Singing with Grace in Our Hearts to Jesus - Part 557

This is the day that the Lord hath made. Rejoice in this day and be glad in it. (Psalms 118:24)

Further, let the Word -- Jesus -- dwell continually in our hearts, minds and souls -- richly in all wisdom and teaching, admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord thy God, our Saviour. For whatsoever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Jesus. (Collosians 3:16-17)

We have so many reasons to rejoice. First and foremost, we know personally the God who holds the universe in the palm of His hands. He shed His precious blood on the cross so that we might be saved. Indeed, the Bible calls us the elect. And as the elect, God has stated that we are holy and beloved. His beloved. 

Often, however, the cares of this world tend to dominate our lives and as a consequence, our ability to rejoice in Jesus is impeded. But when we read the Bible, there are more than enough examples instructing us to rejoice in the Lord. To be glad in His mercies and goodness. To take delight in our salvation. 

Hannah in I Samuel 2:1, for example, prayed and said, "My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation."

In Deuteronomy 30:9, the Lord God promised to "make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers." 

Yes, the Lord God who created us and loved us so much that He would become flesh and shed His blood for us wants to bless us and make us plenteous in "every" work of our hands. Bless us in His abundance. Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

This is why the Lord rejoices over even one of us who seek salvation and His goodness. His mercies. The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 alludes to this. Therein, Jesus said, "A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of good that falleth to me." And the father divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land and he began to be in want. 

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat,  and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, "How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare and I perish with hunger?"

The moment of revelation whereby the prodigal son realizes that we can worry about the cares of this world, or we can seek Jesus our Saviour and let His kingdom flourish in our hearts. The son decides to "arise and go to my father and will say unto him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants."

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring
on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and
be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to 
be merry.

So rejoice in your salvation. Be glad in Jesus because He knows the innermost thoughts within our
hearts. Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; bearing with one another, 
and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you,
so you also do. Awake, you who sleep. Arise from the dead and Jesus will give you light.” 

Most of all, glory in Jesus' name. Let us seek our Saviour in all aspects of our lives, singing joyfully 
in our hearts. When we get to this point, like the prodigal son, the cares of this world will no longer
impede us from worshipping our Lord and Saviour Jesus. Stand in the offering plate.

Jesus is All We Need - Part 556

The grace of God is sufficient. The grace of God which brings forth salvation has appeared in the face of Jesus -- God manifest in the flesh. Indeed, God Himself as a Son over His own redeemed household so that you and I -- the redeemed -- can become temples in which His Holy Spirit is pleased to dwell. He - the Holy Spirit - in Christ purchased us with His own precious blood. His eternal blood flowed in the veins of the Son child Jesus who was conceived of the Seed life of God who is Spirit. Not my will but thy will be done. 

Therefore without hesitance let us come boldly to His throne of grace so that we might obtain the mercy and blessings that were preordained for us before the foundation of the world was formed. This is the gospel message. The grace of the Lord Jesus the Christ manifesting the love of God towards us. In that God as a Son, by the willing sacrifice of His sinless body has redeemed us so that we can fellowship with His Holy Spirit. 

Jesus - the only name under Heaven whereby we can be saved. (Acts 4:12) Jesus - the only mediator between God and man. Jesus - to Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43) Forgiven fully. Unconditionally our transgressions washed away forever for those who love Jesus.  It is He that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Stand in the offering plate. 

Whence Hath This Wisdom Come? - Part 555

Faith is a reflection of our intimate walk with Jesus. It shows our willingness to press in and grow in the knowledge of the Word -- Jesus the Christ. A desire to be with Jesus even while we live in this world. But even in Bible times, not everyone accepted this. Even those from Jesus' own country, according to Matthew 13, were astonished at the crowds that followed Jesus. While He performed miracles and healings for those who needed to be made whole, the people from His own country doubted Jesu's authority. 

Indeed, when Jesus was come into His own country, the people of the area asked, "Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?"

