Wanted Provided

Wanted Provided

Hebrews 10: ⁸ First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings or with animals burned on the altar and the sacrifices to take away sins.” He said this even though all these sacrifices are offered according to the Law. ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, O God, to do your will.” So God does away with all the old sacrifices and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place. ¹⁰ Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of his own body once and for all.

 

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After a number of hot days, I noticed the duct tape was peeling on one of my car “repairs.” I finally got tired of the temporary nature of taping things together. I went to the junkyard and found a replacement part. It wiped out the few dollars I had, but fixed the car.

 

• I needed a permanent fix, but was using a temporary one.
• I got used to the temporary fix and was willing to keep doing it for a while.
• I finally reached a point where I could see the futility in a temporary fix.

 

Paul, the assumed writer, discussed the futility of animal sacrifices. GOD didn’t want those. HE wanted a pure sacrifice from a sinless human. JESUS volunteered to be the perfect sacrifice. HE said “Here I am, O GOD, to do YOUR will.”

 

My Observations:

• GOD would prefer my admission to sin versus me trying to hide the fact that I cannot follow the rules.
• GOD provided me with a way to have an everlasting relationship with HIM, namely JESUS.
• GOD got exactly what was needed by JESUS becoming a sacrifice, all HE wants me to do is recognize this act of love.

 

Trying to follow the rules feels good to me. I mean, I can measure when I “did” stuff, but I cannot measure when GOD took care of it all. I want to be part of my salvation, so I jump in with moments of abstaining from sin. I then look to GOD for my pay as if to say “See how good I was, now give me more of life’s comforts.”  HE sees through my righteousness and is forgiving.

 

GOD knew I could not handle what it would take to have a loving relationship with HIM. HE was only satisfied with the act JESUS did. This selfless act of love was just right. I am glad JESUS was just what GOD wanted.

 

Challenge

• How are we purified according to the writer?
• Have you ever thought your being “good” give you more of GOD?
• Will you focus your praise on what JESUS did so HE can guide you today?

Innocent

 

Innocent

Acts 25: ²² Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.”

 

He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.”

 

²³ The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. ²⁵ I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. ²⁶ But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. ²⁷ For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying the charges against him.”

 

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After having sex outside of marriage, I wondered if the sky would open up with fire from heaven to punish me. It didn’t, so I pursued this often. After stealing and justifying the theft by saying “I was pledging a fraternity while being broke.” Again, I wondered if I would be super punished. I wasn’t. But when I got hurt or thieves stole from me, I questioned GOD’s very existence.

 

• There were times when I wanted my way and got it.
• There were times when I did wrong and there seemed to be no consequence.
• There were times when I deserved punishment but did not receive it.

 

King Agrippa and Bernice were well known. They came in town with a huge parade and celebration. They wanted to be amused by the situation Paul was in so they asked Festus to have him brought before them. Festus said, in so many words, he could not find anything Paul had done wrong. Yet Paul remained in jail.

 

• JESUS did nothing wrong, yet HE died because of my sins.
• JESUS was innocent, yet HE was blamed by me when things did not go my way.
• JESUS never committed a single sin, yet HE was punished for all of my sins.

 

Guilty people do not want the guilt, so it is easier to not believe in deserving punishment than to accept responsibility. Not accepting responsibility will have eternal consequence. GOD allowed HIS SON to voluntarily die for the sins of humanity.

 

The only term HE put in place is to believe JESUS died and was raised from the dead for my salvation. When I believed this, I gained eternal live. I am grateful an innocent man cared enough about me to die just for me.

 

• Do you feel you are innocent?
• Are you trying not to look at your sins to avoid feeling guilty?
• Will you take responsibility for your life and admit to GOD you need HIM for day to day problems as well as eternal salvation today?

Glorious Restraint

Glorious Restraint

John 19: So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. ² And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. ³ Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

⁴ Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”

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When a child called me a name that was racially motivated, I was astounded. Dressed in a suit and going home from a hard day’s work, I was accosted by a child who was no more than five. I replied, “I do not blame you for your ignorance, I blame your ignorant parents.” I felt better for calling the parent who was standing there, ignorant, in front of many waiting train passengers.

• It feels good to retaliate.
• It feels good to get revenge.
• It feels good to return hatred with more hatred.

Pilate said JESUS was innocent, yet he whipped HIM with barb wire. He then allowed the soldiers to bloody HIS head with a thorny, mock crown. Afterwards, they punched and punched JESUS repeatedly. Then Pilate came forth and again said “I find no fault in HIM.”

• JESUS wants me to see HE showed tremendous restraint.
• JESUS wants me to know vengeance is HIS.
• JESUS wants me to understand, while it is hard to turn the other cheek when slapped, I should try it more and more.

Restraint when filled with rage has always paid off. In fact, releasing what fills me with rage enables me to sleep easier, knowing GOD has this situation handled. HE had all power and used it to show mercy instead of rage. This is a sign of strength. I admire JESUS for HIS glorious restraint.

• Do you have a temper?
• Do you get enraged easily?
• Will you give your rage to JESUS and allow HIM to grow you by giving you restraint today?

The Truth

The Truth

John 18: ³⁷ Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.

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“Omit that” was the advice of those who caused the problem. I had to speak to the crowd and explain there was a problem. I gathered input from the team that caused the problem and they wanted me to say there was a problem without saying there was a problem. After careful dissection, I came up with “a” truth.

