one way to the Father, we mean that a person must believe Jesus Christ died as a perfect sacrifice. To trust in anything else is to ignore God’s holiness and the admonition of His Word (Acts 4:12).

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The Lord’s Time

Here’s Today’s Devotional from The Vine…

Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.” - John 2:4

He meant that His time for beginning to work miracles had not yet come. With all divine power slumbering in His hands, He would do nothing at any bidding but His Father’s. Even His human mother’s request He could not in this matter regard.

One thought here is our Lord‘s perfect devotion to His Father’s will. We find the same all through His life. He did nothing of Himself. He took His work moment by moment from His Father’s hand. He waited always for His “hour.” He had no plans of His own, but followed the Divine purpose in all His acts. All those early years at Nazareth, with omnipotence in His arm, He wrought no miracle. Even now, though appealed to by His mother whom He so deeply loved, He would not do anything even one minute before His hour came.

The practical lesson for us here is devotion to God’s will. We should always wait for God. Too many of us run before we are sent. In our zeal for God’s cause and kingdom we do not wait for Divine direction. We speak words out of season which, despite their earnestness and sincerity, do harm rather than good. We try to feed others with unripe fruits. We address men before they are prepared to hear, and ofttimes in words that drive them beyond our reach. We hurry out to preach when we ought ourselves to be sitting quietly at our Master’s feet as learners.

The most common fault among Christians is that they are too slow in doing Christ‘s work and in heeding His calls; but it is a fault also to go too fast for God, to go before He sends us. With all warm love for Christ we must learn to wait for Him, to wait till our hour is come. He must prepare us for the work before we are ready to do it, and then He must prepare the work for our hand. In Christian work we need patience and self-restraint as well as zeal and earnestness.

The Book Of Life

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

God has recorded every passion and motive of every person—every single
thought, word and deed. The motives of the Christian are entered in a “book of
remembrance,” which is the Book of Life, and on the day of judgment, Christ is
going to remember all who are in this book.

“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord . . .
heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared
the Lord. . . . And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day
when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him” (Malachi 3:16-17).

If you love Jesus with all your heart and are cleansed by His blood, then your
name is written in His book of remembrance. This message should not produce
fear; in fact, it should bring great rejoicing to your heart as you see all
that God has planned for those who love Him!

There are books but then there is “The Book.” The Bible says each life has
its own book, a record of an entire lifetime on earth:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away. . . . And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened . . . and the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And
the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the
dead which were in them: and they were judged according to their works”
(Revelation 20:11-13).

The wicked and ungodly will be judged by everything written in those
books—one by one—before the Judge of all!

Scripture says every person will have a resurrection body at that time. The
sinner will have a body “fitted to destruction” (Romans 9:22). But the godly
will be given a new body, likened unto the Lord’s! And when the judgment is
over, the Lamb will rise up from His throne and lead His flock into eternal
paradise.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21245?src=devo-email

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Keeping The Blessing and Favor Of God

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

God blesses those who walk in faithfulness and He shows favor to those who
favor Him!

How do nations, families, individuals lose the blessing and favor of God? The
prophet Haggai speaks to this, and the first reason he lists is that
self-interests begin to replace God’s interests!

“The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built”
(Haggai 1:2). The Israelites gave up building the Lord’s house in order to
build their own homes!

This scene took place sixty-eight years after Solomon’s temple was destroyed.
A remnant had returned to Jerusalem out of Babylonian captivity specifically to
rebuild God’s house. And, indeed, they laid the foundation of the temple with
zeal and excitement!

But then they began running into some hard places—difficulties and
discouragements. Slowly they lost interest in the work of God, saying, “This
just isn’t the time. We are having too many problems. Besides, we’re
spending so much time here that we’re neglecting our families and
businesses.”

One by one, they walked away to look after their own interests. The Lord’s
interests, that had everything to do with their own well-being, became
secondary! They began building their own houses and they used the lumber that
had been stored up for building the temple.

How do believers today lose the blessing and favor of God? By stopping work on
His temple! It happens when we stop praying and seeking God—when we stop
building up His spiritual body!

