We Must Answer The Call To Salvation Before We Can Answer The Call To Holiness.

Hebrews 12:3-29

We are to seek ‘the holiness without which no one will see the Lord’(14). This is not the ‘holiness’ of the Pharisee: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men...’(Luke 18:11-12). It is the holiness that grows in the hearts and lives of those who have received ‘the grace of God’, those who have prayed, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner’(15; Luke 18:13). We do not earn ‘the grace of God’ as a reward for our ‘holiness’. Salvation is ‘not our doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, so that no one can boast’. There is a call to holiness. We are saved ‘for good works’. Before we think about holiness, we must get first things first: ‘By grace you have been saved through faith... for good works’(Ephesians 2:8-10). We must answer the call to salvation before we can answer the call to holiness. 

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Ask God To Give You A Stronger Faith.

Hebrews 11:17-12:2

We read about many people who trusted the Lord. Their faith was real. It changed their lives. As you read of so many people who lived ‘by faith’, let God’s Word challenge you. Bring your own weak faith to Him and ask Him to give you a stronger faith: ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’(Mark 9:24). We learn from so many different people. We read about their faith. We are inspired by their faith. We do not, however, make too much of them. We must always be ‘looking to Jesus’(2). We must learn the lesson of the transfiguration. We look at Moses. We look at Elijah. We learn from them. There comes a point where they - together with all God’s faithful people - must step aside, leaving us to look up and see ‘Jesus only’(Mark 9:2-8). 

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Invite Jesus Into Your Heart Now.

Hebrews 10:19-11:16

Are you ‘looking for a better country - a heavenly one’(16)? ‘God has put eternity into man’s mind’(Ecclesiastes 3:11). In every human heart, there’s ‘a God-shaped blank’. Jesus came to give us ‘life’- ‘abundant life’, ‘eternal life’(John 10:10; 17:3; 1 John 5:11). Without Jesus, our lives are empty. The ‘longing for a better country’ can only be satisfied by Him. He is God’s ‘foretaste of glory divine’(Mission Praise, 59). Jesus stands at the door of every human heart. He knocks. He waits for our answer. He says, ‘Look, I’m standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to My voice and opens the door, I’ll come in...’(Revelation 3:20). Don’t ‘shrink back’(39). Invite Him into your heart now.

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Looking Back And Looking Forward

Hebrews 9:15-10:18

We look back to what Christ has done for us. We look forward to what He will do for us. Looking back and looking forward: These are both found in 9:28 - ‘Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him’. We remember our Saviour. We remember what He has done for us: ‘the Son of God loved us and gave Himself for us’ (Galatians 2:20). We eat bread and drink wine, giving thanks that our Saviour went to the Cross for us - His body broken for us and His blood shed for us. We are not only looking back. We are also looking forward: ‘As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes’(1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Remember - and pray, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’(Revelation 22:20).

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Cleansed Through ‘The Blood Of Christ’, Let's Begin ‘To Serve The Living God.’

Hebrews 8:1-9:14

God gave His promise - ‘I will make a new covenant’(8:8-12; Jeremiah 31:31-34). God has fulfilled His promise. There is now a ‘new covenant in Jesus’ blood’(Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). The old covenant cannot even begin to compare with the new covenant. It is only a ‘shadow’. The new covenant is the real thing. It is ‘much more excellent’. It is ‘a better covenant’(8:5-6), The old covenant is ‘outdated’(8:13). It’s seen its day. Now, it’s past its ‘sell by date’! We look at the old covenant and we say, ‘There must be more than this’. There is more - ‘much more’. Through ‘the blood of Christ’, ‘our hearts and lives’ have been ‘cleansed’. Now, we can begin ‘to serve the living God’(9:14). ‘What a wonderful redemption!’- ‘eternal redemption’(Mission Praise, 765; 9:12)!

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Let Jesus Be Your Great Saviour. Come To Him And Receive His Great Salvation.

Hebrews 7:1-28

‘See how great He is!’(4). These words refer to Melchizedek (1-3; Genesis 14:18-20). Melchizedek has ‘neither beginning of days nor end of life’. He ‘continues a priest for ever’. He ‘resembles the Son of God’. He is ‘like the Son of God’(3). Let your thoughts move from Melchizedek to the Lord Jesus Christ - ‘See how great He is’! Jesus Christ is ‘the Beginning and the End’ (Revelation 21:6; 22:13). ‘Jesus lives for ever’ and ‘has a permanent priesthood’(24). He is our great Saviour: ‘He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him’(25). We look beyond Melchizedek. We look to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. We look to Him and we say, ‘There’s no greater Name than Jesus, Name of Him who came to save us’(Mission Praise, 684). 

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"Let Us Go On To Maturity."

Hebrews 5:11-6:20

‘Let us... go on to maturity’(6:1). There can be no question of ‘continuing in sin’- ‘God forbid! How can we who died to sin still live in it?’(Romans 6:1-2). We are to become ‘mature people, whose minds are trained by practice to know the difference between good and evil’(5:14). We are to move on to ‘the better things that belong to salvation’(9). It cannot be taken for granted that every believer will ‘go on to maturity’. Some start so well and then they lose their way somewhere along the line. We should read the words of 6:4-8 as a warning. We can so easily become ‘sluggish’ (6:12). When this wrong attitude sets in, things go from bad to worse. Do you want to become ‘worthless and near to being cursed’(8)? Take care. Pray for ‘earnestness in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end’(6:11).

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‘Today, When You Hear God's Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts.’

Hebrews 4:1-5:10

‘Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.’ These words from 3:7,15, are repeated here in 4:7. Make sure that you don’t miss the point! These are words that we need to keep on hearing - again and again. None of us ever reaches a stage where we no longer need to hear and heed God’s words of warning. Reading God’s Word can be a very uncomfortable experience: ‘God’s Word is living and active... God’s Word judges a person’s thoughts and intentions. No creature can hide from God. Everything is uncovered and exposed for Him to see. We must answer to Him’(4:12-13). This may not be the kind of thing we like to hear. It’s what we need to hear. We will only pray for ‘mercy’ and ‘grace’ when we see how sinful we really are. Then - and only then - will we come to Christ for ‘eternal salvation’(4:15-16; 5:9).

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Will You Receive Christ And Become A Child Of God?

