Category: sacrifice

Monday 10/28 ~ Being a hero

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, discouragement, Enemies, eternity, faith, Fear, governments, Heaven, persecution, power, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, victory1 Comment

The scripture for today, October 28 (10/28), is Matthew 10:28f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.”

This scripture indicates that sometimes God’s allows you to “fall to the ground” ~ your body suffers, or you are killed. How can that be? After all, God is so loving. Surely a good God would not allow any harm to come to someone if he truly loves them.

But we all have our assignments from God in this war between Good and Evil. Just as Job in the Old Testament lost his entire family and all his wealth and then his health, he refused to blame God. He even said, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” (Job 2:10).

Satan causes bad to happen to you. Why? In order to get you to blame God for it and maybe even then declare God does not exist. Your assignment is to refuse to deny God. That way, Satan loses one more battle, and God wins one more.

There is an old Christian song called “Victory in Jesus.” How can you have victory in Jesus if you do not have something to be victorious over? Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerors. How can you be a conqueror if you have nothing to conquer?

Stand strong and say with James (1:2), “I consider it pure joy whenever I face trials.” Hard to say? Of course, it is. But it could turn your life around and make you a hero.

.

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-ThumbnailSTEPHEN: UNLIKELY MARTYR begins with a 17-year-old coward who grows and matures a little at a time so that by the time he is a 28-year-old deacon with wife and children, he is stronger than most people we will ever meet in our lifetime.  He purposely walks into the Sanhedrin’s council room to say what needed to be said, knowing he would not leave alive. He sees the door.  It is opening for him.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/2MWxVtn

.

.

#fear, #killing, #murder, #body, #soul, #Satan, #death, #martyr, #sacrifice, #hell, #heaven, #victory, #power, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth

 

Sunday ~ Appreciation Day for the Impossible

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, Heaven, Inspirational, Life of Christ, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, sin, victory, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, October 27 (10/27), is Mark 10:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man, this is impossible, but not with God: All things are possible with God.’ “

Can you be perfect? God let mankind try for many centuries to be perfect.

To one group of people he gave over 600 laws and said, “If you keep these, you will be perfect.” But, as hard as the Jews tried, no one could keep the Law of Moses perfectly.

To the rest of the world, he basically said, “Try to figure out for yourselves how to be perfect.” So, they tried all kinds of religions, but with all of them, they could not be perfect.

Finally, mankind was ready for Jesus. He came to earth and lived that perfect life that is impossible for you to live. He became the perfect Lamb of God, and became your sacrifice for your sins, for Romans 6:23 says “the wages of sin [that you earn]  is death.” He collected your wage of death from Satan for you.

So now, according to Romans 6:3-4, just as Jesus died on the cross, you too can die to your sinful nature ~ the part of you that sins and doesn’t care. Then, just as Jesus was buried in his tomb, you too can be buried in a watery tomb of baptism. And finally, just as Jesus was raised up out of his tomb the Savior, you rise up out of our watery tomb the saved.

Then God considers you perfect too. God cannot associate with sinners in his heaven. He can only have perfect people in his heavenly home; otherwise, it would not be heaven. Impossible for you to live there with him someday? Yes. But, God sent Jesus to fix that problem for you. With God, nothing is impossible.

.

Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPPER:  52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS includes a Bible reading for partaking of the bread with a prayer, and a Bible reading for partaking of the wine with a prayer. One set for each Sunday of the year.  Useful for those leading the communion as well as worshippers in the pews for your meditation.  To BUY NOW, click a book or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2Nf542d

.

.

#LordsSupper, #HolyCommunion, #Mass, #perfection, #sacrifice, #crucifixion, #SAtan, #ransom, #kidnapping, #baptism, #deAthburialresurrection, #bornagain, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth

Saturday 10/19 ~ Fascinating and renewing

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, church, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, judging, knowledge, Life of Christ, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, truth, victory, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 19 (10/19), is Hebrews 10:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Lg Thumb“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus….”

The entire book of Hebrews explains in detail how the Jewish Old Testament Law of Moses with its 600 laws was replaced by the New Testament law of Jesus’ Grace, not just for Jews, but for every nation on earth.

Only Levites (male descendants of the Jewish tribe of Levi) were allowed to enter the Holy Place ~ first room in the temple. Only the high priest, (a Levite descendant of Aaron, Moses’ brother) was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, and even then only once a year on the Day of Atonement. Leviticus 16 explains that on that Day, the high priest was to kill a goat and sprinkle its blood inside the Most Holy Place for the atonement (forgiveness) of the people, then had to come right out.

