Jesus Bears Your Name, "Over His Heart...Continually"

"So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually."  (Exodus 28:29)

Blitzing along in my schedule, I found this most precious text again.  The high priest was to, "....bear the names of the sons of Israel...over his heart...continually."  Glorious.  There are two things which came to me today from our text.

First, this, of course, is the "current" ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Book of Hebrews tells us of Jesus, "And it is yet far more evident.., there arises another priest Who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life....By so much more Jesus has become a guarantee of a better covenant....He has an unchangeable priesthood.  Therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."  Think of it, my Fellow traveler on life's journey: Jesus has your name and my name, "over His Heart...continually", right now, right there, right here!  

Second:  As I was praying for people today, I felt Jesus speak to my heart that we "five-fold" people should be doing the same.  The moment went from thinking of you, to all for whom and for which I pray, "....bear [them] over [my] heart...continually."  Maybe this is a "word" to us all.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so thank You for this most glorious revelation of Your Shepherd's Heart.  Amen.

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

"Your Lamb Shall Be Without Blemish"

"Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year....Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall ill it at twilight.  And they shall take of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it....It is the Lord's Passover." (From Exodus 12)

From the beginning, blood has always been our forgiveness.  The altars of old must have been most gruesome, blood everywhere. 

Today's text tells us of very sobering Foreshadow and Type of Jesus, "Lamb of God."  Jesus, indeed the One Who is, "....without blemish."  And in this PC age can I say, "a male of the first year," or, a young male?  For me, "....the blood...on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the house[]," is the Blood of Jesus on the "doorposts and...lintel of," my very being.  Then we read that they ate the Passover lamb.  Jesus affirms this "full-circle" fulfillment of the Exodus 12 Foreshadow, Type, Prophecy in John 6.

Today most of humanity has an aversion to blood.  When someone speaks of blood, when one sees blood it speaks of suffering, even death.  Yet Hebrews 10 tells us that the only way to enter, "The Holy of Holies," which is, "in the true Tabernacle, "which the Lord pitched, not man," is by, "the Blood of Jesus."

"What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus."  The song writer got it right.  May the current generation in the Church never attempt to change this, or adapt this to accommodate some "paradigm  shift." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that my friend and I will be bathed afresh in the Blood of Jesus, cleansed in the Blood of Jesus, purged in the Blood of Jesus, washed in the Blood of Jesus.  Amen.

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

THE FAMILY

"And Abraham said to God, 'Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!'  Then God said: 'No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.'"  (Genesis 17:18, 19)

The tragedy of the Middle East is two brothers who just cannot get along.  It is the hatred of the rejected brother's descendants towards the brother's descendants of the Covenant.

Reading in Genesis again, I am impressed with the fact that all which we know of God's Administration in the earth, our Salvation History, Covenant blessings, etc., is centered in family.  The Kingdom of Heaven is rooted in family.  The Church is rooted in family.  Let's look at the positive nature of family: There is the security of relationship, friendship, acceptance, mentoring and guidance, example, instruction, loyalty, just to name a few.  Now if you do not know this from your "natural" family, it is time for the Church to affirm all of the aforementioned in you.  "We are Family!"

God, the Father, the Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit, this is Family.  The Bible tells us, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith....And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end." 

What if the Jews and Arabs would obey this command of Jesus?  What if the Church were to manifest this more and more, no "favorites," no, "preferring one before another," no one feeling rejected, less than others, less "important?"---- rhetorical.

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to be a good member of, "the household of faith."  Amen.

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

"God Will Provide For Himself"

"Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.'  So the two of them walked on together."  (Genesis 22:8, NASB)

"God will provide for Himself...."  What a statement.  I think most have interpreted this text as "God will provide for me." 

Jesus was providing for His Purposes, not Abraham's.  Yes, our Lord is also, "the God Who provides," for us, but overriding us is, "Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven."  What occurred to me today is that God will provide for me as I abide in, "Himself."

"God will provide (literally, 'see') for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering."  We all affirm that, "Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."  Do we realize in that confession is the Truth that Life is, "for Himself," Jesus' Purposes, Jesus' will?  Can we say that The Living Triune God, "provide[s] for Himself," because He, "see[s] for Himself," just what is needed in any given situation, whether for you or me, or the administration of this Planet and the Universe?

Abraham was Jesus' servant.  He took Isaac to be sacrificed because Jesus told him to.  He prepared the altar, because Jesus told him to.  Abraham had enough, "Jesus Christ is Lord," in him to know that whatever was going on in the scenario, "God will provide for Himself."  We are the recipients of, "God will provide for Himself," if we abide/dwell/live in Jesus Christ and His Words.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I take great comfort in, "God will provide for Himself."  Amen.

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

"In The Beginning...And Every Shall Be"

"In the beginning God created...."  (Genesis 1:1a)

And, we can say, "God sustains."

For the last part of this year I am doing a different Bible reading schedule which will take me through the Bible every two months.  My devotionals will reflect this. 

I read today about Abraham, great guy, but had as much of "I'll-do-it-my-way" as any of us.  He tried to save his own hide by giving his wife to the Egyptian king.  He argued with God about the Covenant Blessing; he wanted it to go to Ishmael.  God said no to this and gave Abraham His Covenant Purpose.  God's Word prevails, no matter what you and I do or plan.

You and I cannot navigate life's sea without continual, daily input of Jesus' Words.  If not Jesus' Words, then it will be someone else's, ours, or any of the whoevers.  The, "God-Breathed," Words begin with, "In the beginning God...."  This sets the "tone" for the way in which you and I are to walk out life's journey.  Jesus said, "Abide in Me and I in you."  There we have it: "In the beginning God," throughout life's journey God, and through, "days of eternity," God, Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit. 

Ours is to be an "abiding" life in Jesus Christ and His Words, which are, as Proverbs 1 declares, "....for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are gullible, knowledge and discretion...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, "I need Thee, O, I need Thee.  Every hour I need Thee."  Amen.

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