Hebrews 2:10-3:19

God invites each of us to receive a great blessing - the blessing of being His ‘children’(2:13). We become God’s children through faith in Christ: ‘To all who received Him, who believed in His Name, He gave power to become children of God’(John 1:12). What will you do with God’s great invitation, His invitation of love? Will you receive Christ and become a child of God? Will you miss out on the blessing ‘because of unbelief’(19)? God is waiting for your answer - ‘Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’(3:7,15). Throughout life, we must guard against ‘an evil, unbelieving heart, leading us to fall away from the living God’. ‘Every day’, we must take care that we do not become ‘hardened by the deceitfulness of sin’(3:12-13). As God’s children, let’s grow in Christ (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18).

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Jesus Christ Is God’s ‘Word’ To Us.

Hebrews 1:1-2:9

From the heights of heaven and the depths of suffering, ‘God... has spoken to us by His Son’(1:1-2). Jesus Christ is God’s ‘Word’ to us. He is ‘the Word’ who came from heaven: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’. He is ‘the Word’ who came to earth: ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...’(John 1:1-14). In heaven, He is worshipped by angels: ‘Let all God’s angels worship Him’(1:6). On earth, ‘He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone’(2:9). We see the greatness of Christ in both His heavenly glory and His saving grace. None can compare with Him. He is our Lord. He is our Saviour. We consider all that He has done for us - ‘the nail marks in His hands...’- and we worship Him - ‘my Lord and my God’(John 20:19-20,24-28).

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We Are Blessed Because God Loves Us And Christ Died For Us.

Leviticus 26:1-46
'Every spiritual blessing' is 'in Christ' (Ephesians 1:3). The moment you begin to feel superior - 'I am blessed because I am obedient' (There is too much of 'I' in this!) - , remember: 'in Christ'. We are blessed because God loves us and Christ died for us. It is His grace which changes us. Without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Our obedience comes from Him. Our disobedience comes from ourselves. We do not deserve His blessing. We deserve His judgment. There is only one way to blessing: Humbly confess your sin, turning to the Lord in whom alone there is blessing. We must not 'be proud' of our 'obedience'. There is only one thing about which we should 'boast': 'the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Galatians 6:14). Thank God for His 'new covenant' (42,44-45; Hebrews 8:8-13; 1 Corinthians 11:25).

Leviticus 27:1-34
'Every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord' (28). We are loved by the holy God. We are precious in His eyes. In love, He has reached out to us - through the Cross of Christ (Romans 5:8). We are 'greatly beloved' (Daniel 9:23). The Lord takes great joy in every sinner who returns to Him (Luke 15:7,10). 'Most holy to the Lord' - This is how the holy God looks upon those who have 'faith in Jesus' (Romans 3:26). We are to be 'devoted' to the Lord: The Lord must come first - 'All the tithe... is the Lord's' (30). The bringing of the tithe (tenth) to God was an outward sign of an inward commitment. Do you love God? - Let it show in your living and giving. Let it be Thanksgiving (I want to) - not Grudge Giving (I have to) or Duty Giving (I ought to): 'God loves a cheerful giver' (2 Corinthians 9:7).
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Before We Ask, "How Can I Live A Godly Life? How Can I Serve The Lord?", We Must Ask The 'Salvation' Question, "What Must I Do To Be Saved?''

Leviticus 24:1-25:24
'Pure' worship is to be offered 'continually': This is what God is looking for (1-8). 'Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? Who shall stand in His holy place?': No-one else but Christ - He alone 'has clean hands and a pure heart', He alone 'will receive blessing from the Lord' (Psalm 24:3-5). Our worship is offered to God - in Christ... to the praise of His glorious grace' (Ephesians 1:3,6). This is our worship, this is our joy - We have been reconciled to God 'through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:11). The 'jubilee' - 'fiftieth year' (25:11): Half a century is such a short time in the light of eternity (James 4:14). God has been good to us. How have we lived? How much do we love God? How much have we loved one another? Rededicate yourself to 'the Lord your God' (25:17).

Leviticus 25:25-55
Moral conduct is to be grounded in divine redemption. Throughout the detailed ethical instructions, there is the recurrent emphasis on God's salvation: 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt (Salvation) to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God (Sanctification)... For to Me the people of Israel are servants (Service) whom I have brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God' (38,55). Salvation; Sanctification; Service. We do not begin with the questions, 'How can I live a godly life? How can I serve the Lord?' We begin with the question, 'What must I do to be saved?'. God's answer is clear: 'Believe in the Lord Jesus ...` (Acts 16:31).
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The Pathway To Holiness: 'By Grace You Have Been Saved Through Faith... For Good Works.'

Leviticus 20:1-27
The life of holiness is not an expression of our own moral virtue. It is an expression of the holy character of God being reproduced in us: 'I am the Lord who sanctify you' (8). God wants us for Himself - This is why we must not live the world's way: 'I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine' (26). God has a great purpose for us: 'You shall inherit their land... I will give it to you, a land flowing with milk and honey' (24). 'You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies... my cup overflows' (Psalm 23:5). 'The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly... in Christ Jesus' (1 Timothy 1:14). This is the pathway to holiness: 'By grace you have been saved through faith... for good works' (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Leviticus 21:1-22:16
We are sanctified by the Lord (21:8,15,23; 22:9,16). It is His doing - God's call to holiness is founded in His gift of holiness: 'the Holy Spirit...has been given to us' (Romans 5:5) - 'every virtue we possess... every victory won... every thought of holiness, are His alone' (Church Hymnary, 336). When we are so conscious of our own weakness, God says, 'I am the Lord' (21:12; 22:2-3,8). He is more than sufficient for our justification, sanctification and glorification. Between our justification (the forgiveness of our sins) and our glorification (heaven) there is our sanctification ('conformed to the image of His Son'). This is God's doing. From beginning to end, it is the work of God (Romans 8:28-29). We lack faith, we lack holiness, we lack perseverance: In this we rejoice - 'Salvation is of the Lord' (Jonah 2:9).

