When Jesus laid down His life on the cross, His innoceent blood was shed for us. Because Jesus was God in human flesh, death had no power over Him, but He laid His life down willingly and intentionally to save us with certain benefits.
Here are some benefits of Jesus' shed blood:
Forgiveness
You and I have been forgiven through the blood that Jesus shed when He gave up His life. "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22).
Cleansing
Our consciences have been washed by the blood of Christ Jesus because we have truly been purified from all sin (Heb. 9:14).
Redemption
Forgiven and cleansed, we find that we have been redeemed from the clutches of the powers of darkness. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace" (Eph. 1:7).
Justification
It is one thing to believe that you are forgiven, cleansed and redeemed, but it is another to believe that it is just as if you had never sinned in the first place. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). When I am justified, it is "just as if I'd" never sinned. I am righteous.
Sanctification
Now we can take it one step further and declare that we have been set apart for a holy calling—sanctified. Each believer is a special vessel set apart for God. Only Jesus' blood can make this possible. Because of Him, we can walk on the straight and narrow way (Matt. 7:14).
Peace
Because of Jesus' blood, we can have perfect peace. There will still be plenty of battles to fight, but the outcome has been determined on Calvary: "It was through what his Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him—all things in heaven and on earth—for Christ's death on the cross has made peace with God for all by his blood" (Col. 1:20).
Access to the Father
Jesus' blood has made possible your complete reconciliation with the Holy Father in heaven. Now, covered as you are in the blood of Christ, you are like the high priest who was invited to enter the Most Holy Place—without being struck dead. You can enter the most holy throne room of heaven with perfect impunity: "And so, dear brothers, now we may walk right into the very Holy of Holies, where God is, because of the blood of Jesus" (Heb. 10:19).
Thanks to JG for original sourcing.
7.23.2019
6.17.2019
The Times Jesus Shed His Blood
When we think of Jesus shedding His blood for us, we generally think of it as occurring at a single moment during His crucifixion. A closer look at Scripture reveals otherwise. In fact, Jesus shed His blood on two different instances during the crucifixion account alone. In the Scriptures, we can find seven different times Jesus shed His blood for us. Why seven times? Seven is the number of completion. All seven of these times are during the lead up to or during His crucifixion. All seven are encapsulated in Jesus' one sacrifice for all time. Make no mistake about it, Jesus didn't make seven sacrifices; He made one sacrifice, but He did shed His blood seven times during the lead up to or during that one sacrifice. Jesus made one sacrifice for all time, but what happened during the lead up to or during that one sacrifice?
Let's look at the seven times Jesus shed His blood for us:
1. Sweating Blood
The night forr have been even more agonizing for Jesus than actually being crucified. The act of deciding to accept the harrowing torture that would end in death—with full foreknowledge of what it would entail—was so grueling that blood actually exuded from the pores of Jesus's forehead: "He was in such agony of spirit that he broke into a sweat of blood, with great drops falling to the ground as he prayed more and more earnestly" (Luke 22:44). This is the initial blood-shedding of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Struck and Beaten
Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night and taken forcibly from Gethsemane to the house of the high priest, Caiaphas, where the scribes and elders had assembled. There He was questioned and handled roughly:
"'Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?' They answered, 'He deserves death!' Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists [or with rods]; and others slapped Him" (Matthew 26:65b-67).
Surely, this beating drew blood, although it was nothing like the scourging that was to follow.
3. Beard Plucked Out
In biblical times, if you wanted to express utter abhorrence and dishonor toward a man, you would not only beat him and slap his face, but you would also spit in his face and tear out his beard. This would get ugly, undoubtedly, because as each chunk of beard was ripped out, it would take a piece of the flesh of the man's cheek or chin with it. We believe that this form of dishonor happened to Jesus because the prophet Isaiah foretold it: "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting" (Isa. 50:6).
No wonder Isaiah spoke of the Messiah's appearance as being "marred" (Isa. 52:14), or "disfigured" beyond recognition.