Blood sacrifices were only to appease Satan. God commanded people to make those sacrifices, not to inconvenience people, but to keep Satan at bay until he got what he really wanted ~ the blood of God in flesh (Acts 20:28). Once Jesus gave Satan what he wanted, there was no more reason to offer the blood of animals ~ the theme throughout the Old Law of Moses.

The Jewish temple was destroyed about the time the book of Hebrews was written. This book explains that worshippers no longer need an earthly high priest and an earthly Most Holy Place. Jesus is your high priest (Hebrews 7:24-26) The Most Holy Place is heaven and open to all Christians throughout the world, not just for a few moments, but for eternity. (Hebrews 9:24-26).

Hebrews 9:12-14 explains, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

“The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ ~ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God ~ cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

God created the pattern in the Old Testament, and the spiritual reality in the New Testament.

Some people are collecting money and breeding red heifers to rebuild the temple and begin blood sacrifices again. Why in the world would they do that? Do they really want to annul Jesus’ New Last Will and Testament and return to stoning adulterers, paying 1/3 of their income (not just 1/10) to the temple, requiring all males go to the temple three times a year, etc.?  And where are they going to find a direct descendant of Aaron, Moses’ brother, to be the high priest? James said that, if you keep part of the Law, you must keep all of it (James 2:10).

Read the book of Hebrews for yourself. It is fascinating and renewing. It is full of freedom and redemption and eternity.

 

0-Titus-Cover-Lg ThumbTITUS: THE ARISTOCRAT is an arbitrator. He’s already lived a hard life before meeting Paul ~ blame for his mother’s death, loss of a child, loss of his beautiful wife. In his law practice, he defends the downtrodden. After his conversion to Christianity, Paul sends him everywhere to calm down people wanting to bring the old Law of Moses or their idol-worshipping practices into the church. The church was meant to be simple.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2OYISvL

#blood, #crucifixion, #animalblood, #sacrifice, #ransom, #temple, #holyplace, #mostholyplace, #Levites, #priests, #highpriest, #DayOfAtonement, #red heifer, #Jerusalem, #LawOfMoses, #LawOfGrace, #rebuild, #worship,#inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth

Monday 10/14 ~ Into the thistles

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, Loss, problems, sacrifice, Saved from hell, sin, temptation, weakness1 Comment

The scripture for today, October 14 (10/14), is John 10:14 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.thumbnail-new“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me ~ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father ~ and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

How amazing that Jesus is willing to follow you when you do not follow him, and bring you back to his protective fold. He died while doing just that.

Yet we continue to leave him and his instructions that would keep us safe, and we wander into thistles, near cliffs, down into pits. This requires more work for Jesus. Yet we do it anyway. Catch me if you can! We may laugh, but he weeps because he knows the danger we are headed for.

How much grief do you give your spiritual Father, your spiritual Big Brother, your spiritual family? If they are not laughing over what you’re doing, perhaps you should not be either.

Do you say, “It’s no one else’s business what I do in private”? But when those private sins lead you into problems, it breaks the hearts of your loved ones here on earth. It breaks the heart of Jesus, who went through a torturous death to bring you out of those problems. 

God, forgive me when I wander from You.

 

0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.thumbnail-newHEARTS AFIRE is Novel 3 of the THEY MET JESUS series.  It about the people who discovered Jesus and how he could help them with their physical and spiritual problems. Each chapter is the drama of a different person.  One of them may be you.  Citations and discussion questions at the end of each chapter make it conducive to classes or reading clubs.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/31es1Yb

(One reviewer said book 3 was the same as book 2 and was correct. The wrong MS was turned in. It has been corrected.)

 

#secretsins, #brokenlives, #brokenhearts, #family, #lovedones, #fallingaway, #forgiveness, #problems, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth

Thursday 10/3 ~ The Beautiful Gate

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, death, Death of Jesus Christ, Enemies, Heaven, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, victory5 Comments

The scripture for today, October 3 (10/3), is John 10:3ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Thumbnail-New“The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out….I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”

First, do you use the term saved/salvation so loosely, you tend to think you’ve been saved to heaven? No one is saved to something; you are saved from something.  Do you tend to forget what you are being saved from? You are being saved from hell! This is not a minuscule matter.

Second, how do you avoid hell? Through Jesus, the only one ever strong enough to meet Satan face to face and defeat him. He is the only way.

Have you ever been to a funeral where the deceased was preached into heaven? Do you perhaps believe you are “good enough” or “not too bad” and so God would be horrible to not let you into heaven.? Are you trying to climb into heaven through windows, so to speak, like the “thieves and robbers” Jesus referred to?