Leviticus 22:17-23:44
God says, 'I am the Lord' (22:30-33): Let Him be 'your God' (23:14,22,28,40,43,). We are to 'worship in Spirit and in truth' - 'in the Spirit on the Lord's Day' (John 4:24; Revelation 1:10) When Christ died - This was the day of atonement. We worship Him, 'our Passover Lamb' (22:28; Exodus 12:13; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8). After 'fifty days' came the Day of Pentecost - What a day that was (Acts 2:4,16-21,41)! Bring 'the first fruits of your harvest' (9): 'What can I give Him? - my heart' (Church Hymnary, 178). Blow the trumpet (23:23; Joel 2:1,15) - It must be a 'clear call': 'Get ready for battle' (1 Corinthians 14:8). On the 'day of worship' (3), God is preparing us for the rest of the week: 'Be strong in the Lord' (Ephesians 6:12). Pray for the 'fire' of God (8,18,25,27,36-37; Acts 2:3-4).
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There Is A 'Way' For Sinners To 'Draw Near' To God: Christ Is The True And Living Way.

Leviticus 16:1-34
God is 'holy'. We cannot 'draw near' and 'come' to Him without a 'sin offering' (1-3). We cannot bring 'a sin offering' to Him. We can only bring our sin: Our righteousness is 'like filthy rags' (Isaiah 64:6). There is a 'way' for sinners to 'draw near' to God: Christ is the true and living Way (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-22). In verses 20-22, we have a great picture of Christ bearing the sin of the world: 'Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood... Full atonement, - Yes it is! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!’(Church Hymnary, 380). Atonement has been made for us...We have been cleansed from all our sins (30): What a perfect atonement! What a perfect Saviour! - 'God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Galatians 6:14).

Leviticus 17:1-18:23
We are to be devoted 'to the Lord' (17:4-6,9): 'You are not your own; you were bought with a price' (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Underlying Christ's atoning death, there is this principle: 'the life... is in the blood... I have given it for you... to make atonement...' (17:11). Christ has shed His blood: He has given His life that we might have life. God looks upon His Son, crucified for us: He 'has commanded the blessing, life for evermore' (Psalm 133:3). We confess our sin, acknowledging that 'without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins' (Hebrews 9:22). With grateful thanksgiving, we rejoice in our Saviour, 'the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world' (John 1:29). 'Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power...' (Mission Praise, 671).

Leviticus 18:24-19:37
Holiness and love - the two belong together (1,18,34). God calls us to live a life of holiness, a life of love. Through His Spirit - the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love - , He enables us to live this life. We need His promises. We need His commands. Take them both together - not one without the other! Promises without commands - We take God for granted, we presume on His blessing. Commands without promises - Our 'obedience' becomes a legalistic thing which has nothing to do with the Gospel of grace. We are to 'be holy... before Him in love' (Ephesians 1:4). 'The holiness without which no one will see the Lord' (Hebrews 12:14) is to be accompanied by the 'love' without which we are 'nothing' (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). The Lord has redeemed us: By His grace, we shall 'be holy... in love' (34,36).
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Where Sin Increased, Grace Abounded All The More.'

Leviticus 13:47-14:32
We read about skin disease. Remember: there is also the sin disease - and we're all suffering from that!. Sin is a deadly 'cancer' for which there is only one treatment: 'Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus' (Redemption Hymnal, 333). The new birth - like physical birth - is a unique, once-for-all, experience: it is the beginning of the Christian life (John 3:3-6). Many times over, we will need to be 'washed a second time' (58). Justification(Romans 5:1) happens in a moment: ‘The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives’. Sanctification(Romans 6:13,19). lasts a lifetime: 'Take time to be holy...(Mission Praise, 708,625). God loves us: He will help us to 'be holy' (1 Peter 1:16).

Leviticus 14:33-15:33
You can get 'dry rot' in people - as well as houses (14:34; Hebrews 12:15)! Sin is like 'a wasting disease' (Psalm 106:13-15). It will only get worse - unless something is done about it! Sin spreads. and spreads, and... Can anything be done about this sad situation? Look into yourself, and you will find that the situation is hopeless (Romans 7:14-20). Look to Christ, and there is hope: 'where sin increased, grace abounded all the more' (Romans 5:20). Sin is not to be taken lightly. Don't underestimate the power of sin. Little by little, it will lure you away from Christ. Keep close to Jesus, rejoicing in this: 'He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world' (1 John 4:4). God calls for holiness: 'your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit'; 'present your bodies...to God' (1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 12:1).
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‘What Can Wash Away My Sin?’ - ‘Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus.’

Leviticus 11:1-47
God sees only two types of people: ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’. All of us are ‘in Adam’(sinners). Not all are ‘in Christ’(saved) (Romans 5:12-21). How about you? - Are you cleansed, forgiven, born again, saved, committed (1 John 1:7,9; John 3:7; Acts 16:31; 2 Timothy 1:12)? Or, are you still in your sins, guilty of neglecting God’s great salvation, not far from - yet still outside of - God’s Kingdom, almost persuaded but still uncommitted (John 8:24; 9:41; Hebrews 2:3; Acts 26:28)? Before the call to holiness (45), there is the call to salvation. Give your heart to Christ. This is where holiness begins (Mark 7:14-23). Holiness is not our own achievement - ‘God is at work in you’(Philippians 2:13). Remember: Our holiness is grounded in His redemption (45). Feed on His Word - and let holiness grow (Psalm 119:9-11).

Leviticus 12:1-13:46
How can I be made clean (12:8)? - This is the vital question to which the Gospel gives its emphatic answer. We ask, ‘What can wash away my stain?’. The answer is given, ‘Nothing but the blood of Jesus’. We ask, ‘Has atonement been made for my sin’(12:8)?’. The answer is clear: ‘Christ has for sin atonement made’. You can be ‘washed in the blood of the Lamb’. What water cannot do, Christ does for us. The water used in baptism - ‘a little’ or ‘a lot’! - cannot wash away our sin. It can only point beyond itself to Christ’s Cross, where we hear the Good News: ‘There is wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb’(Redemption Hymnal, 333,615,309,288). Confess your sin - ‘Unclean, unclean’(13:45). Christ will change you - beginning with your ‘heart’(12:3; Romans 2:28-29).
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Rejoicing In Christ - The Perfect Sacrifice For Sin - , Let Us Bring Our Sacrifice Of ‘Thanksgiving.’

