The Blood Covenant

 FOOD FOR THOUGHT: 

 

Most Christians understand that The Covenant between God and believers was sealed with the blood of Jesus on the cross.

Let's go a little deeper:

 

> The covenant is spoken of in the Old Testament. God made a covenant with Abraham to which the Hebrew people (who later became Israelites) are heirs in the spiritual kingdom. Where was the blood that sealed that one? Gen. 17:10 Circumcision would spill that blood on behalf of man. 

 

> Can we go back further? Was there a covenant with the first man? The first blood spilled in the Bible was God sacrificing animals to make clothes for sinful man and woman, Gen. 3:21. God uses animals to pay for man's sin. 

 

> God further demands human blood through child birth, Gen. 3:16. The physical blood required is not enough to kill. It actually contributes to human life. God is love.

 

> With Adam and Eve, God is showing us the need for blood - the first signs of His plan of salvation, through the cross. This is the blood covenant sealed by both man and God. 

 

> An agreement between two parties requires a payment of some sort from each party. God sacrificed a part of His creation (animals) throughout the entire Old Testament. Man and woman were also paying a price through circumcision and child birth (including a woman's menses, which makes birth possible); a blood covenant entered into by both parties. 

 

> Both man and woman needed to be included in the covenant agreement because each was created separately and each had sinned apart from the other. Genesis 2 and 3

 

> This may be why Abel understood the need for animal sacrifice, which was accepted over his brother's offering of crops; sweat of man's brow, his own effort (indicative of pride).

The practice of animal sacrifice continued throughout the Old Testament as did the blood sacrifices of man and woman.

 

 

 

> When Christ was born, human blood was spilled to bring Him into this world as a physical man and animal sacrifices continued in the temple. This began the second covenant for our eternal life. Christ paid the price 33 years later - adding His spiritual signature, in blood, to the bottom line of the covenant. 

 

> The blood of Christ was not human; His blood was completely divine - holy. The mother does not pass blood type to a fetus.  Animals cannot provide the pure blood required to pay for human sin. 

 

> Man continues to sin and so continues his/her part of the blood covenant through birth and circumcision. (Circumcision today is used as an aid to cleanliness. Although science proves this, we are loosing sight of the original purpose. God is using science to continue man's part of the covenant agreement. Ain't He clever?)

 

> So . . the First Covenant was with Adam. It was renewed with Abraham for the Hebrew Peoples. The Second Covenant was between Christ and all peoples who will believe in Him.

 

- Isn't this beautiful? God wants all to be saved to live forever. So well planned from the beginning of creation.

* Praise God for His all-encompassing love !

 

 

The Tola Worm

(Taking a break from my biography to post something I want to share.  Found this out during one of my personal Bible studies of the Psalms.)

In Psalm 22 (a Messianic Psalm by David about the crucifiction)

V. 6 states, "I Am a worm of and not a man".

 

> In Ex. 16:20, we find the story of the Manna from heaven to feed the Hebrew people in the dessert, how they disobeyed and how the extra manna became infested with a worm (maggot).

 

                                                       Manna
        

> The worm spoken of is the "Tola" worm (also: Toluth). This red worm is native to regions of and around Israel - only.

 

The Tola worm

 

> This worm was used to make a deep red (scarlet) dye for the garments of the temple priests; done by crushing the worm to obtain it's blood. This dye (the worm's blood) proved to be permanent; once used it could not fade or be removed by any means. (Once we accept Christ, through His blood, as our Savior, He will not let go of us.)

 

> When a worm is ready to reproduce, it will attach itself to a tree. The cross was made from a tree. On the tree, it will shed it's blood and lay it's eggs (plant it's seeds). When the eggs hatch into larvae (are converted), the new worms feed on the blood that was left on the tree - just as Christians feed on (believe in) the sacrificial blood of Jesus. 

 

                                          

> After THREE DAYS (Christ was three days in the grave), the blood turns white, as snow, and sheds from the tree in dry flakes - that resemble manna. Christ was pure as snow after His resurrection (He refused to be touched because He had not yet gone to the Father), and is referenced as our Manna (bread of life) from heaven.

 

> Read Isa. 1:18

SEEK and you will find.

Believers Are Free

Well, it's Monday again and I had coffee in front of my favorite tel-evangelists on TBN.

When the coffee is gone and the programs are over, I have a little talk with my Heavenly Father.  This morning, I say "thank you" which is usually reserved for bedtime.  (Like counting sheep, only better.)  I was raised to pray for others in the morning and thank God at night.  This seems to help with too much self indulgence.  Although,  my Father in heaven is a generous father and I know I can ask for anything anytime. 