4. Back Scourged
To be scourged under the Roman system was a brutal punishment, sometimes resulting in the death of the one who had been whipped: "The punishment of scourging was common among the Jews.... Under the Roman method the culprit was stripped, stretched with cords or thongs on a frame and beaten with rods" or with metal attached to leather thongs.
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Do you get the picture? Not only would Jesus's face no longer have been recognizable, but also, His back would have been plowed open. I do not want to imagine this scene! For love's sake, our Lord Jesus endured this fourth blood-shedding.
5. Head Pierced with Crown of Thorns
Jesus's precious blood was shed in a fifth way when the Roman soldiers plaited a mock crown from thorny branches and pressed it into His scalp, causing the blood to run down over His face: "And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him" (Matt. 27:28-29). The thorns pierced His skin like sharp needles, penetrating down to the bone of His skull.
6. Crucified
Bleeding profusely, Jesus was forced to carry His own cross through the streets to the site of crucifixion. There, spikes were driven into His wrists and feet to attach Him to the rough wood of the cross (see Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:22-2; Luke 23:32-33, 24:38-40; John 19:18.) This was at least the sixth time that Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb, willingly spilled His blood.
Suffering the cruel death of crucifixion, this one sinless Man was penalized by being executed like a criminal.
7. Side Pierced
Even after His death, Jesus's blood was shed one more time: "One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out" (John 19:34).
Seven times, the innocent blood of the Lamb of God was shed so that you and I could be freed from our slavery to sin and everlasting death. Thankfully, Jesus loved us so passionately that He would endure all this bloodshed. Hallelujah!
Thanks to JG for original asourcing.
Let's look at the seven times Jesus shed His blood for us:
1. Sweating Blood
The night forr have been even more agonizing for Jesus than actually being crucified. The act of deciding to accept the harrowing torture that would end in death—with full foreknowledge of what it would entail—was so grueling that blood actually exuded from the pores of Jesus's forehead: "He was in such agony of spirit that he broke into a sweat of blood, with great drops falling to the ground as he prayed more and more earnestly" (Luke 22:44). This is the initial blood-shedding of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Struck and Beaten
Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night and taken forcibly from Gethsemane to the house of the high priest, Caiaphas, where the scribes and elders had assembled. There He was questioned and handled roughly:
"'Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; what do you think?' They answered, 'He deserves death!' Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists [or with rods]; and others slapped Him" (Matthew 26:65b-67).
Surely, this beating drew blood, although it was nothing like the scourging that was to follow.
3. Beard Plucked Out
In biblical times, if you wanted to express utter abhorrence and dishonor toward a man, you would not only beat him and slap his face, but you would also spit in his face and tear out his beard. This would get ugly, undoubtedly, because as each chunk of beard was ripped out, it would take a piece of the flesh of the man's cheek or chin with it. We believe that this form of dishonor happened to Jesus because the prophet Isaiah foretold it: "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting" (Isa. 50:6).
No wonder Isaiah spoke of the Messiah's appearance as being "marred" (Isa. 52:14), or "disfigured" beyond recognition.
4. Back Scourged
To be scourged under the Roman system was a brutal punishment, sometimes resulting in the death of the one who had been whipped: "The punishment of scourging was common among the Jews.... Under the Roman method the culprit was stripped, stretched with cords or thongs on a frame and beaten with rods" or with metal attached to leather thongs.
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Do you get the picture? Not only would Jesus's face no longer have been recognizable, but also, His back would have been plowed open. I do not want to imagine this scene! For love's sake, our Lord Jesus endured this fourth blood-shedding.
5. Head Pierced with Crown of Thorns
Jesus's precious blood was shed in a fifth way when the Roman soldiers plaited a mock crown from thorny branches and pressed it into His scalp, causing the blood to run down over His face: "And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him" (Matt. 27:28-29). The thorns pierced His skin like sharp needles, penetrating down to the bone of His skull.