Leviticus 7:1-38
As we read about the sacrifices, rejoicing in Christ - the perfect Sacrifice for sin - , let us bring our sacrifice of ‘thanksgiving’(12-13,15). ‘Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God’(Hebrews 13:15). Let it be ‘a living sacrifice’, the sacrifice of our lives - this is ‘our spiritual worship’(Romans 12:1). God’s salvation is ‘to the praise of His glorious grace’(Ephesians 1:6). ‘We bring the sacrifice of praise... We offer up to You the sacrifices of thanksgiving... the sacrifices of joy’. ‘Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God, In every part with praise... Not for the lip of praise alone nor e’en the praising heart, I ask, but for a life made up of praise in every part’(Mission Praise, 722; Church Hymnary, 457). Still ‘in the wilderness’(38), let us learn to worship as we travel to ‘the promised land’!

Leviticus 8:1-36
‘This is the thing which the Lord has commanded to be done’(5): For us, it must be ‘as the Lord commanded’(4,9,13,17,21,29,36). God calls us to serve Him (Hebrews 5:4-5). Obedience to God, love for God - These are to be our priorities (1 Samuel 15:22; 1 Corinthians 13:3). Christ is to be our ‘first love’(Revelation 2:4). Washed, robed, anointed(6-7,12): Our robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, we have this anointing - ‘to preach the Gospel...’(Revelation 7:14; Luke 4:18-19). Ears, hands and feet: Consecrated by the blood of Christ to hear the Word of the Lord, do the work of the Lord and walk in the way of the Lord (24), we must pray for a change of heart- ‘O for a heart to praise my God, a heart from sin set free; a heart that always feels Thy blood so freely shed for me’(Church Hymnary, 85).

Leviticus 9:1-10:20
Aaron had to make atonement for himself and for the people (9:7). Christ did not need to make atonement for Himself - He was ‘without sin’(Hebrews 4:15). In Christ, we are ‘accepted’. In Him there is blessing, glory and joy(9:22-24; Ephesians 1:6,3; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Peter 1:8). God has given us ‘holy fire’. Let us not try to do His work with ‘unholy fire’(10:1-2; Acts 2:3-4). To those who seek to live ‘as the Lord has commanded’(9:7; 10:15), God promises to reveal His holiness, nearness and glory(10:3). Do you want to draw near to God, to become ‘mature’ in Christ? - Learn ‘to distinguish between the holy and the common... the unclean and the clean... good and evil’(10:10; Hebrews 5:14). God reveals the glory of His holiness. Let us confess our sins, be forgiven and be obedient. (Isaiah 6:3-8).
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Christ in all the Scriptures
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Take Your Sin To Christ. He Has ‘Made Atonement For Sin.’

Leviticus 1:1-2:16
Jesus Christ, ‘the Lamb without blemish’, has ‘made atonement’ for sin through the shedding of His ‘precious blood’(1:3-5; 1 Peter 1:18-19). This offering of Christ - He ‘loved us and gave Himself up for us’- is ‘a pleasing odour to the Lord’, ‘a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God’(1:9,13,17; Ephesians 5:2). Read of the ‘cereal offering’ n which there was to be ‘no leaven’(2:11). Think of Christ- ‘Our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed’: ‘Let us celebrate the festival (the Lord’s Supper)... with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth’(1 Corinthians 5:7-8). May our worship - ‘frankincense’: an expression of worship (Matthew 2:11) - be filled with ‘the oil of gladness’, ‘with the Holy Spirit and with fire’(Psalm 45:7; Luke 3:16). Such worship is ‘most holy... to the Lord’(2:3,10).

Leviticus 3:1-4:35
Christ is the real thing. Israel’s sacrifices are only ‘copies of the heavenly things’, ‘a shadow of the good things to come’(Hebrews 9:23-24; 10:1,5-10). As you read of the ‘peace offering’, rejoice in this: ‘we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’(Romans 5:1). We look to Christ, and we say, ‘He is our peace’(Ephesians 2:14). Christ is ‘our sin offering’- ‘offered... to bear the sins of many (4:3; Hebrews 9:28). The ‘blood’ has been shed - We have been ‘washed... in the blood of the Lamb’(4:5-7; Revelation 7:14). Christ went ‘outside the camp’ for us: He ‘suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood’(4:12; Hebrews 13:11-12). For Christ, there was suffering. For us, there is forgiveness - ‘he shall be forgiven’(26,31,35).

5:1-6:30
Christ’s sacrifice covers every sin. No matter what your sin may be, you can bring it to Him for forgiveness. ‘If any man sins’- Take your sin to Christ: He has ‘made atonement for sin’(5:1,6,10,13-14,16; 6:2,7). ‘Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit’(Mark 3:28-30) does not refer to some specific, identifiable sin, which lies beyond God’s power to forgive. It refers to your persistent refusal to bring your sins to Jesus Christ for forgiveness. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and leads to the Saviour (John 16:8-9,14). Let Him show you your sin. Let Him lead you to your Saviour. ‘It is a thing most holy’(6:17) - Never forget God’s holiness. Christ’s death speaks of both holiness and love. In holiness, God pronounces His judgment on sin. In love, He provides forgiveness for sinners.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
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What Kind Of Person Are You?

3 John

Some people do a lot of good. Others do a great deal of harm. Diotrephes thought he was a big ‘star’. He ‘loves to be first’. He ‘likes to put himself first’. He wasn’t a star. He was a disaster! He took ‘nothing to do with’ God’s servants. He did ‘not acknowledge ’the authority’ of Christ’s apostle. He was ‘gossiping maliciously about’ God’s servants. He did not make people feel ‘welcome’. He drove people ‘out of the church’(9-10). Demetrius was very different. He was ‘well spoken of by everyone - and even by the truth itself’. He wasn’t just popular. He was real, genuine, true. There was a ring of truth about him. These were no empty words of flattery. God’s ‘true’ servants said, ‘We also speak well of him’(12). What kind of person are you?

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Blessings in Christ

Christ in all the Scriptures

http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Doing God's Work And Seeking God's Glory

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2John
‘Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward’(8). Don’t let things slip. Build on the work that has already been done. This will not be easy - ‘many deceivers have already gone out into the world’. Such people do nothing but harm. They are wreckers. They will destroy the work of God - and think nothing of it. They are ‘antichrist’. They are doing ‘wicked work’(7,10). When God’s work and God’s glory are at stake, we dare not be too ‘easy-going’. The ‘anything goes’ attitude will undermine the work of God - if we’re not careful. ‘A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify...To serve the present age, my calling to fulfil...Arm me with jealous care, as in Thy sight to live; and O, Thy servant, Lord, prepare, a strict account to give’(Revised Church Hymnary, 518).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

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‘God First Loved Us’ - Before We Ever Thought Of Loving Him!

