Mediator – Praying Pint

By your blood

Psalms 103:4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

Psalms 34:22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalms 56:13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalms 71:23 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

Job 33:19-30 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food. His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’; then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. He sings before men and says: ‘I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’ “Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.

Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

To have sins forgiven is more important than physical healing. What does it profit the soul to have perfect or good health if the soul is rotting away? We tend to put blinders on when it comes to the health of our soul. It is understandable why this can happen. We can see and feel our physical state. Our physical body is designed to let us know something is not right. We feel pain. We see the effects of something not being right. Sometimes it is others who see it. When it comes to our soul, how are we to know? The word of God. In and through His word we are able to gain understanding of His holiness and our sinfulness. His word is a light into our soul. His word exposes the cancer that is eating away our soul. His word brings healing to our soul. Physical health has benefit for this life but spiritual health of our soul has benefit for eternity.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Seek and Save

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

God gave a gift of eternal life to all who would believe. Eternal life with out pain, suffering, darkness and yet people will still choose to reject this gift. Judgement and condemnation awaits them. How true these words ring true still today-“people loved the darkness rather than the light” Share the gift of God and light of Christ each day. We never know when God will open a heart and mind to understand this gift. It is up to us to proclaim it and the promises of God for eternal life.

Arms wide open

”I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away”

“Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’”

Zechariah 10:8 “I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before.

Isaiah 11:11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people

Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

What a blessing to be reminded of God’s sovereign plan, provision, grace, mercy and love through outstretched hand to His creation. Who of us does not experience heavy burdens and needs rest? Who of us does not want to be invited to come to Him? God has made provision and called out to us with promises only He can make and fulfill. Run to Him, His arms are wide open.

The Curtain

the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom

Matthew 27:51
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Exodus 26:32
“And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place

Hebrews 9:6
These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people

Hebrews 9:11
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance

Hebrews 10:19
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works

If you think about the Holy Place and the restrictions that went with being able to go near compared to the new covenant prepared by God shouldn’t our heart be thankful? We live in a time that is surrounded in with great grace and mercy. In no other time prior to Christ has such grace and mercy been freely given. This is not to be taken lightly. How much more will we be held accountable for knowing so much and neglecting it so easily. Paul said what manner of lives should we be living in light of what God has given. I am certain we have so much more to forget about this world and greatly more to learn about and apply grace and mercy.