Tag Archives: Jesus

Divine Transfusion

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Yesterday was Yom Kippur. Actually, it started yesterday at sundown and goes through sundown today. There are many details about this Jewish holiday but I won’t (mainly because I don’t know them) explain them here.

Here is the one main thing I want to relay to you today regarding Yom Kippur:

7. During biblical times, Yom Kippur was the only day that a high priest was allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, known as the Holy of Holies.

The reason it is listed as number 7 is because it comes from a list on this website.

This practice of the high priest being allowed into the Holy of Holies originated with Moses and Aaron in the Old Testament. Leviticus 16 describes the process of how Aaron, the high priest, was to enter the Holy of Holies.

tabernacle-diagram

This diagram show the tabernacle that Moses and Aaron would have been using. Between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies is a curtain. It ran from ceiling to floor and was thick. No light would pass through it. Here is one artist’s rendition.

tabernacle-colored

That little room that housed the Ark of the Covenant was completely dark and no one entered into it, ever. Except the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement, which is Yom Kippur. God told Moses that Aaron would die if he entered whenever he wanted to. Now there was a process.

Read Leviticus 16 to get the full picture. I will sum it up for you.

One time a year, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to receive forgiveness for the sins of the people of Israel. He could only do this if he sprinkles the blood of the sacrifice on the Ark before he comes into the room. Only after the blood was applied could the priest seek God.

Without the blood, he would die. Literally.

Now transition with me to the present. Here is the state we are in right now.

Without the blood, we would die. Figuratively. Our sin has separated us from God. It is like that huge thick curtain is blocking our way to God. And if not dealt with, we are dead. Our spirits are dead to God without the blood and our bodies will die someday as well.

What we need is a Divine Transfusion. Our blood is tainted. It is sick, corrupt. We need the blood of Jesus to flow in our veins.

One of my favorite verses come from Hebrews 9. Verse 12 states the following truth;

“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

I am going to write more about this next week so I leave you with this tidbit:

Today can be your Day of Atonement. You can receive your Divine Transfusion.

his-blood

If you already have been cleansed by His blood, rejoice and be thankful for His grace and mercy in your life today.

See you next week!

Pressing on, pt. 2

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Ever trap a monkey? It is a simple process. You set out a cage and put bananas in it. Then lock the cage. Once the monkey sees the banana, he will reach through the cage and take hold of the banana. At this point, a person could walk up and capture the monkey.

Why? Because the monkey is still holding on to the banana. He won’t let go of the prize!

Even when danger is near, the monkey still values the banana enough that he won’t let go.

He won’t let go, ever.

 

This is a multi-part post on Phil. 3:12-14. Click here for part 1. 

Today is about verse 12. I have been pondering it all week. 

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

The first half is easy to understand. Paul has not achieved perfection. He still has room to grow. I get that. In fact, it is way too easy sometimes to realize that I have a long way to go to get to the goal. But the second half of the verse is more complicated.

“But I press on…” Paul keeps pressing on so I must do the same.

“to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Now hold on!

What does that even mean!?!?

Remember the monkey? The banana was valued so much by the monkey that he would be willing to be captured or even killed because he wanted the banana so bad. 

He loved the banana.

God loves us so much that He was willing to do anything that have us. He even let His son go to the cross and die. All because He did not want to let go of us.

Back to Phil. 3. “which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

When he took hold of me…

He took my sin away.

He forgave me.

He gave me purpose.

He now has plans for me.

His Holy Spirit now resides in me.

I became a new creation.

I can now share my life with Him.

Think about that for your life. 

How would you finish this sentence?

When Jesus took hold of my life, he…?

 

Quitting?

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Ever want to quit?

Feel like throwing in the towel?

Too difficult to continue?

quit_red_2011

I answered yes to these three questions this week.

But there is something that just won’t let go.

And I thank God Almighty for never letting me go.

I was drawn to Philippians 3. Paul writes a few verses about perseverance. He says that he strives. He will press on. There is a goal and he wants to get it.

I had to read it about 4 or 5 times before it started to sink in.

Next week I will unfold it more but here is the nugget for today.

Life is bigger than you or me. There is always more to what we are experiencing at the moment. There is purpose and even destiny. God knows.

I leave you with a quote from Doc Brown. If you are not sure who that person is, just watch one of my favorite movies, Back to the Future. 

back2bto2bthe2bfuture2bquote

So until next week, press on!

Which are you?

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Have you ever heard God’s voice? His actual, audible voice? I have not but it would be awesome if ever I had the chance!

I have, however, heard God speaking to me. The other day, a short bible story came to mind. After having thought about it for a while, I realize that the Holy Spirit dropped this story into my mind. 

I needed to learn something.

Luke 10:38-42 describe a scene that I am all too familiar with in my life. Here it is:

“38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42but few things are needed—or indeed only one.f Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Italics mine.

There are two main characters in this story (three if you count Jesus). 

Martha and Mary.

Martha worked while Mary worshipped.

Martha stood while Mary sat.

Martha lamented while Mary listened.

Martha prepared while Mary pondered.

mary-martha-4

I have been Martha the last couple of weeks. I want to be Mary. 

Which are you?

Three Ps in a Pod, part 2

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You are pardoned. You are forgiven. And that is the first P! You already knew that though, if you read last week’s post, Three Ps in a Pod, part 1.

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Even as I type, this biblical truth baffles me. It does not seem like it should be. Why can you or I be pardoned? My feelings tell me that I don’t deserve it. My actions certainly don’t warrant it either. I am not worthy. At all.

But am I going to let my feelings dictate my actions?

Am I going to let my circumstances guide my behavior?

Am I going to let the devil’s lies provoke me?

In short, am I giving permission to believe anything other than God’s holy, unwavering, encouraging, inspired, and truthful Word?

If we go back to 2 Corinthians 5, specifically verse 14, we can see why we can answer “No” to the previous question.

Here is the second part of verse 14, “…because we are convinced that one died for all,” 

Convinced…are you convinced? Or do you just have an opinion? Is what you believe just that or is it a deep conviction that motivates you to act accordingly? More on this later…

The first P in the Pod is Pardon. You and I can have a full pardon from sin. WHY?

Because ‘one died for all’.

Listen, this is the bottom line. You want the meaning of life? Jesus died for you. Why are we put on this earth? Jesus died so we can live.

There are so many scriptures that point us to the cross on which Jesus died. The Easter season is coming up soon. People will go to church for the first and perhaps, the only time this year. The point is that life (and everything else we seek answers for) is found in the cross.

I don’t fully understand how God loved me enough to let His son die for me. But I will accept the pardon. Anyone can.

I was originally planning on explaining some of the Old Testament sacrifices that God required. All the blood! Then, in Hebrews, Jesus is described as better than those sacrifices. He used His own blood! Maybe a series on the Blood?

Know that His death and shed blood obliterated sin. The penalty of sin is gone. Remember two posts back? A new creation? Yes, that is you and I. We have been forgiven.

Pardon (noun)-that action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense.

Our sin was an offense to God. We were cut off from Him. He wanted to love us and wrap His arms as a father hugs his child. But the bars of sin prevented such expression.

prison-bars

 

Hey, no problem. Here is the key to open those bars:

God’s son will be born as a baby.

Jesus will live as a human.

He will be sentenced, beaten, broken, and finally crucified.

He will die on that cross.

They will bury his body in a borrowed tomb.

But then he will rise. He will ascend to heaven.

And then he will sit down because his work of salvation is complete.

Now we are free to be hugged by God because the bars of sin are no longer between us.

We have been pardoned.

Let God hug you right now. He is waiting.