1 John 3:19-4:21
‘God is greater than our hearts’. When you are deeply aware of your sinfulness, remember - God loves you. God’s Word is brutally honest - about us: ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?’God’s Word is wonderfully encouraging - about His love for us. He ‘knows everything’ about us - and He still loves us: ‘God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us’(3:20; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 5:8). What a great Saviour we have. He is ‘without sin’- yet He is the Friend of sinners. He ‘receives sinners’. He ‘came into the world to save sinners’(Hebrews 4:15; Luke 15:2; 1 Timothy 1:15). Whenever we start getting too full of ourselves, too full of our own importance, we must remember: ‘He first loved us’(4:19) - before we ever thought of loving Him!

1 John 5:1-21
What a great blessing we receive through faith in Christ - ‘Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God’(1). Our life as God’s children is not a life of tranquility. We face conflict, real conflict - a battle. In this spiritual warfare, we have God’s promise of victory. In verse 5, we have a question: ‘Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?’. The answer is contained in the question. Our victory is in Christ. We are not victorious because our faith is so strong that we couldn’t possibly fail. Many times, we fail. We take our eyes off Christ - and we are defeated. What are we to do? - when temptations seem to be so many and so powerful. When you feel so weak, let Christ be your Strength. ‘With Christ within, the fight we’ll win’.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

We Love God Because He First Loved Us.

1 John 1:1-2:17
‘Jesus Christ’ died ‘for our sins’. This is Good News. It is not to be kept to ourselves - He died ‘for the sins of the whole world’. We have ‘fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ’. ‘We have fellowship with one another’. These blessings are not to be kept to ourselves. We must share the Good News - ‘the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin’. We must seek to bring others into ‘fellowship’- not only ‘with us’ but, ‘with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ’(2:1-2; 1:3,7). We are called to a life of obedience - ‘he who does the will of God lives for ever’. This obedience comes from our experience of God’s love. ‘The love of the Father’ leads to ‘love for the Father’: ‘We love’ God ‘because He first loved us’(15-17; 4:19). Let’s love the Lord - and do His will.

1 John 2:18-3:18
Through faith in Jesus Christ, ‘the Son of God’, we receive ‘eternal life’(22-25; John 20:31). Our enjoyment of eternal life has already begun - ‘we are God’s children now’. Our full enjoyment of eternal life is still to come: ‘It does not yet appear what we shall be...’. We have begun to experience Christ’s victory: ‘The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil’. We look forward to our full enjoyment of His victory: ‘When He appears, we shall be like Him...’(2,8). Some will try to ‘deceive’ us. We must keep our eyes on Christ - ‘He laid down His life for us’. We have received His ‘love’. We must show His love - ‘Let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth’(7,16,18). Do you believe in Christ? Live the life. Be a believer - in deed’!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

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‘Keep Yourselves In The Love Of God’- He ‘Is Able To Keep You From Falling.’

Jude
The wrong kind of people had come among God’s people: ‘certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you...godless men...’(4). Such people do not like to hear the words, ‘The Lord rebuke you’. They ‘speak abusively against’ those who speak the Word of the Lord to them (9-10). God’s Word warns us against such people: ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit’(18-19). With people like this around - life gets like a ‘minefield’. You never know where the next “explosion’ is going to come from! How can we ‘stand tall’ and not be dragged down by this kind of thing? ‘Keep yourselves in the love of God’- He ‘is able to keep you from falling’(21,24).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
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The Way To Revival - "If My People ... "

Judges 20:1-28
God uses a sinful and shameful situation - ‘Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day’(19:30) - to call His people back to Himself - ‘all the people of Israel... assembled as one man to the Lord’(1). God’s call was clear - ‘Put away evil from Israel’. ‘The Benjaminites would not listen’ to this call for holiness among God’s people (13). This was a serious situation. It was not to be taken lightly. This was no mere difference of opinion, something that would soon be forgotten. ‘The Benjaminites came together... to go out to war against the people of Israel’(14). Three times, God called His people to ‘go up’against the Benjaminites (18,23,28). Victory comes from the Lord: ‘I will give them into your hand’(28).

Judges 20:29-21:25
Judges ends on such a sad note: ‘every man did what was right in his own eyes’(21:25). This situation is not merely political - ‘no king’. It is moral and spiritual. The people had no regard for the authority of God and His Word. In Romans 5:20, we have Good News: ‘where sin increased, grace abounded all the more’. Here, we have bad news: ‘where grace increased, sin abounded all the more’. Reading Judges, we become acutely aware of the need for revival in our own day. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 we see the way to revival: ‘If my people who are called by My Name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land’. Read of human ‘compassion’(6,15). Rejoice: God ‘will again have compassion upon us’(Micah 7:19).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Let's Seek To Be Like Jesus - ‘I Seek Not My Own Will But The Will Of Him Who Sent Me.’

Judges 17:1-18:13
Things are not going well - ‘every man did that which was right in his own eyes’(17:6). People were doing what suited themselves. Micah was trying to ‘get the best of both worlds’. He was worshipping idols (17:4-5). He was trying to keep on the right side of the Lord - ‘Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite priest’(13). Micah’s priest was a ‘Yes’ man. He told Micah what he wanted to hear. Many people ‘refuse to listen to the truth’. They prefer to listen to those who ‘tell them what they want to hear’(2 Timothy 4:3-4). Many are ‘lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God’(2 Timothy 3:4). We must not fall into the trap of ‘trying to please all the people all the time’. Seek to be like Jesus - ‘I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me’(John 5:30).

Judges 18:14-19:30
‘Keep quiet’- There is a guilty silence which comes from disobedience (18:18-20). When God’s people remain silent, things go from bad to worse - ‘Where there is no prophecy the people cast off restraint’. We must not be ‘disobedient to the heavenly vision’(18:30; Proverbs 29:18; Acts 26:19). Chapter 19 warns us: Sin brings judgment. God cannot stand sin. He punishes sin (Habakkuk 1:13; Numbers 32:23). Sin must be taken seriously. God takes it seriously (Hebrews 10:29-31). It is not easy to see the hand of God in the sinful and shameful events of chapter 19. We must keep on believing that He is present, even when He is ‘most invisible’(Church Hymnary, 670). Sometimes, He is present as our Judge. Judgment is not always immediate. There may be ‘peace’ before the storm. ‘Consider’- and learn (19:20, 30)!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Hear What The Spirit Is Saying

Do we listen, when others speak? Or do we only want to hear, what we want to hear?



