Archive for the ‘Atonement’ Category

THE HEALER

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

Day 240

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him”
Isaiah 57:14-19; Romans 11:28-29

Our Father is a healer and restorer. In the midst of the people’s rebellion, He clearly states He will not always be angry with them. In fact, He notes the frailty of man and how, under His chastisement, they could grow faint – lose faith and hope in Him. Even more important is the greatness of His grace and mercy in the face of sin.

There is no reformation of sinful man without God’s grace. Where sin has abounded, grace abounds even more (Romans 5:20). It is God’s answer to sin. When He says He has seen his [the sinner] ways, and will heal him, our Father is stating that the sinner will never turn to Him of himself, so He will turn him. He will first love him. He will heal and make straight his corrupt ways, and He will lead him.

We move to a later period when Jesus Christ comes and is rejected by God’s own people. Israel refuses to recognize Him as the Messiah and murders Him on a cross. His own Son—killed by His own people! And with this grievous sin they become enemies of the gospel, but because of election, He will once again extend grace and mercy to them. He will turn and heal them.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! . . . to Him be the glory forever! Amen.”      Romans 11: 33-36

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HE IS WORTHY

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

Day 207

“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”
Revelation 5:2

John is looking at the Throne and he sees a scroll in the right hand of the Father. It is written both inside and on the back and sealed with seven seals. What is this scroll? It is God the Father’s eternal decree, His eternal plan and purposes for all creation throughout the ages and eternity. The scroll is sealed with seven seals; it’s closed, meaning God’s plan is sealed. If it’s sealed, it is unfulfilled, not carried out. “So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or look at it” [verse 4].

Now John hears that there is One worthy to open the scroll and loose the seven seals. It is the slain Lamb of God who has redeemed us by His blood. A great exaltation rises in the heavens and they worship Him. The breaking of the seals and opening of the scroll means the execution of God’s eternal plan. His glorious redemptive purposes are being realized and we are made kings and priests to give praise, honor and glory to Him.

The Elder declares to John, “He has conquered . . .”, or He has won; has overcome and triumphed. Christ has conquered sin on the cross and delivered us. By bearing the full burden of God’s wrath for our sins, and conquering Satan, He has purchased us and our freedom. He has earned the right to break the seals and open the scroll, thereby ruling the universe in accordance with God’s plan. Now He is our Mediator, crowned with glory and honor. It is now the Throne of God our Father and the Lamb. Now our warfare has ended, our sins forgiven and we are comforted by Him who first loved us.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing” Revelation 5:12

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THE CROSS

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Day 198

“As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in all the attractive things of the world was killed long ago, and the world’s interest in me is also long dead.” Galatians 6:14

One can only surmise what the Father and Son talked about in heaven when it came time to redeem mankind. The whole thought of God subjecting Himself to human flesh, living 33 years on the earth, and then abject rejection ending in a torturous death is beyond our understanding. Yet, God the Father determined it before time—“But God, following his prearranged plan, let you use the Roman government to nail him to the cross and murder him” Acts 2:23 [LB]. Jesus was the Lamb of God.

We think about the cross more in a historical context or as a passing mention rather than meditating on its meaning to us. We [should] know that we were purchased and set free through Christ’s redemptive work, but, that is not all the cross infers. Paul declares it made him a dead man to the world. That is opposite of how most of us live. That position can only come to us when we have looked into the depth of the cross and understood the price that was paid for our redemption.

Do you want to know the heart of the Father? The cross is the center of God’s plan and it reveals His very character to us. One writer called the cross “love in excess,” probably because our love is so faulty. Actually, the cross is what true love is all about. And when recognize that compelling love, the world suddenly has nothing to offer.

“My constant boast is God. I can never thank you enough!” Psalm 44:8

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NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS

Saturday, September 11th, 2010

Day 189

“It is enough”
Luke 38:1

What a rebuke!

Christ is instructing His disciples about the change that was to take place and the fulfillment of Isaiah 53 [about Him]. Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, Son of God, incarnate Man is about to become numbered with the transgressors. The hatred of God, the wickedness of man and the evil one are about to be poured out on Christ.

Christ was preparing His disciples to bring the Gospel to others. They were now to strip themselves and go with what they had in their hand. No more would they be covered as children by the father. Now they would stand in their own right under His banner and carry out His work. Their provision now is not in ‘things,’ but in Him alone as their strength and help.

Yet, these men still focused on the natural and wrestled with His words! How much it’s like us.  Anything, but resting wholly in Him. Christ is about to take the wrath of your sin and all of mankind’s on Him, and they worry about little things! God has come out of heaven to set us free from sin and death and we worry about little things!!! He not only has set us free with salvation, He continues to redeem us with grace and mercy in our lives, lifting us out of the pit when we fall. ‘IT IS ENOUGH,’ He says. Lift your head up, the King of Glory has come.

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye
lift up, ye everlasting doors and the;
King of Glory shall come in”
Psalm 24:7

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NO WRATH TODAY

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

Day 87

“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath
but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”
1 Thessalonians 5:9

God’s wrath against sin is His holiness stirred into action. God’s wrath was very evident in the Old Testament; “Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book” [2 Kings 22:13]. Vivid examples of His wrath are seen by the earth swallowing up Dathan and Abriam, Achan and his family being stoned to death, and Uzzah who put his hand on the Ark of God and died.

In reading the accounts of God’s history with His people from Genesis throughout the time before Christ we deepen our awareness of the vast difference between God’s holiness and the people’s actions. It was necessary for God to establish the law to make them aware of their sins, and as necessary for His wrath to be demonstrated so that they would know the consequences.

Today, though, it is different. The wrath of God has been quenched through the death of Christ. God’s wrath, both in the present and to come, was dealt with at the Cross. Jesus, the Lamb of God (named after the sacrificial Passover lamb) became our substitute. The wrath of God was poured out on Him. The Creator of the universe humbled Himself as a man and subjected Himself to death for you so that we would not have to suffer His wrath. The blood abolished God’s anger against us and brought His favor. Now, instead of showing Himself against us, He now shows Himself for us.

“While we were enemies, we were reconciled
to God through the death of His Son”
Romans 5:10

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