• In this instance I had to convince people that things were not as bad as they seemed.
• In this instance I had to omit pieces of “the truth” so the crowd would not turn against me.
• In this instance I had to put a “spin” on what was going on so a riot would not happen.

Pilate asked JESUS again, “You are a king then?” JESUS answered “You say rightly that I AM a KING.” HE also explains why HE is KING. HE came to bear witness to “the truth.” Pilate, being a politician, scoffs “What is the truth?”

• JESUS wants me to know HE is the way, the truth and the life.
• JESUS wants me to know HIS word is the only truth.
• JESUS wants me to know HE has already saved me and forgiven me for ALL my sins.

Truth is hard to find. I mean ads can say “world’s best” without checking if that is true to everyone. “A” truth can be told to friends who want to believe speculative words. BUT GOD cuts through all of the deception.

JESUS saw mankind was doomed to eternal destruction. HE volunteered to become a human so HE could live a sinless life. HE was blamed by HIS creation, and murdered by those who lied by omission. HE was raised from the dead to be placed over everything. HE is building a place for believers in HIM and will return someday soon to destroy this world. This is the only truth I believe, all else fails.

• What do you believe?
• Do you think humans have proven things GOD cannot handle?
• Will you stop looking with your worldly, “prove it”, eyes and start believing JESUS is the only answer?

Giving In

Luke 23: ²⁰ Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. ²¹ But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’

²² For the third time he spoke to them: ‘Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.’

²³ But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decided to grant their demand. ²⁵ He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

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Tired of being alone in the small town, I decided to hang out with coworkers. When we traveled, we ate together and I gave in to drink with them. “C’mon, have a little more” they said. After twenty two pitchers of beer between the three of us, I had to drive back to the hotel. Somehow I made it there but upon arrival the front desk person said “You have a message…The system is down you are being requested to come in.”

• In the past I gave in to what the crowd wanted.
• In the past I gave in to fit in.
• In the past I gave in to something I was against.

Pilate tried to wash his hands of sentencing JESUS to death, but the church leaders had stirred up the crowd so much that he had to acquiesce. He gave in to the crowds wishes and sentenced an innocent man to death and released a murderous rebel.

• GOD wants me to stop comparing my sins in terms of size.
• GOD wants me to do what is right when the time comes to make a decision.
• GOD wants me to stand up for what is right rather than giving in to the crowd.

Standing firm on GOD’s word is sometimes difficult. I mean if the crowd says one thing and I am the only one standing firm on following GOD, then it can feel uncomfortable. BUT GOD protects me and gives me the right words and actions to follow HIS ways. I am grateful for HIS guidance.

• Are you facing a difficult decision?
• Would the decision make you unpopular if you follow GOD’s ways?
• Will you decide to follow what GOD is telling you to do anyway, no matter the human consequence?

Voice Impersonations

Matthew 27: ²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. ³⁰ They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. ³¹ After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

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“You sound just like him! Do it again.” said the students, egging me on. I pretended to be our teacher and impersonated his distinct voice again in a jesting kind of way. All around me laughed except one, namely the teacher.

• There have been times I have mocked people.
• There have been people I have ridiculed.
• There have been situations where I wanted to make fun of someone at their expense.

I had gone too far and the teacher showed me his authority by sending me out of his room.  The soldiers, however, went much further against JESUS. They wanted to make a public example of anyone who would call themselves “King.”

They thought they had the upper hand as they brutalized the ONE who chose to die for their sins and mine. As they mocked HIM they may have walked away with a sense of satisfaction, BUT GOD says something different.

• JESUS showed me that HE does not want HIS creation mocked.
• JESUS faced humiliation just like I have faced before.
• JESUS gave me an example of taking the shame even though HE had the authority to stop it.

Mocking the KING of kings and LORD of lords was not a good idea and did not bode well for the soldiers later. JESUS wants me to understand HIS shame and apply it to my actions towards others. HE says to me “Figure out another way to make them laugh instead of mocking them.” I am glad JESUS’s humiliation led to my salvation.

• Are you mocking someone?
• Do you feel “that” person is stupid?
• Will you take mockery out of your heart and ask GOD to replace it with love?

Carried Away

Matthew 27: ¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

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We insisted on police protection so we planned a walk-out. When we got outside of the school we had no other plan. Some went home, others mulled around but one guy decided to get on top of a car and stir the crowd.  “I wonder if I should get on the car” I thought to myself, but before I could act on the thought, the police whisked him away. Whew, I thought!

• Sometimes I can get carried away with the crowd.
• Sometimes the crowd seems like it is doing the right thing to me.
• Sometimes I can get caught up in the moment with the crowd.

Pilate based his decision on an angry crowd with no distinct leader and thorough chaos abounding. His wife mentioned JESUS’s innocence but Pilate listened to those in charge of the local churches. The crowd won out.

• GOD wants me to follow HIM even when it is not what the crowd says.
• GOD wants me to get carried away with HIM, not the crowd.
• GOD wants me to understand true innocence based on HIS definition, not the crowd.

Innocence to GOD means I believe in HIS SON as the one and only SAVIOR. Only HIS innocent blood can wash away my sins. I am declared innocent through JESUS.

• Are you following the crowd even when JESUS is trying to speak to you?
• Do you think the crowd had a better idea than GOD?
• Will you allow yourself to be led by HIS SPIRIT by following HIS word today?