These might be considered valid questions if the focus was only on Jesus' humanity. However, when we begin to accept that Jesus is God in the flesh -- the same God who created man and woman in the beginning loved us enough to prepare a plan of salvation even before we were formed in our mother's womb - then our faith begins to grow. We soon realize that the God who holds the universe in His hands loves us so much that He willingly shed His precious blood on the cross for us. 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled --  the Word of life  had a plan to converse with us. For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in John 6:29 that this is the work of God that you believe on Him in whom He has sent. All that the Father giveth shall come to me, and them that cometh to me in no way will I cast out. (John 6:37) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy household too. 

Had these folks from Jesus country realized the truth -- the gospel is to you and your family and to those who are afar off -- they would have recognized that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Our blessed Saviour. They would have found hope knowing that because Jesus shed His precious blood for us, there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. No condemnation for those who seek after His Spirit.

Further, these unbelieving people would have realized that the Father wept because of our inability to get it right.To understand how much Jesus loves us.  Why? Because it is Jesus -- God Almighty in the flesh -- that was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. Surely, He bore our sorrows, our hurts and our loneliness on the cross. All He asks is that we reach out in faith so that He can cleanse you and make you whole.

This is why the multitudes followed Jesus. It is why we also know today that Jesus satisfies our desires beyond our dreams. Like the multitudes who followed Jesus -- who pressed in against Him for more -- we can be assured that Jesus is more than enough.  Lay your burdens at the feet of Jesus today. He said, "Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Rest in His abundance and goodness. Stand in the offering plate.

Stepping Out in Faith - Part 554

Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. (Matthew 25:34-36)

Matthew 25 contains a powerful message for those who will listen with their hearts. Here was Jesus teaching to the multitudes about the ultimate gift of salvation. The endless blessings that fall upon those who love Him. Believers in Jesus whose hearts desire the Word. Herein Jesus was likening His teachings to the kingdom of heaven and eternal life. Jesus elaborates on the parable of the ten virgins and later the parable of the talents --"for unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance."

Jesus continues. He tells the multitudes -- the blessed of His Father -- to come. Come, He says. Come to the one that loves you so much and you will inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. "For I -- [your Lord God] -- was an hungred and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and you came to me."

But the righteous in the crowds were unable to grasp the essence of Jesus' message. Instead, they answer the King saying, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison and came unto thee?" In the minds and hearts of the righteous, they had completed all that was required of them to earn their salvation. The righteous had performed good works. They had lived their lives according to the letter of the law.

But obviously their contributions were not enough. For Jesus said, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, "Verily, I say unto you. Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." In other words, all of their worldly contributions missed the point. Here was Jesus -- the Lord of Glory -- wanting to give them the kingdom too and yet, the righteous -- as described in the parable -- were not willing to give their Lord God and Saviour their hearts.

The righteous were not willing to press in to touch the hem of His garment like the woman with the sickness for twelve years. They weren't quite willing to say, "Lord Jesus, here I am -- I am yours." Mold me Jesus into the person you intended me to be for you are the potter Lord and I am the clay.

So instead, as Jesus shares in Matthew 25:41, the king says unto them on the left hand, "Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." He was saying, My desire is to give you the kingdom and yet, you don't see my love for you. You don't understand that I -- Jesus -- grew the tree that was destined to become the cross at Calvary.

Indeed, Jesus repeats these scriptures for a second time in Matthew 25, saying, then shall they also answer him saying, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?"

Therefore, the message for us today is to be not as the righteous. Instead, rejoice in Jesus' abundant love. His grace and goodness today. Pour the expensive ointment on your Lord and Saviour like the woman with the alablaster box of very precious ointment in Matthew 26. Why? Because Jesus - the very same God who created us in the beginning became flesh and shed His precious blood for our sins -- loves us so much that He wants to give us the kingdom.

