Posted on

DEVOTIONS FOR A DEEPER LIFE

SUGGESTED READING: JOHN 1:6-14
SCRIPTURE TEXT: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name”- John  1:12
MESSAGE

Our Lord Jesus Christ did not come into this world to do the work of a social reformer, a political administrator, a judge, or simply a ruler in the affairs of men and women. Jesus came as the light of the world, to perform a work of grace in the hearts of individuals that will impart a new disposition of righteousness. This heartfelt transformation will make God real in our lives.

Jesus Christ is a Savior who saves, not by impressions we derive from a study of Hos character, but through the work He did by the shedding of His blood on the cross. Jesus Christ is a Sanctifier, who sanctifies, not by our sympathetic imitation of Him, but by the fact of what He works in us.

Our Lord was not only without sin, but He also provides a work of grace whereby you and I might be without sin. Our Lord not only obeyed the good and perfect will of God perfectly, but He  also makes it possible for us to fully obey God’s perfect will. Our Lord Jesus Christ was our personal substitute on the cross, and our participation in His salvation depends on our knowledge of this glorious deed in our behalf.

PRAYER THOUGHT: “Father, I acknowledge my salvation through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross”. Amen.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from DEVOTIONS FOR DEEPER LIFE BY OSWALD CHAMBERS.

Posted on

REMOVED, NOT JUST COVERED

Today I want to give you another reason why the new covenant is better than the old covenant. I want you to read Hebrews 10:11 first, then Hebrews 9:25-26,

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

And then talking about Jesus,

Not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of another—He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Under the old covenant, sins were merely covered. In the new covenant, Jesus removes our sin. In fact, John the Baptist declared, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus doesn’t just cover it, He takes it away!

I want to tell you, friend, we are not just some patched up old sinners. We have been made new creations in Christ Jesus.

I know a horse trainer who trains beautiful thoroughbred horses. If I took a mule over to this guy and said, “Look, I want this mule to run with the thoroughbreds,” he could feed it, brush its coat every day, and trim its tail and ears to look like a quarter horse. But when the gun fires and the gates go up and the horses start to run, it is just a mule. That is all it is!

Religion dresses up the mule, but God changes the mule into a thoroughbred. He takes away your sin and makes you a new creature in Christ Jesus when you embrace salvation.

Our sin is not just covered, it is gone, and we have been made into new people.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: Culled from Answers For Each Day