One Way

John 14:6

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."

Jesus, you are the only way to eternal life. You are the only way to the Father. Only what you did on the cross gave us access to the Father.

Hebrews 9:13-15

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people's bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 9:22

In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

Leviticus 17:11

for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.

Thank you, Jesus, for giving your blood and exchanging your life for mine so that I can be made pure. Nothing impure can ever enter God's presence. Your sacrifice has purified my conscience from sinful deeds so I can now boldly come to the throne of grace and worship the living God.

MEMORY VERSES

James 1:19-21

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters. You must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

James 1:19-21

John 12:49-50

"I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say."

John 12:49-50

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Who Does He Think He Is?

John 1:24:25

Then the Pharisees who had been sent asked him, "If you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?"

According to the footnotes in my Bible, there was a sect of Jews called the Essenes who would baptize Gentiles when they converted to Judaism. So the Pharisees wanted to know why John, who was baptizing Jews, was treating Jews like lowly Gentiles. John's answer was that his baptism was merely symbolic of the repentance of the people who came to him. When Jesus - the Messiah - came, he would forgive the people who repented of their sins and also baptize them with the Holy Spirit.

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Thank you, Jesus, for being my sacrificial lamb! Only your blood could wash away my sin. 

THIS WEEK'S MEMORY VERSES

Zechariah 11:11

The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.

Zechariah 11:11

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Blood Covenant

Matthew 226:27-28

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, "Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many."

I didn't know that I'm in a blood covenant with my savior! Part of what this means is that everything that belongs to God, now belongs to me. All I have to do is ask. However, on the other hand, all I am and have belongs to God! All he has to do is ask.

In ancient times if a blood covenant partner refused a request of his covenant mate, he could expect to die a horrible death. His family would most likely be killed as well. This blood covenant was taken very seriously.

So every time we take communion, we are reconfirming this blood covenant with Jesus. Jesus gave his blood in our place to confirm this covenant between God and us! 

Thank you, Jesus! Help me to never refuse any request from you as my blood covenant partner! Help me to remember my obligations under this covenant. I praise you!! In Jesus' name, amen.

This Week's Memory Verses

Zechariah 11:11

That was the end of my covenant with them. The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.

Zechariah 11:11

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I Am Your Bride

Matthew 24:36

"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows."

John 14:1-3

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."

According to Wildolive.co.uk in ancient Jewish custom, when a couple became betrothed, the groom would tell his bride, "I am going to prepare a place for you," and "I will return for you when it is ready." Most often that place was in his father's house. It was a special honeymoon room. The groom's father would oversee the work on this room. He had to give his OK before the room was considered finished and the groom could collect his bride. If curious friends or family asked the groom when the wedding would be he would answer, "Only my father knows."

Lord, I am part of your bride the church. It thrills my heart to know that you are preparing a special place for me. Help me to always be ready with oil for my lamp, which represents the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus, you gave your very blood as the bride price for me! Help me to keep myself pure and undefiled so that I will be not be ashamed when you come for me. In Jesus' name, amen.

This Week's Memory Verses

Jeremiah 17:5

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts from the LORD."

Hosea 6:6

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

The Gates are Open!

Jeremiah 17:5

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts from the LORD."

Hosea 6:6

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Psalm 118:19-21

Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,

and I will go in and thank the LORD.

These gates lead to the presence of the LORD,

and the godly enter there.

I thank you for answering my prayer

and giving me victory!

Thank you, Lord, for opening the gates that lead to your presence! I'm so glad that I no longer have to rely on a priest to go into your presence to make atonement for me. I can come boldly before your throne of grace because of the sacrifice you made for me.

Hebrews 4:16

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

 By that sacrifice, you tore the curtain covering the Holy of Holies in two, from top to bottom!

Mark 15:37-38

Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Hebrews 10:19-22

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Zechariah 9:11

Because of the covenant I made with you,

sealed with blood,

I will free your prisoners

from death in a waterless dungeon.

Because of the covenant you made with me, sealed with your blood, you freed me from my prison in a waterless dungeon. Now you refresh my soul with living springs from your word. You have sprinkled my guilty conscience with your blood and made me clean. You have washed my body with pure water. The gates are open for me! I have been counted righteous through Jesus' blood! I will go into the presence of the Lord and thank the Lord for answering my prayer and giving me victory!