Jesus wants to give us meat so that we are not hungred and sufficient drink should we become thirsty. He desires to take us in and clothe us and release us fully from the worldy prisons that keep us bound. Most of all, Jesus wants to visit with us and confirm that we can rest in His grace and mercies forever. Stand in the offering plate.

There Is Healing in the Name of Jesus - Part 553

My cup runneth over. This promise of joy and peace in our hearts is to all believers and their families and to all them that might still be afar off -- if we would only commit our lives to Jesus -- our Lord and Saviour who created this world and all that is within it -- and yet loved us enough to have His humanity die on the cross for our sin. He wants our cup -- the cup that is indicative of our lives -- to runneth over with joy. Not just in Heaven but in our daily journey here on earth too.

Why? Because as the scriptures point out, "Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him and yet with His stripes we are healed." The same God who holds the universe holding us tight in His arms. It is He who knows the innermost thoughts of our hearts and wants to make us whole -- and complete -- in His abundance. In the book of Job, there is an interesting passage about wisdom that states: 

There is a path which no foul knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen. The lion's whelps have not trodden it nor the fierce lion passed by it. He putteth forth His hand upon the rock. He overturneth the mountains by the roots. He cutteth out rivers among the rocks and His eye seeth every precious thing. He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth He forth to light. But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living. 

The depth saith, It is not in me and the sea saith, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, either shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with all the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls; for the price of wisdom is above rubies. (Job 28:2-18)

Job saw the inherent value in knowing God intimately. In worshipping Him without hesitation. Job knew from personal experience whence wisdom comes from and the source from where exists this place of understanding. And he wasn't trading it for anything this world could offer. So did David in Psalms 23 when he wrote, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." And John too when he wrote in I John chapter 3, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we -- [the who-so-evers who believe in Jesus] -- should be called the sons of God."

Indeed, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that He was manifested to take away our sins -- our Creator who knew no sin -- so that we that abideth in Him can pass from death unto life. Hereby perceive the love of God because He laid down His life for us. (I John 3:16) This is the promise that we hold dear to our hearts. And this promise is forever.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life -- the word surely defined in the dictionary as firmly, without missing, undoubtedly, assuredly, certainly, without fail and yes, indeed. This is the Jesus in whom we worship. He is the way, the truth and the life. The same yesterday, today and forever. And yes, Jesus is enough. 

Stand in the offering plate.

Surely His Goodness and Mercy - Part 552

Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. It is He that sets an end to darkness. It is He who offered willingly and unconditionally to bear our sins. Unto Jesus do we look for Him for He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Indeed, Jesus yearns to bless us and multiply those blessings exceedingly in our personal lives if we would only seek His presence and mercy. His joy and peace in our hearts.

David in Psalms wrote, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." He understood inherently that our Lord God who had determined to become our Saviour even before the foundation of the world was formed offered the promise of eternal inheritance to those who receive Him. Not just abundance and joy in Heaven but in our daily lives on earth too.

It is for this reason that Jesus became and still is the mediator of the new testament -- the dispensation of grace that we live in today. That by means of His death, redemption of all transgressions that were under the first testament -- the Old Testament - could be rectified. In Hebrews chapter 9, we read that our salvation is not by the blood of goats and calves that were indicative of Old Testament beliefs but by His own blood -- the precious blood of Jesus shed on a cross. It was He who entered in once and for all having obtained eternal redemption for us. 

How much more then shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot in order to purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God bless us? For this cause He is the mediator of the new testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. The promise of eternal inheritance. Think about this. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. Our lives here on earth. And we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. In His joy. In His peace. He knows of our troubles and travails and yet He wants to comfort us.  Wrap us up in His arms and bless us with His abundance -- His kingdom. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. He is the way, the truth and the life. The mediator between God and man. Our hope and our salvation.

Nor yet that He should offer Himself often as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others, for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world. But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:25-28)

For the law with all its sacrifices and burnt offerings was only a shadow of the good things yet to come for those that believe in Jesus. 

