GOD’S WORD FOR JUNE 12
GOD’S WORD FOR JUNE 12 ~ ~ Hebrews 1:3 ~ ~ “…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”
When Jesus was taking the horrible punishment for our sin, It was in all aspects of His humanity. He suffered as a man, having set aside His glory for a time. He suffered spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Never before had He and the Father been apart. Never before had the Trinity been separated. Never before had He experienced the depths of humanity and depravity without the Father with Him. Never before had it pleased the Father to pour forth His wrath on His dear Son. Isaiah 53:10 tells us, concerning the Crucifixion: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:” The depth of those words aren’t obvious without meditation and prayer. The Father and the Son, who shared the glory for eternity past, and brought about this creation together, along with the Holy Spirit, were separated. Not only that, but the Father had to turn His back on Him, because He had taken on all the hideousness of the sins of ALL CREATION FOR ALL TIME. We cannot imagine the burden of the perfect God of the universe becoming the totality of ALL the sins of the world for all of created time!!!! It is beyond our understanding, but we need to set our minds on the unimaginable amount of Love it took for the Trinity to suffer like this. Even creation itself shuttered at the death and suffering of its Creator! The sun didn’t shine, the entire earth shook and split in earthquakes. God’s wrath over sin was displayed in thunder and lightning as He hurled His Godly hatred on the sin that He saw now in His son, and administered full Almighty judgment on Him. His entire wrath HAD TO be put upon Jesus. If He spared Him even a little, the enemy wouldn’t have been entirely defeated. Jesus HAD TO drink the entire cup of the wrath of Almighty God! But He wasn’t forced to do it. No one forces the Almighty!!! It was the great Love of the unified Godhead that wanted to do this so that the enemy would be defeated, and all creation be released to decide to choose to serve God voluntarily, or experience the wrath of the Almighty for ourselves in hell. Those are the only two choices for eternity.
After He said, “It is finished” from His torturous position on the cross, it was finished. The enemy was defeated. He had crushed the head of the serpent, as predicted in Genesis 3:15. Now, because of His sacrifice, we can come to Him alone (look again at the verse of the day, and note the words “by Himself”) for salvation, and the right to live with Him and the Father eternally. No works can add to His sacrifice. If we add works for the purpose of “impressing God” or saving ourselves, we are not trusting in His salvation. His salvation, and that alone, is all that God will accept. We will want to do everything to please Him, but it will be in great gratitude for what HE has done. Even that is only by His grace, because in us dwells no good thing. ~ ~ Romans 7:18 ~ ~ “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” But, after we’re saved, we have the Holy Spirit in our spirits. When we live our lives according to His Spirit, and His Word, in His power, we can overcome our old selves with its weaknesses and sin.
After Jesus accomplished salvation, and after saying “it is finished”, He sat down “on the right hand of the Majesty on high”. Sitting down shows that He has completely finished. He sat on the Throne, showing His authority and Deity. He sat at the right hand of the Father, signifying His submission and obedience to the Father, and that they are one again, with Jesus again sharing in the Glory they had together eternally which He had to temporarily restrict while accomplishing the great act of salvation as a man.
Have you shared in that victory through Jesus Christ? If you haven’t, or if it is mixed with works, in a church that teaches that works are needed in addition, you are on the pathway of the “wide road” that leads to death. Only Jesus gives life, and trying to add to it ourselves is denying that life that He offers.
Turn to Him sincerely. He will not turn you away. He said so in John 6:37 ~ ~ “All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.” Just talk to Him in your own words. Even if you’re not sure, or don’t really want to, tell Him that. Be like the man that said, “I believe, help my unbelief” You won’t understand at first. None of us will ever understand all of it in this world. All He wants is the desire to follow Him and obey Him,. He will lead you from there. Keep your eyes on Him and His Word, pray and obey, and He’ll show you and lead you.
Father, we come to You in the name, and by the constant intercession of Your Dear Son Jesus Christ.
We ask that those who read this and have even a slight desire to follow You will respond by coming to You, seeking You, no matter how weakly they feel the pull. I pray that they will sense Your hand reaching for them, deep in their spirit, as their spirit is revived in the New Life, and they become a New Creation in You. I pray they will sense Your leading and determine to obey every thing You show them,. We praise You for all who come to You and follow the narrow road to a glorious eternity with You. We praise You for the wonderful plan of salvation and Your great love for Your people. In the wonderful name of Jesus, we ask these things.
Live in the Light of Our Lord 