6. Crucified
Bleeding profusely, Jesus was forced to carry His own cross through the streets to the site of crucifixion. There, spikes were driven into His wrists and feet to attach Him to the rough wood of the cross (see Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:22-2; Luke 23:32-33, 24:38-40; John 19:18.) This was at least the sixth time that Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb, willingly spilled His blood.
Suffering the cruel death of crucifixion, this one sinless Man was penalized by being executed like a criminal.
7. Side Pierced
Even after His death, Jesus's blood was shed one more time: "One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out" (John 19:34).
Seven times, the innocent blood of the Lamb of God was shed so that you and I could be freed from our slavery to sin and everlasting death. Thankfully, Jesus loved us so passionately that He would endure all this bloodshed. Hallelujah!
Thanks to JG for original asourcing.
5.30.2019
A Declaration of Dependence on God
This declaration is inspired by a similar declaration issued by AWM. It is a declaration of one's yeild to and dependence on God rather than any government, culture, or person.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Since our Creator gave us these rights, we declare that no government has the right to take them away. We also declare that marriage was instituted by God between one man and one woman only. We oppose same sex-marriage, polygamy, bestiality, and all other forms of sexual perversion prohibited by Holy Scripture. We also declare the truth that life is granted by God at conceptionand that no man or woman has the right to take that life away. We declare that Jesus has provided the cure for all sin and therefore reach out to the sinner in love, but do not embrace the sin, knowing its destructive nature to the sinner and to others around the sinner. Finally, we live our lives in accordance with God's Word and commit to conducting our churches, ministries, businesses, and personal lives in accordance with our Christian faith and choose to obey God rather than man!
NOTE: to use the declaration in singular form, simply change the pronouns we/us/our to I/me/my.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Since our Creator gave us these rights, we declare that no government has the right to take them away. We also declare that marriage was instituted by God between one man and one woman only. We oppose same sex-marriage, polygamy, bestiality, and all other forms of sexual perversion prohibited by Holy Scripture. We also declare the truth that life is granted by God at conceptionand that no man or woman has the right to take that life away. We declare that Jesus has provided the cure for all sin and therefore reach out to the sinner in love, but do not embrace the sin, knowing its destructive nature to the sinner and to others around the sinner. Finally, we live our lives in accordance with God's Word and commit to conducting our churches, ministries, businesses, and personal lives in accordance with our Christian faith and choose to obey God rather than man!
NOTE: to use the declaration in singular form, simply change the pronouns we/us/our to I/me/my.
4.30.2019
A Quick Declaration for Every Believer's Ministry
Here is a quick declaration and reiteration of truths from God's Word. Say these truths out loud and boldly and hide these truths of God in your heart!
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, to lay hands on the sick, to raise the dead, to cast out demons, to trample on serpents and scorpions, and to proclaim liberty to the captives. And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
Jesus is made unto me wisdom from God, and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. If I lack wisdom, I ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it is given to me.
I walk in love, as Christ also has loved me and given Himself for me, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. In Christ Jesus, I've been made the righteousness of God. The love and righteousness of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit, whom I have received from the Father through Christ Jesus.
Whatever I do shall prosper, for I prosper and live in health even as my soul prospers. Therein, the joy of the Lord is my strength!
Finally, I have been given authority over all the ability of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt me, but I rejoice because my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life in heaven forever and ever.
Hallelujah!
Amen.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, to lay hands on the sick, to raise the dead, to cast out demons, to trample on serpents and scorpions, and to proclaim liberty to the captives. And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
Jesus is made unto me wisdom from God, and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. If I lack wisdom, I ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it is given to me.
I walk in love, as Christ also has loved me and given Himself for me, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. In Christ Jesus, I've been made the righteousness of God. The love and righteousness of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit, whom I have received from the Father through Christ Jesus.
Whatever I do shall prosper, for I prosper and live in health even as my soul prospers. Therein, the joy of the Lord is my strength!
Finally, I have been given authority over all the ability of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt me, but I rejoice because my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life in heaven forever and ever.
Hallelujah!
Amen.
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