THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 17

Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been His counsellor? Who would have known that the Lord God had already decided a plan of redemption. And that, step by step, God would reveal His plan. A plan, developed from the beginning of eternity appearing, even as it is, and still to this day, marvellous in our eyes. Truly our eyes have seen your salvation and our ears have heard the good news. As a consequence, our heart rejoices with exceeding great joy!

Sacrifices and offerings - I have no pleasure in. Like the old temporary covenant, the law complete with sacrifices, was a temporary bandage. Indeed, the law only effective until the promised seed arrived. When the promised seed arrived, the bandage was discarded, for the salvation of the Lord was now complete. The Lord sacrificed Himself as a son so that we might have salvation.

Announcing the sins and iniquities of the human race, God says I will remember no more. As far as the east is from the west, that is how far I have removed people's transgressions. took on our sin by Himself. He was raised from death for our justification and in so doing, the slate board record of our sin was wiped clean. Now redeemed, we are ushered into a new covenant.  The royal law, the perfect law of liberty, the everlasting covenant, a covenant of grace and mercy, a covenant written by the hand of the Lord on the fleshy tables of our heart. This covenant now inscribed in our hearts and within our being.

As the saying suggests, Christ in our heart is much better than a chain around our neck. Similarly, Christ in our heart is much better than a hand over our heart. Our liberty is not a statue. The indwelling spirit of Jesus encourages us to follow Him. It is His spirit that we received, and as a consequence of His grace, adopts us into His family. What a wonderful adoption, complete in every form. We are now citizens of Heaven, a city which has a solid rock foundation, whose builder and maker is God.

We were reborn, but not by the will of the flesh nor of the will of man. We are born of God who Fathered us in His own body. The same God appearing in fashion as a man thereby displaying to us what is achievable in ourselves when we walk with Jesus the Christ, whose Spirit now possesses us. His Spirit of grace presented as a gift from God our Father, who loves us and has given Himself for us. Herein perceive we the love of God. Inasmuch as He has laid down His life as a son for us so that we might enjoy eternal life. There is no more sacrifice for sin. Put the old covenant on the shelf. And do so now. Why? Because it is old and that which is old and decayed vanishes away. Remember, God has done all that was necessary to obtain man’s salvation. He ascended to Heaven and He sat down. "It is finished." Stand in the offering plate. He offered Himself for you. In  return, God wants you to offer yourself to Him. Peace in Jesus.