"Never Without Blood"

"But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood...." (Hebrews 9:7, NIV)

"....never without blood...."  This phrase reveals the precedence set in the Garden.  In order to cover Adam and Eve and the shame of their rebellion, blood was shed, thus a foreshadow of, "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin."  The high priests in the order of Aaron entered the Most Holy Place of the earthly tabernacle, "never without blood....But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands....He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood...." 

Now some may think I am getting a little too repetitive in this Hebrew study, but I hope you are not getting bored.  At the risk of sounding a little too mystical here, this time looking at Hebrews, short phrases just keep "jumping out" to me, phrases I have read for years and years, but just keep refreshing me over and over; our text is one of them.  I felt earlier today that every church building and meeting place on the planet should have this phrase over the door, "Never Without the Blood of Jesus Christ," never worship, never praying, never preaching, never feeding the poor, never doing missions, "never without Blood."

"....never without blood."  This is the theme of the Kingdom of Heaven.  "....Never without blood," think that you or I or any personage on the planet may or can be accepted, "in the Beloved."  This should be a "battle cry" of the Church, "Never without blood," because only by, through, and in the Blood of Jesus Christ may we enter the Holiest of All, and only, "by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word to which we [bare] witness," do we overcome the Enemy of men's souls.

So, continue to go about your business today, my dear friend; do what needs to be done, and------------- "never without Blood."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I utter Your Name, I seek Your Face, I cry out to You for family, friends, men and nations, "never without Blood."  Amen.  

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New Article at:  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

"....There Must Also of Necessity Be the Death...."

"For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives." (Hebrews 9:16, 17)

"....no power at all," is the description of the gospel of man's attempt to dilute the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is a "gospel" of no cross, no suffering, no blood, no, "a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness,..despised," Who, "has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment]....The, "no-power-at-all," gospel does not keep consistently before mankind that, "Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, Jesus was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Jesus, and with the stripes [that wounded] Jesus we are healed and made whole."  It is, "the death of the Testator," which eliminates, "no power at all."    

Our text tells us that someone had to die so that you and I could live now, eternally.  This is not an easy salvation or flippant covenant.  This is a Covenant Salvation which was born of a violent death, untold suffering, rejection, earthquake, sky turning very dark, clouds, storm------------ and blood, so much blood that no Hollywood film could ever portray the violence of That Day.  But Jesus bore it all for you and me and a world which largely could not care less.  Still, Jesus died so the world, "may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."  What a pity that the majority are seeking this great promise apart from Jesus.

Our study in Hebrews has not been sequential.  I have been just sharing thoughts as I read the various chapters, and I admit, they are more precious than ever.  So rejoice with me; "The Testator lives"! and it is He Who reminds you and me, "I am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen," and now, "Because I live, you will live also."

Father, in Jesus' Name, there is nothing as rich in life as You and Your Words.  Thank You.  Amen.  

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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

The "How-To" of The Presence

"For Christ has...entered...heaven itself...to appear in the presence of God for us...." (Hebrews 9:24)

It can only be that, "Christ has...entered...heaven...;" no one else could do that.  And because, "Christ has... entered," I have, "entered"----------- with Him, in Him, in Father.

I was "counseling" with a person once who said, "I'm not good enough."  I said, "That's right; no one is."  Never affirm a person as "good" if all they want is to hear, "Of course you are."  Just "affirming" people will only affirm them in their self sufficiency and rebellion, aka, pride.  Talk which keeps telling people how basically good they are, how they should stop feeling bad about themselves, is an attempt of the Enemy of man's soul to bypass the Cross and Blood of Jesus Christ.  Feeling bad about oneself is the first step to Biblical repentance. 

Yet the number one prayer concern for so many today is, "I just want to feel good about myself."  We should not.  "Myself" apart from Jesus Christ was nothing but a self on its way to Hell.  If you or I feel good about anything in us apart from Jesus Christ, it is a self-centered "feel good," pride.  "For we are the circumcision, who... rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh...."  

Our text tells us that Jesus is the only way to, "enter[]...Heaven itself,..to appear in the presence of God...."  Prayer, worship, good deeds, nice personhood do not bring us into, "the Presence"; only Jesus has done that.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that in reality there is nothing I can feel good about in myself.  It leaves me with nothing to "feel good about" but You!  Amen.

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News, Commentary at: 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

Spiritual "Spitballing?"

"Then indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.  For a tabernacle was prepared...." (Hebrews 9:1, 2a)

Hebrews teaches us that, "a tabernacle was prepared," in Heaven----------- from eternity.  It is the One which, "the Lord pitched and not man," to use the words of 2 Corinthians, "eternal in the heavens."

Some people may call what I am about to do as "spit balling."  Well, okay, but let's look at some things here.  By saying, "even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service," the writer seems to be saying, "If the first covenant did, why would it be difficult to accept the fact that the second covenant has, 'ordinances of divine service'"?  Now the very thought of this would be considered a curse by many "free flowing" charismatics; much of the movement has always seen itself free of, "ordinances." 

The Bible teaches us, however, that we have, and not in some liturgical past, but right now, a, "great High Priest," and not some ethereal being, but One in a glorious resurrected body, "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have...handled," living and performing, "ordinances of divine service," serving in, "the greater and more perfect Tabernacle," even Jesus, our Lord and King.  The Books of Daniel and Revelation describe His High Priestly garments ("divine service"), and the Book of Hebrews gives a detailed description of His right-now, "divine service."  This, my friend, is the fulfillment of "The Divine Liturgy."

Spit balling?-- maybe, but could it be that throughout eternity we will participate in the, "ordinances of divine service," which are a continual "reminder" of who we are, the People of Jesus Christ, from where we have come, Jesus Christ, to Whom we have come, Jesus Christ, and to "where" (time-space word) we are going, Jesus Christ?  Since scientists say that the universe is continually expanding, galaxies rushing away from one another at tremendous speed, perhaps there is a similar "theology" of God's Eternal People, continually "expanding," evening learning, discovering more and more of all Who our God is, what He has done, and is doing, all all that is before us ---- "where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, there is always that wonder of what Who You Are and What you do.  Amen.
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Article:  "Forgotten Christians of the Middle East" at,   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