In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

‘While We Were Still Sinners... The Holy Spirit Has Been Given To Us.’

Judges 13:1-14:9
Samson’s birth was announced by an angel. Jesus’ birth was announced by angels (13:3; Luke 1:30-33; 2:8-14). Samson’s death was a great triumph over the Philistines. Jesus’ death brought the greatest triumph of all - victory over Satan (16:30; Hebrews 2:14-15). The story of Samson points us to the greater Story of Jesus. There is, however, a great difference between Samson and Jesus. Often, Samson was concerned only with what pleased him (14:3,7). Always, Jesus did the will of God (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me’(Luke 4:18) - We expect these words from Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God. When, however, we read that ‘the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon’ Samson (14:6), we rejoice in the grace of God - ‘while we were still sinners... the Holy Spirit has been given to us’(Romans 5:8,5).

Judges 14:10-16:3
‘This man receives sinners’(Luke 15:2). These are the words of legalistic Pharisees. They were intended as an insult. They are also words of divine grace: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’(1 Timothy 1:15). Samson was a sinner. There is no question about that. Is he any different from the rest of us? - ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’(Romans 3:23). Samson was a sinner yet, ‘the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him’(14:19). We are sinners. Christ died for us. God has given us His Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14). This is divine grace. Samson often wandered. Still, the Lord was at work in him. Prompted by the Spirit, Samson ‘called on the Lord’. Samson was ‘very thirsty’. He prayed. He was ‘revived’(15:18-19). ‘Wilt Thou not revive us again...? (Psalm 85:6). Pray for revival!

Judges 16:4-31
The story of Samson is a story of tragedy and triumph. We see Samson’s tragedy - ‘“I will go out at other times, and shake myself free”. But he did not know that the Lord had left him’(20). There is a warning for us here. Yesterday’s triumphs do not guarantee today’s victory. Today’s challenge needs today’s grace. We need to keep close to the Lord - ‘His mercies... are new every morning’(Lamentations 3:22-23). We see Samson’s triumph - In his death, he triumphed over the Philistines (30). What encouragement there is for us here! How often we feel like Samson - ‘seized... gouged... brought down... bound... in the prison’- going through ‘the mill’(21)! Satan seems to have the upper hand. We feel so helpless. Satan will not have the last word. Take this for your encouragement: Satan will be ‘thrown into the lake of fire’(Revelation 20:10).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

What Kind Of Person Are You Becoming?

Judges 9:1-49
Things were going from bad to worse! The people of Israel had forgotten ‘the Lord their God’(8:34). ‘The enemy’ was ready to ‘come in like a flood’(Isaiah 59:19). Abimelech - Gideon’s son by ‘his concubine who was in Shechem’(8:31) - was very unlike his father. Gideon had pointed away from himself to the Lord (8:23). Abimelech was eager to draw attention to himself. He murdered his seventy brothers, paving the way for himself to become king (1-6). Abimelech spelled trouble! Things were only going to get worse with Abimelech. There was ‘an evil spirit’ at work among God’s people (23). Where was God in all this? - ‘Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct’(Romans 1:28). What kind of person are you becoming? Each of us must choose!

Judges 9:50-11:11
With verses 56-57, read Romans 1:18 - ‘The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth’. Doing ‘what was evil in the sight of the Lord’, ‘the people of Israel’ brought themselves under God’s judgment (10:6-9). When Israel began to return to the Lord, He said to them, ‘Mean what you say’(10:10-14). When they persisted with their confession of sin, He answered their prayer - ‘In all their affliction He was afflicted... In His love and in His pity He redeemed them’(15-16; Isaiah 63:9). God’s answer came in the shape of Jephthah, ‘a mighty warrior’, a man who ‘spoke all his words before the Lord’(11:1,11). Thrust out by men (11:1-2), he was loved by the God of grace - His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9)!

Judges 11:12-12:15
Israel was not looking for trouble - ‘Let us pass... through your land to our country’. The Amorites insisted on fighting with them. They had to be faced and defeated (19-21). The Christian life is like an ‘obstacle race’. We do not go out looking for problems. Sometimes, we cannot avoid them. Obstacles can become opportunities - for spiritual growth (James 1:2-4). Watch what you say (29-40; Ecclesiastes 5:2-6). Watch how you say it (1-6). The accent is not the important thing. It is the attitude. Is the accent on Christ? Let the attitude be less of self and more of Christ. Proclaiming the same Christ is more important than pronouncing the words in exactly the same way! Be slow to say, ‘He is not one of us’. Be quick to say, ‘Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice’(Philippians 1:18).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Our True Strength Does Not Come From Ourselves. It Comes From The Lord.

Judges 6:11-7:14
‘We are weak but He is strong’(Church Hymnary, 418). In himself, Gideon was weak (15). In the Lord, he was ‘a mighty warrior’. Gideon was full of questions. God said to him, ‘Go... I will be with you’(6:12-16). Our true strength does not come from ourselves. It comes from the Lord - ‘Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’(Psalm 124:8). Gideon’s true strength came from ‘the Spirit of the Lord’(34). We must always remember Jesus’ words, ‘Without Me you can do nothing’(John 15:5). Consider Gideon’s weakness. Consider your own weakness. Rejoice in God’s power. Never say, ‘My own hand delivered me’. Our testimony must always be this: ‘...God has given...’(7:2,14). ‘It is the gift of God...lest any man should boast’(Ephesians 2:8-9).

Judges 7:15-8:35
‘For the Lord and for Gideon’(7:18). Notice who comes first. It is not Gideon. It is the Lord! ‘The men of Israel’ attached too much importance to Gideon - ‘Rule over us... you have delivered us’. Gideon gave all the glory to God - ‘I will not rule over you... the Lord will rule over you’(8:22-23). What happens when people make too much of the man and not enough of the Lord? - As soon as the man is taken away from them, they forget the Lord (33-34). It seems like they were just waiting to turn away from the Lord. The moment Gideon was no longer there to keep an eye on them, they were back to their old ways again (33)! We must never let the servant of the Lord become more important than the Lord. When God’s servant has become a distant memory, we must keep on ‘remembering the Lord our God’(34).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Keep Your Eyes On Jesus. Live In His Strength. Live For His Glory.