But heaven is God’s home, not yours. He has a gate into it, just like you have a door into your home. You are not obligated to open the gate or door into your home to just anyone and God is not obligated to open his gate to just anyone. Your door and God’s gate are there for a reason.

Why not enter heaven through the gate ~ Jesus? Then, the angels will shout with joy and God will open his arms, smile and say, “Welcome home.”

 

0-BK 8-ComeFlyWithMe-Cover-Thumbnail-NewCOME FLY WITH ME is the last novel in the ontology on the life of Christ, THEY MET JESUS.  Easy to read, even for a smart twelve-year-old and full of the highs and lows of sorrow and elation.  Life-Application questions at the end of each chapter.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/354AjoU

 

#heaven, #hell, #salvation, #saved, #thief, #robber, #sneak, #door, #gate, #Satan, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Monday 9/30 ~ We fall at his bloody pierced feet and worship him

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, Fear, Life of Christ, love, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, September 30 (9/30), is Luke 9:30f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”

Hebrews 5:7 says something very startling to most people. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.”

Jesus did not look forward to going to the cross, even though many thousands of others had died that way. Why was it different for him? Because he had to take on all our sins as though he had committed them himself ~ every lie we ever told, every gain from cheating, every insult, every slander campaign against another, every adultery, every murder ~ everything. He had to take the blame for ALL our sins! How could he bear it?

Not only that, but he had to experience both physical and spiritual death. Spiritual death means being separated from, being forsaken by God. What a terror to experience!

And so, a few weeks before his crucifixion, as he prayed on the mountain, Moses and Elijah appeared to him and they spoke about his death. They surely gave him the courage to do what had to be done to save you and me who deserve hell.

The crowning glory of this conversation with Moses and Elijah is that the Father himself reassured him by announcing, “THIS IS MY SON! WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN! LISTEN TO HIM!”

Jesus was to nail the Old Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14). He had promised people, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets: I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

On the cross, he said, “It is fulfilled.”  Indeed, by the time Jesus returned to heaven, he had lived the Old Law introduced by Moses perfectly ~ something no man had ever been able to do. And by the time he returned to heaven, he had fulfilled every prophecy about his birth, life, and death, the first such full-time prophet being Elijah.

Oh, the things Jesus went through for us. We fall at his bloody, pierced feet and worship him.

 

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-ThumbnailTHEY MET JESUS: SHADOW OF DEATH includes two chapters on the crucifixion itself ~ one the first three hours, one the last three hours.  I studied a lot of medical manuals and consulted physicians and they are the result. It also includes the hours before his crucifixion, the mourning of his followers and that great Sunday morning when he gave Satan the final blow: He came back to life!  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2MPmDcj

 

#crucifixion, #blame, #penalty, #punishment, #cross, #Moses, #Elijah, #Shadow of Death, #TheyMetJesus, #hell, #heaven, #eternity, #Satan, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Free book

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, church, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, Inspirational, sacrifice, Saved from hell, Scripture, sin, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

The Lord's Supper: 52 Readings With Prayers Kindle Edition

I do not know if the congregation you attend commemorates the Lord’s death and resurrection every Sunday or not.  If not, perhaps this book will encourage you to begin this wonderful practice ~ celebrate “Easter” every Sunday.

FREE: THE LORD’S SUPPER: 52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS. For presiding at the Table or personal meditation. Available WORLDWIDE.

Download your FREE book to read on your computer, phone, notebook, etc. here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/3r3rm0o4v1

#LordsSupper, #mass, #HolyCommunion, #deathofJesus,. #resurrectionofJesus, #Easter, #crucifixion, #resurrection, #EverySunday, #Worship, #savedfromhell, #forgiveness, #eternity, #ransomtoSatan, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth, #faith

Sunday 9/22 ~ What do you do on Sunday mornings?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, church, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, emptiness, eternity, faith, forgiveness, Heaven, love, sacrifice, Saved from hell, sin, Thanksgiving, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, September 22 (9/22) is Luke 9:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail“And he [Jesus] said, ‘The Son of Man[kind] must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Jesus did not look forward to his death. Hebrews 5:7 says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death….” Loud cries!

Yet, in today’s scripture, shortly after he announced to his apostles that he would be killed in Jerusalem, over in verse 51 it says, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”

Jesus had to use every bit of self-determination he could muster up to face that terrible death he had to suffer for us. What kept him to his goal? He knew only he could save us from hell by taking the death wages from Satan (Romans 6:23). Then his work would be done ~ all would be finished ~ and he could return to heaven.

