"This One's Dying FOR ME"

"Word of God speak, would you pour down like rain, washing my eyes to see your majesty
To be still and know that you're in this place, please let me stay and rest in your holiness
Word of God speak." Casting Crowns - Word of God Speak

John 1 tells us that the "Word of God" is Jesus. He came to die for us and take away our sins.
I'm sure I speak not just on my own behalf that I take this for granted. Our "sin" is seperation from God. It provokes the wrath of God - his righteous anger - this is NOT GOOD!

In the Old Testament there were many gruesome ways they had to kill and sacrifice animals to allow the blood of these animals to mask over their wrongs.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%201&version=NIV

These people SAW the effect of their sins, they felt and knew the reality of what they were doing, where as today we no longer SEE and EXPERIENCE the terrible truth of what we a re doing and have done. As Christians I feel that in our little Christian "bubble" we shrug off our faults and say "God loves me anyway" or to each other "God loves you anyway". Yes, true.
BUT
he doesnt love our sins.
We need to be FREE of them and the only way to GET RID of our sins, not just cover them over was JESUS.
If the most perfect sacrifice on earth was not enough, and could only mask our sins, then something more was needed, a sacrifce so pure, Jesus.

He was the LAMB of God.
He came to save us and so we may not be condemned but have eternal life forever.
Eternal life means that we will be united with God forever - never seperate from Him, even by the power of death it has no hold on us with the stronghold of Jesus.

Romans 6:23 says that:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

So the Word became flesh, human, and was offered as a sacrifice to heal and wash away our sins .

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus did not come and be the perfect sacrifice through his own will, but through his fathers will. God told him to come here and do this for us - he was dreading the pain and the suffering and DID NOT WANT TO ENDURE IT. But through obedience to his father God he took his instructions even at his darkest, most hurting and worrying moments.
He declared this in Matthew 26:

v39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
v42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

Not by Jesus' will but by God's will.
Not by OUR will but by God's will.

During a sacrifice the person offering the sacrifice would lay their hand on the head of the sacrifice as to declare "this one's dying for me".

So lay your hand on the head of the Lamb of God and declare "this one is dying for ME."

xxx

What Words Cannot Express my heart longs to say

Words Cannot express my lovesong for Jesus

Why when I break your heart so many times do you simply say take my hand?
Why do you flood me with your grace?
You, so forgiving and graceful God forgive me, so undeserving.
Why when I weep do you speak words of comfort and surround me with your love?
You who created the stars and the universe at a single breath, sent your only son for me,I who am nothing, nothing, dust, dust from the ground, you hold me.
In a simple voice I sing little praise to you than you deserve, for words cannot express how glorious you are, but you sing to me, my Jesus
Glorious Jesus, lamb of God, you bring me, your lost sheep, home.

(2 Samuel 22:50) Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.

<3

We're The Young, We're Alright?

Ecclesiastes 12 1...7 "Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” ... Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."



You may want to read the passage above in the full chapter rather than just the part I have given here. It sums up life in a small chapter.



The idea of the book of Ecclesiates is that everything is meaningless without Jesus. Hence the first line here "Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator." Don't be too busy enjoying life on Earth and forgetting God. It goes on to say in verse 8 "Everything is meaningless," says the Teacher, "completely meaningless."



God created Earth, and so it is meaningless without a belief in God.

Imagine you make some food, but you're not actually hungry, the food now has no point to it whatsoever except to decay and rot away leaving you with nothing. You will have nothing when you are then later on hungry.



Never be too busy to remember and talk to God our Creator.

Ecclesiates 11:9 - "Young people, it's wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do."



Hello? I'm sorry, did you miss something there?

GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO GOD IN EVERYTHING YOU DO

not just some things

or not at all.



Verse 10 then says: "So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless."



Life is not to be something that you forget God in, or anything you should worry about.



I'll give you two simple instructions:

1) Don't worry about your life,
2) Consult God in everything you do!

I'll leave you with this also...

1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.