Haggai points out this problem: When the people put God’s interests first, He
provided their food and shelter. Indeed, they were cared for by Him in every
way. Their vineyards grew, their grapes were heavy; they slept peacefully at
night and their children danced in the streets. None of their enemies prevailed
against them. It was a marvelous time of God’s blessing but then the people
became absorbed with their own self-interests!

This is what is happening today! Our world is consumed with self—self-pride,
self-ambition, self-will—with every person out for his own interests! No
wonder so many are drunk and dazed with drugs, wandering in darkness and
confusion.

God says, “I called for a drought on the land . . . and on all the labor of
your hands” (Haggai 1:11). He is saying, “If you begin to neglect your
souls and turn to materials things, you will end up joyless, dissatisfied,
empty, dry! I want you to put My interests first, so I can again bless and
favor you!”

The Pitfall of Being Entrepreneurial

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 Today God Is First By Os Hillman

“When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark…” 1 Chronicles 13:9-10

There are good things we can do, but only God-things we should do. Those activities not born out of the Spirit will result in wood, hay, and stubble. What seems good in our eyes may be an abomination in God’s eyes. For instance, if you decide to build an orphanage but God has never directed you to do so, then God will not see that work as good; it was born out of your own strength, even though it was a “good work.”

The most difficult challenge a Christian workplace believer will ever have is to know what things to be involved in and what things not to be involved in. Many workplace believers have a great ability to see opportunity. What appears to be a “slam dunk” may come back to haunt us if God never ordains us to enter that arena. There are many good things we can be involved with. However, there are God-things we are supposed to be involved with. Uzzah was a good man in David‘s sight. It was a time of celebration, and David and the people were transporting the ark of God. However, the ark hit a bump, and Uzzah reached for the ark to hold it steady. He touched the ark, and he immediately died. David became very upset with God about this situation; he questioned whether he could serve God.

God’s ways are not our ways. The most important quality God desires to develop in us is our dependence on Him and Him alone. When we begin to make decisions based on reason and analysis instead of the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, we get into trouble with God. David later learned the importance of this principle in his own life. This encounter was one of the stepping-stones in his pilgrimage. David was an extraordinary entrepreneur. He ran the nation very successfully, but he, like each of us, had to learn the difference between “good things” and “God-things.”

Are you involved in anything in which God has not directed you to be involved? Do you seek God about every decision, every action before you take it? This is where God wants you and me to be. Ask Him to show you how to walk with Him in this way.

http://veritasmizzou.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/why-im-thankful-god-killed-uzzah/#comment-715

Unless the Lord Goes With Us

 Today God Is First By Os Hillman

“Then Moses said to him, ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.’” Exodus 33:15

Moses was in the middle of his journey through the wilderness, leading the people of Israel out of Egypt. The people had just sinned by worshiping the golden calf. Moses interceded for them and God spared them their lives. Moses then talked one on one with the Lord. He knew he could not lead this stubborn people without God’s presence. He had come to realize that without God’s presence, he could not do anything. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? (Exodus 33:16)

Moses did not want to move farther without the assurance that God was moving with him. He knew it was a life-and-death situation. He sought the Lord with his whole heart on this one matter.

The question is a good one. If we are to be effective in anything we do for the Lord, the Lord must be in the midst of it. Unless the Lord’s power is seen among us, we will be just another person who has religion. Unless we manifest His life to others, they will see only good behavior that is easily counterfeited by moral people. Moving out in presumption will end in failure and frustration. Ask the Lord today to assure you of His presence and power in your activities. Then you will be assured that you will be distinguished among all the other people on the face of the earth.

Dying for Lack of Knowledge

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Today God Is  First By Os Hillman

“The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.” 1 Chronicles 13:10

A business friend of mine confessed that he did not like to read. He found it a difficult discipline. I replied, “If you do not commit yourself to knowing what is in God’s Word and following it, you will fail to know and experience God. God’s Word is life to our souls. It provides knowledge that leads to life.” The prophet Hosea tells us, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children” (Hos. 4:6).

God has given us His Word that has specific laws and principles that must be followed if we expect His blessing. King David forgot to follow one of those laws related to the ark. “…But they must not touch the holy things or they will die…” (Num. 4:15). When they were transporting the ark, Uzzah innocently reached to steady the ark but was immediately stricken dead when his hands touched the ark of God. Did David know this law or did he simply forget? Did Uzzah know this law? If so, did he really believe it? David thought it was okay to carry the ark the way Uzzah did. A man lost his life for his presumption.

