"We Do Have...A High Priest...Who Serves"

"Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest...Who serves in the...true tabernacle set up by the Lord...."
(From Hebrews 8:1, 2-NIV)

"The main point," is, "We do have such a high priest...," One, "Who serves...," One Who, "sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven."  In this very moment, This Servant High Priest is serving you and me and anyone who lives in repentance of sin, surrendering their complete life and life stye to the reign of Jesus Christ.  He is serving, "in the sanctuary," and  this, "sanctuary," is not just any sanctuary.  It is in, "the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being."

As I sit here thinking of you, where you might be, in the midst of whatever battles you may be going through, I take extreme delight in knowing that you and I are being well taken care of----- in this very moment.  No power in the heavens or in Hell can separate you and me from, "We do have such a high priest," One Who, "always lives to intercede for [us]."  We are grateful for the pray lines, the pray chains in local congregations, and friends whom we can call upon to intercede on our behalf.  Yet never forget for one moment, especially in those times when you cannot reach someone here on earth, when you seem alone, we are called to, "Consider Jesus....Who serves."  And He is our Serving High Priest Who, "always lives to intercede for [us]."

Father, in Jesus' Name, Servant High Priest, Jesus, as a citizen of what you call, "a kingdom of priests," I pray to be a servant-priest.  Amen.
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Growing tension between Turkey and Israel: www.apf327.blogspot.com   

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"Indestructible Life"-- You Want it? You Got It

"One Who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to His ancestry but on the basis of an Indestructible Life.... (Hebrews 7:16, NIV)

I read in the Psalms yesterday, "Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever; and rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever."  God takes us from, "our lowly state...and rescue[s] us from our enemies...on the basis of an indestructible life."  The dictionary defines "indestructible," as "incapable of being destroyed, ruined, or rendered ineffective."  This is what the whole human race has so desperately sought. 

The, "basis," on which Jesus Christ does all things is, "an Indestructible Life." The Jews once said to Jesus, "Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?  And the prophets are dead.  Who do You make Yourself out to be?"  Answer?  "One Who has become a priest...on the basis of an indestructible life."  Abraham is dead, Moses is dead, "....the prophets are dead," and even Muhammed is dead.  None of these were, "indestructible."  Parenthetically, I have never read nor heard that there were eyewitnesses to the alleged ascension of Muhammed into heaven.  "One of Abu Bakr's family told me that Aisha, the Prophet's wife, used to say: 'The apostle's body remained where it was but God removed his spirit by night'" (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasulullah, p. 183).  Yea, right.  We have only the word of Muhammed of his "leaping into heaven on a horse."  Many eyewitnesses, however,  observed everything which Jesus did, His miracles, His trial, His death, His resurrection, His ascension.  In fact there were more eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus and the succeeding 50 days than so many of the historic events we just accept unquestioningly.  

Jesus is, "indestructible life," incarnate.  And if you and I want indestructibility, there is only one place to be------- in Jesus Christ, Who not only gives, but indeed Is our, "indestructible Life."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank you for coming to me in my low estate, rescuing me and being my indestructibility.  Amen.

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News, Commentary:   www.apf327.blogspot.com  

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

Just Cannot Ignore, "Perfection--A Better Hope"

"Now if perfection...had been attainable by the Levitical priesthood..,why was it further necessary that there should arise another...kind of Priest....For the Law never made anything perfect-- but instead a better hope is introduced through which we [now] come close to God." (From Hebrews 7, Amplified Bible)

This is the objective of Biblical, "perfection------- come close to God."  It is not what some call, "great worship," or meeting hype which does this; it is, "perfection."

The old 1950s song is what most people desire of religion: "Though it makes Him sad to see the way we live, He'll always say, 'I forgive.'"  Is that what we really want, sinning, forgiveness, sinning, forgiveness, personality and character flaws going unchallenged, unchanged the rest of our sojourn here?!?  I so often have heard people say, "I really like that church.  Nobody judges you; they just love on you and accept you no matter what."  So is that it?  Get saved, but never changed, never converted, viz., "to turn one's self from one's course of conduct"?

Our text declares it is, "perfection," which, "brings us close to God."  One may go to every bookstore, shop online, go to every convention on the planet, searching, longing for some message, some book which opens the secret to, "come close to God. "  Yet for over 2000 years, "The Word of God," Jesus Christ, has been telling the world, "His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints.., that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him" (From Eph. 4, Amp).  It is not to the "the stature of the fullness of" me or someone one may admire; it is to, "the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him"------------------- nothing less.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray for more "pressing on" in my life.  Amen.

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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

"A Better Hope"

"For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God." (Hebrews 7:18,19)

The Holy Spirit is still teaching us of the High Priesthood of Jesus, first glimpsed in Genesis.  The word, "better," is a key word in understanding the Book of Hebrews.  The whole intent is to show us God's, "better." 

Our text in no way speaks ill of the Law.  Galatians says that the Law was, "our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ."  And make no mistake about it; you and I need a, "schoolmaster," and not just before we were "saved."  I fear that a lot of that freedom we hear so much about in happy hour worship is a freedom now to do what we want, when we want, "and no law will keep me in bondage."  If you listened to some religious people, you would get the impression that any command, Old or New Testament, robs a person of "victory in Christ."  No.  The commands rob us only of ourselves.  The only "victory in Christ" comes from submission to Christ.

The purpose of the Law was to take us to a better place------- to Jesus Christ Himself, the forgiveness and eradication of sin, right into the very Heart of God.  And, "....what the Law could not do weak as it was through the flesh, God did."  In Jesus Christ, "He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to yield to your Perfection.  Amen.
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News, Commentary:   www.apf327.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

I Give You, "Perfection"

"If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood-- and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood-- why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?...This is the kind of High Priest we need...." (Heb. 7:11, 26)

Many people probably think it is out of date to speak of a, "priesthood," especially, "high priest."  It is not.  This is how Jesus is serving you and me--------- right now.  The term, "high priest," is not some irrelevant doctrine which has no meaning to you and me today.  Right now as I write this, a most wonderful comfort is mine; Jesus, Our, "Great High Priest," is "representing" me "to" our Father.  Right now, oh, think of it for just a moment, Jesus, now in, "the Holiest of All," before, yes, but also seated, "in [His] Throne," at One with and in our Father---------------- this very moment! 

What are you doing right now, this very moment?  Are you in a busy office, in a classroom, recovering from broken relationships?  Are you daydreaming of a life which seems to have amounted to nothing, empty?  No problem.  "[Jesus] is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless unstained by sin.  He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven" (v.26, NLT).  Now the Bible tells us that Jesus was, "a friend of sinners," but here we read that, "He has been set apart from sinners."  How can this be?  Contrary to what popular religion is demonstrating, Jesus did not appear in order to join sinners in sin.  Jesus died on a cross so that we can now join Him in His righteousness.  This, "is the kind of high priest we need...."------------------ and have. 

Father, in Jesus' Name, so wonderful, so powerful, in the midst of a world rushing to judgment and Armageddon, is Your, "mighty word of power."  Amen.
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News, Commentary:    www.apf327.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2