After four half hour sermons, from four different speakers, I am feeling particularly good about my freedom as a Christian.  (This is a pretty good way to start the week.)  To be the righteousness of God, as a gift, through the sacrifice of Christ is so much more than we realize; so much more than we deserve.  We do not have to work for anything.  We just accept by believing of, and in Jesus and His resurrected life.  That's it!  I don't think about this as much as I should.  It makes me very much at peace, with a lot less stress.

Christians are free from worry and fear.  We will be saved through the rapture before the worst of the end times.  We do not have to please God by working to do right.  We do not have to feel guilt - it's been taken away.  You can't change it.  It's already happened.  Whether you believe it or understand it.  We are saved from this world now.

When God looks at a believer, He sees His Son, Jesus.  In God's eyes we are as pure as our Savior Himself.  His shed blood covers over all sin and God can only see Jesus'  holiness.  Yes, we are holy.  We are ambassadors of heaven.  We are apostles.  We are brothers and sisters with Christ.  We can lay all problems at the feet of our savior and he will plead our case for us.  We can go directly to God, the Father and commune.  And. . . He will answer us.

When a believer dies, he sleeps.  He knows nothing.  In a twinkling of an eye he wakes to the rapture with all other believers throughout history.  This is an amazing thing to understand.  Talk about reducing fear.  

As Jesus is in heaven, so are we.  We, as believers, can heal and be healed, teach and be taught, anoint and be anointed, give and take communion and receive the same standing as Christ Himself.  Understand, we achieve this through what He did and the blood He shed - not by anything we could ever do.  We are sinners; have been, are and will be until we are changed to that new life.  Our sins no longer count against us.  Even as we sin today, it is already forgiven - because we believe that is why Jesus died and rose.

Some time ago, I left a Bible study because the leader was teaching that a believer can lose their salvation.  I guess, by committing a sin.  At first, I thought we might just agree to disagree, as brother and sister in Christ.  That does not work.  For one thing, both of us stand firm in our belief.  

Let me plead my case here:  Did Jesus die for nothing?  Is he saying that Christ needs to be nailed to that tree again so he can be saved every time he slips?  I say,  "NO".  It is once and for all - like Paul said.  Once died for all!  It is done!  We are saved.  We are free!  True believers WANT to do what pleases our Father because we know the love involved and the sacrifice from Him and The Son.

Let us be humble and take a few times today to reflect on all this.  Let's go through our Monday being happy for the amazing blessings God has freely given to us through His most beloved son, that He is so proud of. 
Amen

Good News !

Surely, we can agree that life can be full of bad news.
I have some good news this morning.

(In Greek, the language of the New Testament, Gospel means "Good News".)

Psalm 22 tells of the crucifixion.   This surely is good news that Christ took all our suffering, pain and sin on Him so we might live beyond this physical life.  This psalm was written 2,000 years before His birth - David was quite a profit, among his many other talents.

Mt 2:17 confirms that Jesus is the son of God Himself.  Reference Ps 2:7


Mt 12:50 is good news.  Here, we are told that to follow the example of Jesus makes us brothers and sisters to Him; children of God.

Mt 19:2 tells of the massive amount of healings Jesus performed.  Good news: He wants us to be healthy.

Mt 19:29 says if we have to sacrifice anything to follow Him, it will be given back to us - multiplied; and . .  . we also get eternal life.

Mt 28:18 Jesus assures us He has the right to do anything He wants - just as God Himself has the power.  Hey, this is the guy I want for a brother.


Jn 1:34  has John The Baptist testifying that Jesus is chosen by God to be our savior to eternal life.

Jn 1:45 has one apostle telling another that he has found the person written about in the Old Testament by Moses and all the profits.

Ex 3:14 God tells Moses "I Am".  Throughout the gospels, Jesus makes the statement "I AM" over and over again.  This is why the Pharises were so angry with Him; they new every word of the Old Testament and God, the "I Am".  (They call God "Yahweh" and I have done a fascinating study on this name.  I will share it some time.)

Jn 15:7  Jesus promises the prayers of a believer will be answered.  Now that's good news!

Jn 16:27  Just to love Jesus brings the love of the Almighty God.

Jn 17:6-19  Read this prayer Jesus asked of God for His disciples.  WE (believers) are disciples today. 

Jn 20:19 & 20  Here is the scene where Jesus shows His disciples (us) proof of His resurrection from death.