Judges 4:1-5:11
Barak is an example of ‘faith’(Hebrews 11:32-34). Faith involves believing God’s promise - ‘I will give...’and obeying His command - ‘Go’(4:6-7). God still says, ‘Go... I am with you always...’(Matthew 28:19-20). Barak needed Deborah’s help (4:8-10). Both needed God’s help - ‘Our sufficiency comes from God’(2 Corinthians 3:5-6). In Deborah’s song, we learn of the importance of giving all the glory to God: ‘Bless the Lord... To the Lord I will sing, I will make melody to the Lord... Bless the Lord’(5:2-3,9). We are to repeat the triumphs of the Lord’. This is our high calling as ‘the people of the Lord’(5:11). ‘Awake, awake, Deborah’... Arise, Barak...’(5:12) - God is still calling His people to wake up, to rise up: ‘Rise up O Church of God, awake!’(Church Hymnary, 477; Mission Praise, 178).

Judges 5:12-6:10
The people of the Lord marched down for Him against the mighty (13) - God is still calling His people to march for Him: ‘March on, my soul, with strength, with strength, but not thine own; The conquest thou shalt gain, through Christ the Lord alone’(Church Hymnary, 614). This is not ‘marching’ for ourselves, for our own cause, trying to get our own way. This is about keeping our eyes on Jesus, living in His strength, living for His glory. Where self reigns, there is sin - ‘The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord’- and shame - ‘Israel was brought very low’(1,6). Where Christ reigns, there is prayer to the Lord and blessing from the Lord. With God’s blessing comes our responsibility - Worship God, listening carefully to His Word and living in obedience to Him (6-10).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

From Victory To Victory

Judges 1:1-2:5
‘You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? (Galatians 5:7). Everything seems to be going well - ‘From victory to victory His army He shall lead till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed’(1-18; Church Hymnary, 481). Things went badly wrong. God commanded His people to ‘drive out’ His enemies. Again and again, they failed (19,21,27-33). This failure brought a stern rebuke from ‘the angel of the Lord’. God had blessed His people. Now, He has to rebuke them - ‘you have not obeyed my command’. Read of Israel’s weeping, and pray for this: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation’(2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10). ‘Strong in the Lord...’let us ‘tread all the powers of darkness down... and stand complete at last’(Church Hymnary, 441).

Judges 2:6-3:31
What sadness there is in the words of 2:10 - ‘there arose another generation... who did not know the Lord...’! As the generations pass, we must pass on the Gospel of Christ, praying that those who follow after us will ‘know the Lord’. In Isaiah 30:21, God says, ‘This is the way, walk in it’. Here, in the sin and shame of Israel, He warns us, ‘This is not the way, do not walk in it’(2:11-15). Don’t be conformed to this world, ‘entangled’ in its ways (3:5-7; Romans 12:2; 2 Timothy 2:4). God is angry with His rebellious people, but He does not cease to love them - ‘the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel (3:8-9). Read of the deliverers - Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar - and rejoice in our greater Deliverer: ‘Jesus... He will save His people from their sins’(3:9,15,31; Matthew 1:21).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘It Was Impossible For Death To Keep Its Hold On Jesus.’

Esther 5:1-6:14

Haman wanted ‘to have Mordecai hanged’(5:14). Herod wanted to have Jesus killed (Matthew 2:16-18). Neither Haman nor Herod were successful in their evil plotting (6:13; Matthew 2:19-21). Even when Jesus Christ was ‘crucified at the hands of wicked men’, this was not a victory for the devil. God was in control of the whole situation. Following the death of Jesus, there was the mighty triumph of His resurrection from the dead: ‘God raised Him from the dead’. Christ’s enemies thought that they had triumphed over Him. They were wrong! They could never succeed - ‘It was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him’(Acts 2:23-24)! Mordecai was honoured by the king (6:10-11). Jesus has been honoured by God - He is ‘both Lord and Christ’(Acts 2:36).

Esther 7:1-8:17

Esther spoke up for God’s people - ‘spare my people’(7:3). She spoke out against the enemy of God’s people - ‘A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!’(7:6). The tables were turned on the enemy of the Lord’s people - ‘they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai’(7:10). He was replaced by the Lord’s servant - ‘the king took off the signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai’(8:2). Instead of the gallows, Mordecai received ‘royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a purple robe of fine linen’(8:15)! For God’s people, this was ‘a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honour’(8:16). Let’s look beyond Mordecai to Christ. Rejoice! He was crucified for us. He is now exalted to the highest place (Philippians 2:8-9).

Esther 9:1-10:3

Among God’s people, there was much ‘feasting and joy’. They gave thanks to the Lord - ‘their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration’(9:17-22). They gave thanks to God for Mordecai - ‘he sought the welfare of his people, he worked for the good of his people’. They rejoiced because of ‘the greatness and high honour of Mordecai, to which the king had raised him’(10:2-3). We have even more to celebrate. We gather at the Lord’s Table. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper. We rejoice in Jesus Christ our Saviour. He ‘gave His life as a ransom for many’. His body was broken for us. His blood was shed for us. ‘Redeemed with His precious blood’, we rejoice in Christ - ‘crucified’ and ‘risen’ for us (Mark 10:45; 14:22-24; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

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Blessings in Christ

Christ in all the Scriptures

http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

What Part Will You Play In Bringing God's Blessing To Others?

