Tag: Jesus paid the price

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Epitaphs

Jesus paid the price

1Samuel 25:1, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 116:15

Jesus conquered death and the sting of death, [1Cor 15:55-57]yet we still mourn when the death of a loved one occurs. God’s Word records just one verse about the death of Samuel. “Samuel died, and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him and buried him in his house in Ramah.” [Ps 25:1] In our recent news, Prince Philip has died, and all of England has mourned over him, yet his wife, Queen Elizabeth must sit alone at his funeral because of man-made rules in the time of a pandemic. The rules of men take away the one thing needed a family needs at this time: comfort. Thus we turn to the Psalms in our time of mourning and we are comforted:

Ps 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.” and

 Ps 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

Samuel was a man birthed from a mother’s prayer, and he lived as a man of prayer all of his life: “far be far from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.” [1Sam 12:23]

 His deeds, his walk with God, and his epitaph is the record so we may know the kind of man he was. What will be on your tombstone?

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Guilty or Forgiven?

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Zechariah 3 “How Do You Stand; Guilty as Charged or Forgiven?”

Picture a courtroom scene with the accuser and the defender and you in the middle. You stand before the righteous judge who listens to both sides of the argument. One says you are guilty and provides the evidence. Heads turn and you as the criminal listen and wonder.  Will I be convicted? Is there hope?  Yet, you also know that your very presence in prison garb hardly is a testimony of any innocence but in fact your guilt. As the accuser cries out your crimes we hear from the bench: May the Lord rebuke you –not once but twice. And at that moment you see the accuser and the courtroom silenced. 

How strategically God has placed this vision before Zechariah as a picture of us in all of our iniquities and prison clothing. We stand guilty but the Lord of Heaven’s Armies cries out: I was in the fire with him, but I snatched him out. Instantly, t the smoke and smell of fire were extinguished and you hear: remove his filthy clothes! What the accuser meant evil; God meant for good that His plan of redemption could be seen by all.

Gently and with love you hear; Follow my ways, keep my requirements and you will come and go with others. You will be a picture of my love, my forgiveness, and my blessing.

You have been forgiven and given a robe of righteousness. Go forth as God’s forgiven child.

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Will you go to Heaven?

rev 21 heaven2aRevelation 21: John had reminded the reader to be an overcomer or a conqueror because the reward is beyond description and the loss is irreparable. What do we have to overcome or conquer? It is the sin of the flesh, the eyes and the pride of life.

Standing and hearing that it is done, his mind may have swiftly been taken back to the first images of these 7 churches that John knew and ministered to or even further back to the Garden of Eden. What blessings await the conquerors are the very ones God would have showered upon Adam and Eve had they obeyed to not eat of the tree of life.

Once forbidden, a conqueror will be given permission to feast upon that very tree. Because Adam and Eve ate, hanging over their head was the second death. But you who are conquerors will never have to fear the death that will forever separate you from God.  You will not only feast on the Tree of life but also be nourished with the hidden manna as you listen for your new name being called by God.  Instead of being fearful when you hear God calling you will answer: “Here I am!”  Adam and Eve had tried to cover themselves with fig leaves but God will cover the conquerors with white clothing; the garment given to those who are righteous.

Adam and Eve plunged all of humanity into sin yet Jesus paid the price of their decision. We who are conquerors will stand by seeing our name in the Lamb’s Book of Life; be a pillar in God’s temple and sit with Jesus on the throne.

Beloved, heaven is indescribable but it is only for the conqueror. Are you one?

 

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