Jn 20:29  Jesus blesses those who were not present to know Him or see His nail prints - that is us today.  We are blessed by the Son of God.  Definitely good news.

Jn 20:30 & 31  Here, we get good news of our faith giving us good health. 

Jn 21:23  Jesus is coming back - He Himself, the one with the Father, said so. 

Jn 21:25  John's personal statement, as a witness, of what he witnessed walking with Jesus.

If all this good news does not brighten your day, read Psalms 88 and 89.  Psalm 88 gives us all the woes of this human life and Psalm 89 tells of the blessings and good news of the days we have to look forward to.
Have a wonderful day !!

Amen

No Rose Garden

Today may sound a bit stern, discouraging, harsh - even frightening.  I tend to "call it as I see it" but remember: I have read to the end of the book and I know who wins.  Besides, I'm in a bit of a "snit" today and I have a right  (If you have a right, I have a right.)

So, you have chosen to be a Christian?
Can you drink from the cup?  Ps 36:1

Society has a cancer called "sin" because she spurns her foundation, Jesus Christ.  "Everyone has a right".  A right to murder a fetus. Ro 3:15  A right to get drunk and operate a motorized vehicle on a public street.  A right to cheat on their spouse because they are bored with them.  A right to abuse a child because their dreams did not get fulfilled.  A right to stop a majority from prayer in school.  A right to be respected even if they are lazy, unkempt, loud, rude and crude.  A right to benefits in a country where they hold no citizenship or reject it's laws..  A right to unnatural sexual choices.  Ro 1:27  I could go on for hours.
Note: The prostitute in Rev 17 is an immoral society.  Babylon is an oppressive and Godless government.

Freedom is not to do what you want but the right to do what you should.

Being a Christian today is not always pretty.  And . . it ain't gonna get any better.  We are in the final generation before the coming of our Lord.

Suffering is the fire that forges the steel that is the Christian.  After all, there was a lot of suffering before the resurrection.  Learn to embrace your cross.  As a Christian, you have chosen a path of one degree or another.  Learn to turn to your Savior in prayer for your peace and strength.  He needs proud warriors.

Happiness is a choice, honesty, faithfulness, sobriety and the sex of your partner is a choice.  Hell is a choice.  We are not made to fit in but to stand out.  We are the light in a dark world and the salt that gives it flavor.

Story:  When I made my (absolute and final) decision to follow a Christian life, I lost my husband, home, step children, a business and friends.  I chose to turn from a way of life - repent means to turn around.  Everything seemed to fall apart all at once.  I found myself one evening sitting in the back room of my studio with a loaded gun in my hand.  That small voice came to me and whispered, "You cannot give life, so you cannot take life."  I put the gun away - scary.

When my pastor, at that time, realized what I was going through, he said, "We gotta get you dunked right away".  He went on to explain that baptism brings the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that would give me the strength to deal with my trials.  If you have chosen a Christian life style, you need to be baptized - it works.  Ro 6:4

* There is scientific proof that after baptism, a person's DNA is different.  We truly are born again.

The Enemy is coming after you - HARD and, he is sneaky.  He does not want new converts.  He wants to take the throne that Jesus earned.  He hates you - venomously!  He is jealous of you, as a child of God.  He hates you have the favor of God.  He hates you have the Holy Spirit with you.  He hates that God hears your prayers.  He hates you are destined to reign on this earth in the new Jerusalem.  Rev 21:2 

We are in a spiritual battle.  Satan himself wants you miserable, suffering, defiled, polluted, lonely, sick, confused, devastated, sitting with the loaded gun of surrender. 

Good News:  It's all good.  Believers have the weapons of the Holy Spirit, prayer, communion, anointing, faith, discernment and the support of the church.   Our heavenly father offers an amazing support system.  He wants us happy with our choice.  We are forgiven, loved by Almighty God Himself, promised a place with His Son and will not face judgement.  As believers, we are already forgiven; Christ did it all for us.  Ro 3:24

B E A U T I F U L:  Jesus continues to do it all.  Call on Him for anything, anytime.  If you lack faith, are afraid, confused, lacking spiritual strength, pray and ask for these things.  Jesus has enough for everyone and He wants to give to you.  He loves us.  He loves you as the greatest father you could ever know.  You have chosen the narrow path, the right choice - door number three.  There is no turning back; the victory is already ours.  Christ won our battle on the cross.  Jesus has only to come back and claim His prize.  You

Amen  Amen  Amen