Esther 1:1-2:18 This is a very human story. It is the story of a man - Ahasuerus - and two women - Vashti and Esther. It is the ending of one love and the beginning of a new love (1:19; 2:17). It is also a very important part of the Divine Story. God is at work here. This story teaches us about God’s love for His people. It teaches us that ‘all things work together for the good of those who love God’(Romans 8:28). It was no accident that Esther was chosen to become the Queen of Persia. God had chosen her for a very special purpose. She was sent there by the Lord. Esther was one of God’s people (2:5-7). She was to serve God’s purpose. She would play an important part in bringing the blessing of God to the people of God. What part will you play in bringing His blessing to others? Esther 2:19-4:17 ‘Haman sought to destroy all the Jews’(3:6). This is the work of the devil. He ‘comes only to steal and kill and destroy’(John 10:10). To oppose such determined enemies of the Lord is never easy. Esther knew this. She was ready to put her life on the line: ‘If I perish, I perish’(4:16). She knew that this was not a time for remaining silent. She must speak up for the Lord’s people. She was to serve God’s purpose - the deliverance of His people from death at the hands of His enemies (4:14). Esther was prepared to suffer death for the sake of God’s people. Jesus did suffer death for us. Jesus tells us why He came to this world: ‘I have come that they may have life...’. He tells us why He died: ‘I lay down my life for My sheep...I give them eternal life’(John 10:10,15,27-28). _________________ Blessings in Christ Christ in all the Scriptures http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

God's Way Of Salvation

Acts 27:1-44 

There is, in this story, a great picture of God’s way of salvation. (a) Our human situation is hopeless: ‘All our hope of being saved was at last abandoned’(20). We are sinners. We cannot save ourselves. (b) There is hope: ‘God has granted you all those who sail with you’(25). God has provided a way of salvation: ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only Son’(John 3:16). (c) Faith believes the Word of God: ‘I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told’(25) - ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved’(16:31). (d) Safety: ‘all escaped to land’(44). God has ‘prepared’ for us ‘a better country’, a ‘heavenly one’, ‘a city’, ‘the city which is to come’. Do you want to ‘escape’, to be saved? Make sure that you don’t ‘neglect such a great salvation’(Hebrews 11:16; 13:14; 2:3).

Acts 28:1-31 

Read of Paul’s protection from the ‘snake’. ‘Rejoice’- Christ has won for us a great victory over ‘that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan’. When God gives us His victory, we must not think too highly of ourselves - ‘he was a god’. We must give all the glory to God: ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of God and the authority of His Christ have come’(3-6; Genesis 3:14-15; Revelation 12:9-12). ‘So we came to Rome’(14) - These are words of triumph. God had fulfilled His promise: ‘you must bear witness also at Rome’(23:11). Rejoicing that ‘this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles’, Paul was ‘preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered’(29,31). Don’t miss God’s opportunities to share Christ’s Good News!

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Blessings in Christ

Christ in all the Scriptures

http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

It's "Make Your Mind Up" Time!

Acts 24:1-27

Paul did not abandon the teaching of the Old Testament Scriptures - ‘I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the law or written in the prophets (14). He read the Old Testament. It led him to Christ. Paul’s great theme was ‘faith in Christ Jesus’(24). Paul speaks. Jesus is speaking through him. Jesus did ‘not come to abolish the law and the prophets’. He came ‘to fulfil them’. ‘Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself’(Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:27). God has spoken ‘through the prophets’. God has spoken through His Son’(Hebrews 1:1-2). We read the Old Testament. We learn from ‘Moses’ and ‘Elijah’. They step back. We see ‘Jesus, only’. He is God’s ‘beloved Son’. We ‘listen to Him’(Matthew 17:3,8,5).

Acts 25:1-27 

Paul stood before Festus as an accused man. Festus listened. Recognizing his own shortcomings and respecting the accused wishes, he gave Paul a fair hearing (20-21,25). Festus made no decision - ‘I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him’(26). Jesus was ‘dead’. Now, He is ‘alive’(19). This is not just ‘something to think about’. We must make our decision. There can be no ‘sitting on the fence’. Some are indecisive - ‘I have nothing definite to say about Jesus’. It’s ‘make your mind up’ time - ‘How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?’ (Hebrews 2:3). Festus had to make a decision about Paul. There is a more important question: ‘What do you think of the Christ?’. Each of us must answer the question: ‘What shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’(Matthew 22:42; 27:22).

Acts 26:1-32

Paul answers three questions concerning himself. He puts a most important question to his hearers. (a) What was I before my conversion? Here, he speaks of his religion - ‘According to the strictest party of my religion I have lived as a Pharisee’(5). This brought him ‘to the ground’(14). (b) How did my conversion come about? Here, he speaks of his Saviour - ‘I am Jesus... Stand up!’(15). (c) What happened after my conversion? Here, he describes how he became a ‘servant’ and a ‘witness’(16). (d) The final question concerns our response - What about you? Will you become a Christian? (27-29). Do you have a story to tell? - Tell your story: the ‘before’, the ‘after’, the fact that it was Jesus who made the difference. Don’t forget the challenge: To ‘all who are listening to me today’- Come to Christ (29).

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Blessings in Christ

Christ in all the Scriptures

http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Your Calling

There are a lot of hurting people in the world. Truth is we don't have to look far to find them. They are around us daily. At work, at the grocery store, within our communities, on the very streets that we live on and sometimes in our own homes.

What can each of us as Christian's do to reach out to others? Maybe the simplicity of a smile, maybe inviting and buying someone lunch, maybe that single mother that's struggling, maybe that girl or boy down the street that lost a father or mother through a divorce. Truly the opportunities to bless others are all around us, and everywhere. May we all be a friend to someone in need and simply be Christ like.

Blessings, from
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

"We Preach Jesus Christ As Lord."

Acts 21:15-22:16 

Here, we focus on two brief phrases - ‘the things that God had done’(19) and you will be a witness for Him’(22:15). In the work of God we must learn to hold these two things together - divine power and human witness. Without the power of God, no one will come to faith in Christ: ‘It is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness”, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ’. How does God work? - He works through human witnesses: ‘we preach... Jesus Christ as Lord’. How are divine power and human witness related to each other? - ‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels to show that the transcendent, superior, all-surpassing power belongs to God and not to us’(Corinthians 4:5-7). Let God speak - through you!

Acts 22:17-23:35

A Jew, ‘praying in the temple’ at ‘Jerusalem’, Paul was obedient to God’s call - ‘I will send you far away to the Gentiles’(22:17,21).The racists would not hear of this - ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he ought not to live’(22:22). This was not simply dislike for Paul. This was hatred directed against the God who, in Jesus Christ, offers salvation to all nations. Paul was a ‘Roman citizen’(22:25-29). God was protecting Paul for his future ministry - ‘you must bear witness also at Rome’(23:11). Paul was giving his own testimony when he wrote the words, ‘All things work together for good to those who love God’(Romans 8:28). Serving the Lord is never easy. Sometimes, it can be very difficult. When we face violent opposition, we draw our strength from God’s Word - ‘Take courage’(23:10-11).

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Blessings in Christ

Christ in all the Scriptures

http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com