Is it difficult for you to get up on Sunday morning to go to church? Is it difficult for you to read the Bible every day? Is it difficult for you to invite a friend to church with you? Do you love Jesus as resolutely as he loves you? Are you as determined to go to heaven and avoid hell as he was for you? Do you love your soul as much as Jesus does?

 

Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPPER: 52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS can be used by those leading the ritual or by participants in the pews for your meditation.  A must for every church library and great gifts.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2V8uH8f

 

#worship, #LordsSupper, #HolyCommunion, #Sunday, #church, #sacrifice, #crucifixion, #agony, #stuff, #hell, #heaven, #worship, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth

Saturday 9/21 ~ God’s blood

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, death, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, Heaven, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, sin, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, September 21 (9/21), is Hebrews 9:21f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Was Jesus God-COVER-kindle-thumbnail“In the same way, he [Moses] sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.”

Long ago in the Garden of Eden, God told Adam and Eve, the day they sinned they would die.  And it happened. The day they sinned their souls died. Death means separation. In a physical sense, we are separated from people living on earth. In a spiritual sense, we are separated from God in heaven. God is life, and cannot dwell with death. It is not in his nature. Neither can he dwell with sin. That, too, is not in his nature.

Death is Satan’s nature, so the souls of mankind began to dwell with Satan. He lured us into his trap and we gave in to his temptations. He held us ransom.  It was a blood ransom. God was able to temporarily appease Satan by commanding people to spill the blood of animals.  But animal blood was not enough for Satan. He demanded God’s blood. 

God loves us so very, very much, he sent his Words to earth, taking on flesh and blood (John 1:1,14). Then he bought us from Satan with his own blood (Acts 20:28).

What a God we have! What incomprehensible love! Let us fall at his feet in the awe of silence and worship.

 

Was Jesus God-COVER-kindle-thumbnailWAS JESUS GOD? (WHY EVIL?) takes simple steps from the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane to show Jesus was God’s Word materialized.  then it moves beyond all that to talk about the glories of our next life ~ our permanent life ~ and heaven. The entire book is centered around John 1:1, 14: “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God…And the Word took on flesh and dwealt among us.” To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/2V9FfUB

#bloodsacrifice, #deathofChrist, #crucifixion, #ransom, #AdamAndEve, #sin, #purchase, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth

Sunday 9/15 ~ Can you spare a few more minutes?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, death, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, Enemies, forgiveness, Heaven, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, September 15 (9/15), is 2nd Corinthians 9:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Supper-Front Cover-Thumbnail“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

Can you imagine dying in the place of someone else?  We occasionally hear stories from the battlefield of a man falling on a grenade so he is the only one killed, thus saving his buddies.

But closer to home, if you saw a child in the path of a car, would you run out and throw the child out of the way knowing there will be no time for you to escape death?

What if you were hiking or sailing with a friend and got lost? Would you split the food and water evenly, or would you give it all to your weaker friend? What would you do if you were lost with someone who hated everyone? Would you give them all the food and water knowing you would die and the hateful person live on?

What if you were with a friend and were arrested for a crime the friend did? Would you take the blame and the punishment of twenty years in prison so your friend could go free?  What if that person was a habitual criminal, you happened to cross paths at the wrong time, and you were both arrested for his heinous crime? Would you take the blame and his punishment (execution) for him?

Now try to imagine making your child die in the place of your enemy ~ your sinless, innocent child.

It is indescribable.

It is unimaginable.

It is unthinkable.

But God did exactly that.

How can we thank Him for his indescribable gift of Jesus redeeming us from Satan? We fall silently at His feet and worship.

Today is Sunday, the day the apostles and those they taught kept the Lord’s Supper remembering Jesus’ body that was tortured and died in our place and his blood that was drained from his body in our place. When you worship today, will you have time to remember his death with all the singing and praying and speechifying going on? Will you squeeze out the reason for Sunday, the day he came back to life and the day he returned home to heaven? Can you take a little more time?

This is the day he ransomed you from Satan and hell! So, I ask again, do you have time?

 

Supper-Front Cover-ThumbnailTHE LORD’S SUPPER: 52 READINGS WITH PRAYERS provides scriptures about Jesus and his ultimate sacrifice, the love of God for us, and sacrifice in general. Never run out of things to say and think about in this most precious time every Sunday.  The prayers will help you say what is on your heart during those intimate moments with Jesus.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2I7yfm4

#Lord’sSupper, #HolyCommunion, #mass, #LastSupper, #sacrifice, death, #crucifixion, #inspiration, #devotional, #worship, #vespers, #meditation,. #godliness, #Christianity, #JesusChrist, #church, #Bible, #Scripture, #HolyBook, #religion, #love, #truth