"What If?"

“What If?”

 

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.  How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the Living God! In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.   He (Christ) did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the High Priest enters the Sanctuary yearly with the blood of another.  Otherwise, He would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world.  But now He appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by sacrifice of Himself.  And just as it is appointed for people to die once---and after this, judgment---so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.         Hebrews 9:13-14, 22, 25-28

 

In Old Testament times, the SACRIFICE of the BLOOD of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who were CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN, only made them OUTWARDLY CLEAN.  It merely COVERED the sins, it was UNABLE to TAKE AWAY the sins.  But the BLOOD of Christ can do so MUCH MORE than that.  Through the ETERNAL SPIRIT, Christ offered Himself as an UNBLEMISHED, PERFECT SACRIFICE.  The fact that we see ALL three members of the HOLY TRINITY in His SACRIFICIAL ACT of REDEMPTION, shows the GREATNESS of His REDEMPTIVE WORK on the cross, to TAKE AWAY THE SINS of ALL MANKIND.  This PLAN of God and SACRIFICE of Christ, SHOULD CLEANSE our CONSCIENCES from the DEAD WORKS, that LEAD to DEATH, those rituals that people go through, and are in CONTRAST to the works of Christ.  Things that will NOT bring ETERNAL LIFE. 

 

In verse twenty-two, we are told that:  “Without the shedding of blood there is NO FORGIVENESS.  Jesus Christ, came to bring SALVATION to a LOST and DYING world.  Mankind was destined to die ONCE, and then to face the JUDGMENT, but Christ was SACRIFICED ONCE to TAKE AWAY the SINS of MANY PEOPLE.  WHAT IF He had NOT come to SAVE MANKIND?  WHAT IF MANKIND had to be their OWN SACRIFICE?  First of ALL it couldn’t be done because MANKIND is SINFUL and EVIL, and would NOT be able to SAVE THEMSELVES.  And ALL of MANKIND would be DESTINED to stand before the ALMIGHTY GOD, and be CONDEMNED, and SENTENCED to ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY of ESCAPE. 

 

I for one, am VERY GLAD that is NOT the case.  Just as it is APPOINTED for mankind to DIE ONCE---and then the JUDGMENT---so also Jesus Christ, having been offered ONCE to bear the sins of ALL MANKIND, WILL appear a SECOND TIME NOT to BEAR SIN, but to bring SALVATION, the ETERNAL INHERITANCE, to those who belong to Him.  Have you given your HEART and LIFE to GOD?  If NOT you are DESTINED to spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL.  Jesus Christ has PAID the PRICE for you to be able to ESCAPE HELL.  He is the ONLY WAY for you to have HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME.  To do that, you MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and KNOW that YOU KNOW, you are a TRUE CHILD of GOD, with HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He's waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Uncontrolled Fire---A Restless Evil"

“The Uncontrolled Fire---A Restless Evil”

 

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by Hell.   But no human being can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.        James 3: 6, 8

 

The TONGUE, as small as it is, it is POWERFUL and PERVERSIVE. Like a RAGING FIRE, the TONGUE can bring CORRUPTION to the WHOLE BODY, and can influence the ENTIRE COURSE of the human life.  It can bring HEARTACHE and DESPAIR.  It can alter the plans of, NOT only one human being, but WHOLE NATIONS.  Its DESTRUCTION is worse than a RAGING FIRE.  It DESTROYS to the point of NOT being able to RESTORE.  Once words are spoken they penetrate the heart, and can bring DISASTER to MORE than ONE life. 

 

James tells us that the TONGUE is set on fire by HELL.  It is the one tool that the devil uses quite often, in people’s lives, because it is so DESTRUCTIVE, and is a RESTLESS EVIL, full of DEADLY POISON, the POISON of HATRED, GOSSIPING, SLANDER, and CURSING.  It is an UNRULY, RESTLESS EVIL.  And it CANNOT be CONTROLLED by Mankind, ONLY GOD can control it.  

