Calvary

The Blood of Jesus Cleanses

Smith's later theology described Jesus and God...

Image via Wikipedia

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:20)

The blood of Jesus Christ is powerful. It is His blood that makes it possible for you to be forgiven and cleanse from every sin. His shed blood is also the purchase price that has been paid for our redemption. What the blood of Jesus cleanses, it also claims. There are great benefits for believers when we recognize the claim that the blood of Jesus Christ has upon our lives.

I am sure you have heard the saying, “God is ready to take full responsibility for the life that is totally yielded to Him.” What a blessing that truth is! It means that you are not only completely the Lord’s but that He is completely yours. His righteousness is your righteousness, His strength is your strength, His peace is your peace, and His life is your life.

Heavenly father, I have acknowledge that I am yours, and because I am yours, I have a right to all the blessings you have reserved for those who have totally yielded themselves to you. I yield to you Lord, totally and completely.

Lord, you have esteemed me, and you have raised my status. The Scripture tells me that I am Royal and I believe. You are the King of kings and I am your child—I am special. ” 1 Peter 2:9 assures me, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Lord you have made me a joint heir with your son Jesus and I appreciate that.

Father, I know all these blessings that you have bestowed upon me come with a price—a price I did not pay personally. A long time ago you looked beyond my faults, and saw my needs. And you sent your only Son, Jesus Christ to shed His blood on Calvary’s cross. That’s a big price to pay for a stranger but you did anyway.

Heavenly father, I thank you for the blood of Jesus, and I thank you for all the blessings. I know I have a duty to worship you in spirit and in truth and I will Lord! I also know if I fail to do my duty, I cannot continue claim your many blessings….Thank you Lord.

What if Jesus returned today? Would He receive you?

The Resurrection from Grünewald's Isenheim Alt...

Image via Wikipedia

Moments before the resurrected Christ was taken up to heaven, He had promised His disciples that “. . . I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2,3.  KJV).

This promise holds true today. It is the bedrock on which all Christians build their hope in Jesus Christ. We have all,  at one point or another, testified and song about this great promise. Many of us cannot wait to see the day when it is fulfilled.

But what if Christ returned today? 

  • Would He receive you unto Himself?
  • Would He said . . . I never knew you; depart from?

I grapple with those questions regularly–almost daily. Yet, I cannot say with any degree of certainty that Christ would receive me unto Himself– if He returned today. Can you? . . . I still have wrinkles that I need to straighten out and I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. The Christian life is serious business. It requires surrendering all to Jesus. And to surrender all means learning to conquer self and keep under my body, and bring it into subjection to the Word of God.

Getting to heaven is harder than most people think. The standard is very high but it is attainable. Ephesians 5:27, clearly states the standard by which we will be judged. Christ is returning for a glorious church, [believers] not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Simply put, sin cannot enter heaven.

God is Keeping score of  our deeds. He knows our secrets. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive [recompensed for] the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV).

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22,23)