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write to them. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus -- by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say His flesh.

Therefore, let us draw near to our Lord and Saviour with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering -- for Jesus is faithful. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I -- we -- you and I -- who believe in Jesus dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Rejoice today! And remember that surely in blessing, He will bless thee and in multiplying, He will multiply thee. Jesus loves you. Stand in the offering plate. 

The Word of God is Liberty - Part 551

Acts chapter 12 speaks about Herod's attempt to prevent the preaching of Jesus from going forward. To that end, He killed James the brother of John with a sword. He had Peter apprehended and put in prison. Indeed, Herod had a mission. But what he had not counted on was the prayers that were made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

At the time, Herod had planned to bring Peter forward to the people. But in God's exact timing, a miracle happened. The same night Peter bound with chains and sleeping between two soldiers saw an angel of the Lord appear. And a light shone in the prison and the angel said to Peter, "Arise up quickly." And the chains fell from his hands. 

And the angel said unto Peter, "Gird yourself and bind on thy sandals. Cast thy garment about me and follow me." And he went out and when they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city "which opened to them of his own accord; and they went out and passed on through one street before the angel departed from him."

When Peter was come to himself -- because he had originally thought he was seeing a vision -- dreaming -- he said, "Now I know of a surety that the Lord has sent his angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews." And when he considered fully the thing -- the miracle that he had been freed from the worldly prison -- he knocked at the door of the gate to tell his friends before going to another place.

The Lord God Almighty who holds the universe in the palm of His hand loved Peter enough to set him free from the shackles and chains that attempt to bind us in the world. Indeed, is this not what happens in the world today? Man-made systems desire that we are kept imprisoned in the cares of the world -- chained and bound by earthly matters.

But Jesus came to save us and set us free. And He did so because He loved us. John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." And later in John 1:14, the Word became flesh. He desired our hearts so that we could commune directly with our Lord and Saviour.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) As believers, our assurance is that we shall know the truth and the truth will set us free. (John 8:32)

You see Jesus paid the price for our sins on Calvary once and for all. Unconditional love for you and I. Acts 15:10-11 states, "Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of [His] disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."

Therefore, with surety as Peter did, stand fast in the liberty with which Jesus the Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage - the constraints and shackles of this earth. (Galatians 5:1) Why? Because if Jesus has set us free, we are free indeed. (John 8:36) 

II Corinthians 3:17 adds a further confirmation of our liberty in Jesus. "Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Freedom and liberty in abundance. Come out from the world and rejoice for our Lord and Saviour is surely good to those that love Him. Stand in the offering plate.

Seek First the Kingdom - Part 550

Matthew 6:33 instructs us as believers to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Notice where on the priority list the kingdom of God and His righteousness is placed. First. Not second or third. Not after the cares of this world, our job or finances. Rather, the scriptures states -- seek ye first -- the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

Often, like the apostle Paul, we are pressed out of measure and above strength in our daily lives. But we shouldn't be because there is nothing in this world that our Lord God and Saviour Jesus does not have in His control. Everything that happens occurs for a reason, even when we don't immediately recognize the reason. Indeed, His timing is exact. God has a plan for our lives that is both unique and awesome. But first we must seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Seek the wondrous love of Jesus. Seek His abundant and everlasting mercy and grace.

I Corinthians 1: 9 states: "We had the sentence of death in ourselves." The devil wants to destroy us -- destroy our very being - our passion and love for Jesus who willingly shed His blood on the cross so that we might know Him more intimately. But the spirits of this world don't stop there. The devil also wants to destroy our zeal for life.

But as we read in Romans chapter 10 in reference to Israel "my heart's desire and prayer to God is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

This is why Paul wrote -- when the toils of this world become too heavy and seemingly more than we can handle, "We should not trust in ourselves but in God which raiseth the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver. In whom we trust that He will yet deliver us."