 

So you might say:  “Why would God, create such an EVIL part of the body?”  Well, MY answer is that with the TONGUE mankind PRAISES God, and when we ALLOW the HOLY SPIRIT to CONTROL EVERY part of our being, to include the tongue, we NOT only PRAISE GOD, we can say ENCOURAGING words, words of WISDOM, words of LOVE, COMPASSION, and words that EDIFY the BODY of Christ.  We also use our tongues to TASTE the WONDERFUL FOODS that our Creator God has given to us, and we can offer up THANKSGIVING to Him with our TONGUES. 

 

However, there are times, when with the tongue, there is PRAISE and CURSING.  We PRAISE the LORD and FATHER, then CURSE MANKIND, who is made in the Image of the Almighty God.  Out of the SAME mouth comes PRAISE and CURSING, this SHOULD NOT BE!!  We NEED to ALLOW God’s HOLY SPIRIT to CLEANSE and CONTROL our tongues. 

 

The ONLY WAY you are able to do that is to give God your HEART and LIFE, and to be WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and ALLOW the HOLY SPIRIT of God to CLEANSE and CONTROL your FIERY TONGUE.  And receive HEAVEN as your ETERNAL HOME.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Finished Work of Redemption"

“The Finished Work of Redemption”

 

But the Messiah has appeared, High Priest of the good things that have come.  In the greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood having obtained eternal redemption.          Hebrews 9:11-12

 

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, He is the High Priest of the GOOD THINGS, meaning the ABUNDANT LIFE that He gives to those who will RECEIVE Him, as their SAVIOR and LORD.  The GREATER and MORE PERFECT Tabernacle, which is NOT made with human hands, nor with earthly building supplies, is the Sanctuary of the Almighty God, and is located in Heaven. 

 

Verse twelve tells us that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, entered the Most Holy Place ONCE FOR ALL.  This took place at the time of His Ascension.  He went into the Presence of God, having FINISHED the WORK of REDEMPTION, on the Cross of CALVARY.    He did NOT offer the blood of the goats and calves, but He offered His OWN BLOOD. The blood of animals did NOT have the POWER to TAKE AWAY SINS, but the BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST, has SUFFICIENT POWER to CLEANSE ALL the sins of ALL the people who have EVER LIVED, ALL who are ALIVE NOW, and ALL who will EVER LIVE.  However, it can ONLY BE APPLIED to those who COME TO Him by FAITH. 

 

The SUFFERING, HORRIBLE DEATH on a CRUEL WOODEN CROSS, of a SINLESS, PURE, UMBLEMISHED SACRIFICE, the LIFE of OUR SAVIOR and LORD, PAID IN FULL the DEBT we could NOT PAY.  His RESURRECTION from the GRAVE, and His ASCENSION into Heaven, is our HOPE for ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN with Him and our HOLY FATHER GOD.  This SHOULD make an OLD DRIED-UP BAPTIST SHOUT; “PRAISE THE LORD!!!”   Have you come to Jesus, by FAITH, to receive your REDEMPTION? 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are DESTINED to spend ALL of ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY to ESCAPE.  Jesus Christ has FINISHED the WORK of REDEMPTION, and it is NOW up to YOU to RECEIVE or REJECT it.  To RECEIVE it, you MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING with ALL your HEART that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and REDEMPTION by FAITH in the RISEN LORD.  DO this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"Eagerly Waiting for the Savior"

“Eagerly Waiting for the Savior”

 

But our citizenship is in Heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.       Philippians 3:20-21

 

As TRUE BELIEVERS, our TRUE CITIZENSHIP is in HEAVEN.  And one day SOON, we will be transported there, by the Lord Jesus Christ, our SAVIOR and LORD, who, by the POWER of God to bring EVERYTHING under His control, will TRANSFORM our LOWLY BODIES to be LIKE His GLORIOUS BODY.  One that is WITHOUT sin, and physical defects.  One that is PERFECT in EVERY way.  And so we WAIT EAGERLY for His return.