Many workplace believers I know take God’s Word lightly. They believe they can violate His Word without consequence. This is not true; the Lord stands by to uphold His Word. It can be life, or it can bring death. When God provides instructions, we need to follow them.

Knowing this about God brings a healthy fear of the Lord. “David was afraid of God that day and asked, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?’ ” (1 Chron. 13:12) We must all have a fearful respect of God’s Word. For truly, it is life or death. Do you take God’s Word seriously? Is it life or death for you? Do you feed upon His Word daily so that you might know Him and know His precepts? Feed upon this knowledge and be blessed of God.

Finding Meaning in Our Labor

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 Today God Is First By Os Hillman

“But I said, ‘I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.’” Isaiah 49:4

Have you ever felt like you’re spending your life using your talent for nothing? Life is often spent doing mundane activities that seem to have little eternal purpose.

The great prophet Isaiah was struggling with his own purpose. He knew he was chosen to be a voice for God, yet life became purposeless for Isaiah. We all go through periods when our purpose seems to be clouded with the mundane. We see little meaning in life. On the other hand, Isaiah didn’t stay in this place. We read in this passage that he knew the truth of his existence. He could look past his present circumstance and know that his real reward and purpose would be revealed in eternity. He knew that God was just and fair, so he placed his faith on this truth.

When life appears to lack meaning and purpose, remember that if you devote your life to the purposes He has for you, the fruits of your labor will be manifested in due time. “The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it” (1 Thess. 5:24).

How to Cry Out to God

MATTHEW 14:29-30

The phone rings, and you answer. A sullen voice informs you of a tragedy. Your heart is so heavy that you feel as though you could die. What do you do?

Bad news, danger, and pain all cause us to look for help. As believers, we dwell with the almighty God, who is able to aid us. At those moments when we are sideswiped by life’s circumstances, we should cry out to Him.

In the Bible, crying out refers to speaking audibly with great emotion concerning an urgent need. God invites us to use this form of prayer to communicate that we desperately need His mercy.

It takes both faith and humility to share our heart’s concern aloud. Crying out, then, is a way for God’s children to express trust in the Lord’s ability and willingness to help. By calling upon Him with such urgency, we also lay down our pride and any attitude of self-sufficiency.

The Word of God assures us that our Father hears our cries and responds. In Psalm 3:4, for example, David wrote, “I was crying to the Lord with my voice, and He answered from His holy mountain.” When we call aloud for help in Jesus’ name, we invite His power into the situation. Remember that there is strength in just speaking His name.

When we cry out to God, He may remove the problem immediately, yet we often have to wait for His perfect timing. Harsh circumstances might even be allowed to remain for His good purposes. But we can always count on His comfort and presence, which enable us to live with joy and hope.
Dr. Charles Stanley

Dealing with Disappointment

HABAKKUK 3:17-19

After preaching a sermon on disappointment, several men and women approached me with the same reaction: “I desperately needed to hear those words.” Countless people feel defeated and let down by disappointing situations. But our response can make all the difference. Frustrations can be either an opportunity for spiritual growth or a destructive blow.

A right response to disappointment begins with resisting the natural tendency toward bitterness. If someone else was involved in the situation, don’t be quick to judge his or her conduct. We can’t fully understand what is going on in others’ lives or what motivates them to act as they do. Our second step should be to ask the Lord, “How am I to respond?” God can guide us to a wise and righteous reaction because He has all the facts.

Third, follow His direction, even if it isn’t what you want to do. Oftentimes the Lord’s way contradicts our own desires and the advice of friends. However, His plan is the one that will bring about growth and result in our greatest good.

And finally, keep your focus on God and His higher purpose in your life. People are prone to dwell on their hurts and the harm that comes to them, which is what makes disappointment so destructive.

There is only one healthy method for dealing with letdown—pursue the Lord’s way and His will. Though human plans can be derailed, nothing alters God’s purpose. No matter how deep your hurt goes, He will shepherd you through setbacks and sorrows while growing your faith.