Therefore, confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead and thou shalt be saved. For with the heart men and women believe unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever believeth in Jesus shall be saved. Trust His counsel and wisdom today. Stand in the offering plate.

Thou Hast Turned My Sadness into Dancing - Part 549

Embrace yourself in the loving arms of Jesus. When life takes its twists and turns -- both positive and negative -- and the law of sin and death both independently and collectively take on a new determination to destroy our souls, we are reminded that we need to continually praise Jesus. Why? Because our strength is in Jesus. He is the reason that we have been set free from sin. And as the scriptures so aptly state, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36,  Romans 6:18)

Romans 8:2 expands on this theme. This verse tells us that the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free once and for all from the sin and death that wants to bind us in chains. Instead of living life in darkness, Jesus released us from captivity through the blood He shed on the cross for our sins. Free from the shackles of a worldly system determined to destroy us. Saved from the grievous wolves who enter in to the fold with one agenda -- that is not sparing any within the flock.

This is the spirit that the devil wants us to adopt. Any other perspective than the one that proclaims that Jesus -- the King of kings and Lord of lords loves us intimately. That before we were formed in our mother's womb, He knew our inner thoughts. What kind of God is this that holds the universe in the palm of His hands but knows our deepest thoughts -- our hurts -- our desires -- and yet was still willing to become flesh and shed His blood so that we might know our Creator who became our Saviour personally.

Throughout our lives, Jesus gives us an opportunity to walk hand in hand with Him. He who is our Lord God and Saviour -- Jesus -- who wants us to take hold of His goodness. What a contrast? While the devil seeks to destroy the life that is within us -- each and every second of the day -- Jesus gives us pleasure and joy. Jesus cleanses us and makes us whole.

So why then do we mourn to the point whereby Paul says, "But I see another Law in my members, warring against the Law of my mind, and bringing captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members. Into captivity. O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death?"

David understood this darkness when he wrote of God's blessings in Psalms 30. "Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me; Lord be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing. Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever."

Can you imagine a God so loving that when we desire His counsel, His Word, His love that He turns our mourning into dancing? This is why believers continually thank Jesus Christ our Lord for His incredible goodness. With our mind, heart and soul, we serve the God who loved us enough that He would willingly and freely shed His blood on the cross for you and I. Praise you Jesus!

The following chorus captures the essence of this message. Sing the words as a prayer. Rejoice in the blessings of Jesus and the-- offering yourself --in stand in the offering plate!

Lord, I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I live for you alone
Every breath that I take, Every moment I am awake
Lord have your way with me.

In Whom Will We Serve? Only Jesus - Part 548

In whom will we serve? In whom shall we place our trust today and until the end of time? When we think about Jesus -- who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom and in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, it only makes sense to worship the Almighty God who gave Himself a ransom for all. (Colossians 1:13-14) For the son of man came not to be ministered to but to minister and to give His life a ransom for you and I. Jesus paid the ransom in full so that we might have salvation. 


It was Jesus' blood that was shed to deliver the offspring of Adam -- us -- from sin and death. Indeed, Jesus redeemed us so that we could be set free. In Ephesians 1:7, the scriptures state, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." Consider this message for a moment. The same Almighty God that holds the universe in His hands, became flesh so that our sins could be forgiven. He knew our innermost thoughts and desires before we even knew Him and still the Lord of glory only desired our hearts. Our 100% commitment to worship Jesus. To love Him with all of our hearts, our souls and our minds. 


So often, we think of the offering plate as our gift to the Lord. Our monetary gift to our Saviour who holds the universe. And as we do so without realizing that what Jesus really wants is our hearts. He wants us -- you and I -- to be the offering. Hebrews 9:12-15 asks us how much more shall the blood of Jesus purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" 

How much more indeed? For this cause, Jesus is the mediator of the New Testament that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Most of all, Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, having been made a curse for us even while we were sinners. Jesus paid the price in full. Stand in the offering plate.