 

In the meantime, what should we be doing, until He returns?  The Apostle Paul tells us in verses thirteen through fourteen;  …”One thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and STRAINING TOWARD what is AHEAD, I press on toward the goal to win the PRIZE for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus.”   We SHOULD LIVE up to that which we have already attained.  In other words, DON’T QUIT!  KEEP on KEEPING ON, pressing towards the goal that God has for you, and SERVE Him with JOY and PERSEVERANCE!  Be STEADFAST in your SERVICE to Him, and DO ALL you can to bring others to the CROSS of CHRIST, before it’s too late. 

 

Be DILIGENT in the WORK of your SERVICE.  KNOWING that ONE DAY, Jesus Christ will RETURN to RAPTURE His Church, and will, by His own POWER TRANSFORM our LOWLY BODIES to by LIKE His GLORIOUS BODY, fit for HEAVEN.  Are you EAGERLY WAITING for His RETURN? 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, then your CITIZENSHIP is NOT in Heaven, but you’re DESTINED to LIVE out your ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  Time is running out!  In order for you to become a citizen of Heaven, you MUST BE WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and become a CITIZEN of HEAVEN, who is EAGERLY WAITING for the RETURN of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  And SERVE Him, until He RETURNS.  Do this NOW while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The One and Only Sacrificial Lamb"

“The One and Only Sacrificial Lamb”

 

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the Righteousness of God.        2^nd Corinthians 5:21

 

Jesus Christ, the ONLY SON of the LIVING GOD, is the ONE and ONLY SACRIFICIAL LAMB.  He is the ONLY WAY for ALL of mankind to obtain the SALVATION of their soul.  There is NO OTHER WAY for us to have a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with GOD, except by accepting Jesus Christ as our SAVIOR and LORD.

 

It was the PLAN of God, for Jesus, the PERFECT, and SINLESS ONE to be able to shed His precious blood for the sins of ALL mankind.  In our verse of Scripture, it says: “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew NO sin.”  This does NOT mean that Jesus physically became sin, but the Prophet Isaiah, in his prophecy on the MESSIAH, in Isaiah 53:6, says:  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned---everyone to his own way; and the Lord, LAID on Him the INIQUITY of us ALL.”  So God ‘LAID’ on Christ, EVERY SIN, of EVERYONE, who has ever been born, and when He looked on HIS SON, what He saw was SIN PERSONIFIED, which made Him look AWAY from His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.  Therefore, He who knew NO SIN, became SIN, in the eyes of the HOLY RIGHTEOUS GOD.

 

And JESUS CHRIST became MANKIND’S SACRIFICIAL LAMB who takes away the SINS and gives us the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.  And just as Jesus was treated as though He was a SINNER, in the eyes of God.  The TRUE BELIEVER is TREATED as RIGHTEOUS in the eyes of God, and will become RIGHTEOUS, when they receive their GLORIFIED bodies, when Jesus returns, and their SALVATION will be made COMPLETE. 

 

Jesus Christ bore the SINS of the TRUE BELIEVER, in order for them to bear His RIGHTEOUSNESS.  When God looks at you, does He see RIGHTEOUSNESS or SINFULNESS?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you do NOT possess the RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST.  And your ETERNAL DESTINY is HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  However, you NOW have the opportunity to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and Jesus Christ as your SACRIFICIAL LAMB, who will take away ALL your sins and give you the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"At Home or Away"

“At Home or Away”

 

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.   For we live by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.  So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.  For we must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body,  whether good or bad.       2 Corinthians 5:6-10

 

There is an act of TRANSFORMATION that EVERY BORN-AGAIN person goes through, from the time they TRULY GIVE their HEART and LIFE to God, for the SALVATION of their soul.  And when this takes place, we are fashioned for GOD’S PURPOSE.  We instantly receive an ETERNAL HOME with our Lord. 

 

And with CONFIDENCE we KNOW that as long as we are in this body, we are AWAY from the Lord, and we are separated from the FULLNESS of God’s presence.  However, we LIVE by FAITH and NOT by SIGHT.  Even though we have contact with God through PRAYER, the PRESENCE of His HOLY SPIRIT, which INDWELLS the TRUE BELIEVER, and His Word, we experience HEAVENLY HOMESICKNESS.  We long to be at HOME with the LORD!!

