"If after this you will not listen to Me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. I will break down our stubborn pride...." (Leviticus 26:18-19a, NIV)
If one wants to have at least some understanding of the gravity of that from which our Lord Jesus Christ saved, redeemed, forgave, and loosed us, just read the Bible. I was reading in Leviticus 26 yesterday and was overwhelmed by just what my sin deserves and would encounter if it were not for the Shed Blood, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. People can argue and speculate about the "Final Judgment," the, "Great White Throne," judgement, and, in general, "things to come." But there is no argument against the reality that my sin deserves judgment and punishment, and that the, "Word of God," declares as much. Otherwise, the Cross of Jesus means nothing. "What can wash away my sin? nothing but the Blood of Jesus."
I cannot tell you how much I am thankful for, how much I appreciate our Lord Jesus Christ's leading, yea verily, commanding me to read regularly through His Words. Most heresy would be eliminated if people would study the whole of the, "Words of God," rather than just constantly going to favorite texts, texts which affirm their agenda. When I started on this journey almost 46 years ago, it was not from a desire for greater Bible knowledge, or make me more able to teach or preach the Bible, or expand "my ministry," or anything of the sort. It was desperation, pure and simple. I was answer-less, powerless, even in some ways, hopeless. But I know now that what seemed to be just a reflexive move to pick up the Bible and read was not such. It was Jesus, if I might say, taking me by the hand, a poor, desperate, pathetic creature, and do what He did with David, "He restores my soul," and could one say by, "....lead[ing] me beside the still waters," ("quiet waters of rest," His Words. He still does.
Leviticus is not eliminated by the New Testament; it is fulfilled in the New Testament, viz., in Jesus Himself (Hebrews 10:1-8). The only way you and I can begin to appreciate just what Jesus saves us from is to read the whole of, "the Words of God." No "anointed preaching," prophetic utterances, no "great worship," no nothing can bring you and me to our knees in "humble adoration" like Jesus and His Words. If you do not regularly read through the Bible, I cannot encourage you enough to do so. I just cannot relate to you the "experience" in Jesus yesterday as I read Leviticus 26. "There at the Cross where He took me in; Glory to His Name!"
Father, in Jesus' Name, I tremble at the thought of me without You. Amen.
********************
Another update on Hillary: jhs58.blogspot.com
If one wants to have at least some understanding of the gravity of that from which our Lord Jesus Christ saved, redeemed, forgave, and loosed us, just read the Bible. I was reading in Leviticus 26 yesterday and was overwhelmed by just what my sin deserves and would encounter if it were not for the Shed Blood, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. People can argue and speculate about the "Final Judgment," the, "Great White Throne," judgement, and, in general, "things to come." But there is no argument against the reality that my sin deserves judgment and punishment, and that the, "Word of God," declares as much. Otherwise, the Cross of Jesus means nothing. "What can wash away my sin? nothing but the Blood of Jesus."
I cannot tell you how much I am thankful for, how much I appreciate our Lord Jesus Christ's leading, yea verily, commanding me to read regularly through His Words. Most heresy would be eliminated if people would study the whole of the, "Words of God," rather than just constantly going to favorite texts, texts which affirm their agenda. When I started on this journey almost 46 years ago, it was not from a desire for greater Bible knowledge, or make me more able to teach or preach the Bible, or expand "my ministry," or anything of the sort. It was desperation, pure and simple. I was answer-less, powerless, even in some ways, hopeless. But I know now that what seemed to be just a reflexive move to pick up the Bible and read was not such. It was Jesus, if I might say, taking me by the hand, a poor, desperate, pathetic creature, and do what He did with David, "He restores my soul," and could one say by, "....lead[ing] me beside the still waters," ("quiet waters of rest," His Words. He still does.
Leviticus is not eliminated by the New Testament; it is fulfilled in the New Testament, viz., in Jesus Himself (Hebrews 10:1-8). The only way you and I can begin to appreciate just what Jesus saves us from is to read the whole of, "the Words of God." No "anointed preaching," prophetic utterances, no "great worship," no nothing can bring you and me to our knees in "humble adoration" like Jesus and His Words. If you do not regularly read through the Bible, I cannot encourage you enough to do so. I just cannot relate to you the "experience" in Jesus yesterday as I read Leviticus 26. "There at the Cross where He took me in; Glory to His Name!"
Father, in Jesus' Name, I tremble at the thought of me without You. Amen.
********************
Another update on Hillary: jhs58.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.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