 

The Apostle Paul, says it just like it is; “We are CONFIDENT and would prefer to be AWAY from the body and at HOME with the LORD.”  We know that HEAVEN is SO MUCH BETTER than earth, and we can CONFIDENTLY, say we PREFER HEAVEN.  So while we wait for our departure, we SHOULD make it our GOAL to PLEASE HIM, whether we are in the body or away from it, we SHOULD AIM to be WELL PLEASING TO HIM. 

 

The Judgment Seat of Christ, is the MOTIVATION for our DEEPEST DESIRE to be PLEASING to God.  It is the place where ALL our works will be JUDGED, and where we will receive our REWARDS for the things we have done in the body, whether GOOD or BAD.  This does NOT refer to SIN, because ALL our SINS are FORGIVEN and COVERED by the BLOOD of CHRIST.  It refers to those things that are WHOLESOME, PURE, and done in LOVE or if they are USELESS and done with an UNCOMPASSIONATE HEART, and whether they are carried out with the desire to GLORIFY GOD.   Where are you MOST at HOME, in the presence of SIN or in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you do not possess the ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN.  But you are destined for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY OF ESCAPE.  In order for you to be able to look forward to an ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and look FORWARD to an ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"God's Great Mercy"

“God’s Great Mercy”

 

Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love.  Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins!  Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin!       Psalm 51:1-2

So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you:  Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer.       Romans 12:1

 

REMEMBER:  MERCY is NOT receiving what we DESERVE.

 

King David, a man after God’s Own Heart, sinned grievously against God, and Psalm 51 expresses the content of David’s heart, when the Prophet Nathan had spoken to him about his act of adultery with Bathsheba.  David had committed a sinful act, and his transgression was brought to his attention by God, through the prophet Nathan.  This Psalm is a PRAYER that we ALL should voice to our HOLY, RIGHTEOUS GOD.

 

“Be MERCIFUL to ME, O GOD, because of your CONSTANT LOVE.”  In other words, David was saying:  “O God, because of Your CONSTANT LOVE do NOT give me what I deserve, because of your GREAT MERCY wipe AWAY my SINS.  WASH AWAY ALL my EVIL and make me CLEAN from my SIN!"  This was David’s PLEA for FORGIVENESS, and to be made CLEAN from the FILTH of his SINS.  In verse four, David acknowledges his transgressions against God, and says:  “So You are right in judging me; You are JUSTIFIED in CONDEMNING me.”  David realized that God was RIGHT in His JUDGING him and He was JUSTIFIED in His CONDEMNATION of him.  And that God could bring this JUDGMENT AGAINST him, but because of GOD’S CONSTANT LOVE, He could be MERCIFUL towards him, and CLEANSE him of his SINS.

 

So it is with us today, we too, can PRAY for GOD’S GREAT MERCY, when we SIN against Him.  And, as the Apostle Paul told the BELIEVERS in Rome; “Because of God’s GREAT MERCY to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a LIVING SACRIFICE to God, DEDICATED to His service and PLEASING to Him.  This is the TRUE WORSHIP that you SHOULD offer.”   The body of the TRUE BELIEVER is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit, and should be treated as such, keeping it CLEAN and FREE from the FILTH of SIN.  The body is ALIVE and should be OFFERED to GOD as a “LIVING SACRIFICE”, SEPARATED from the world and its ways, and TOTALLY DEVOTED to GOD for His service and PLEASING to Him.  TRUE WORSHIP is SPIRITUAL WORSHIP and is ANY form of MINISTRY that is performed for God.  And this is our gift to God for His CONSTANT LOVE and GREAT MERCY.  Have you asked God for His GREAT MERCY?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to Him, you are destined to spend ALL of your ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order to receive God’s GREAT MERCY, you MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive GOD’S GREAT MERCY and an ETERNITY in HEAVEN. So do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!