Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- April 16, 2011
“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and where I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” Exodus 12:13
God’s Passover for the Christian is the blood of Jesus Christ. The cross of Christ is the reason God’s judgment of hell is withdrawn from believers. The blood of Christ brings you to God and repels you from sin. God prepared the blood sacrifice for those who desire to follow Him. The shedding of His only Son’s blood was the final sacrifice for the sin of mankind. Yes, it was a gory event tied to a grace-filled consequence. Jesus went through the muck and the mire of man’s sin to lead you to salvation. It was not a pretty process, but it was a radically redeeming one.
Christ’s unconditional love on the cross has empowered you to love freely. His torturous death on the cross has equipped you to die daily to your worldly whims. Christ’s focus on the will of His heavenly Father as He faced the cross compels you to pray, “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). It is the cross of Jesus that gives individual believers God’s Passover. God gives you a pass from His judgment, and it is a pass stamped with the blood of His Son, Jesus.
Once you believe in Jesus as the Lamb of God who was slain for your sins, your past, current and future sins are covered. God’s Passover is thorough and complete. Therefore, celebrate religiously the radical love and grace of God’s Passover. Do not take for granted this emancipation from sin, sorrow, and death. It is cause for solemn yet joyful celebration.
His Passover is meant to be celebrated corporately and individually. This is one reason to stay engaged with Christ’s bride, the church. The church of Jesus Christ is designed to raise the roof in worship and celebration for God’s Passover through his Son, Jesus. This weekly celebration is not meant to settle into a take-for-granted posture that is expedient for the moment. Rather, this first day of the week is set aside to celebrate God’s Passover. Believers remember to celebrate God’s passover, so that they don’t forget the price paid. It breaks the heart of God when a church with a steeple outside forgets the cross inside.
Therefore, celebrate corporately and in community with energy and thanksgiving because of God’s Passover through the Cross of Christ. But celebrate God’s Passover individually as well. Consider making a big deal out of the anniversary of your spiritual birthday. Perhaps as part of your physical birthday celebration you could tell the story of your spiritual birth. God’s Passover in Christ is to be remembered and celebrated, both in community and individually. God’s Passover in Christ is preeminent. Enjoy and be grateful, for what great things He has done.
Taken from the April 17th reading in the 365-day devotional book, Seeking Daily the Heart of God.
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Good Morning Boyd, and thank you for Wisdom Hunters. A friend sent me your post on Knowing God and it echoed what God has been saying to me these past few weeks.
I also appreciate your take on the Passover and your applying grace to past, present, and future sins. I come from a Grace theology church and find it rare to see this truth in print.
I heard a comment from a young man who desperately wanted to please God in designing a worship service. He made a comment to the worship team saying “we don’t want to embarrass God by performing poorly.” This comment felt wrong to me for a number of reasons but the short of it is that because of His shed blood resulting in the payment of all our sins, which include our failures, mistakes, ignorance, lethargy, fear, and even stuborness, God is not embarrassed or sad. He looks at us through His son’s blood and smiles every time.
We can certainly feel embarrassed and broken hearted by some of the things we see God’s people doing in God’s name, but God see us and the glory He gains from our believing in Jesus for salvation.
We can’t mix the two perspectives up. Otherwise we minimize the effect of His blood.
Jeff thank you for your keen insight into the grace and love of our Lord.
He is Risen!
Boyd
I can’t tell you how much I enjoy these emails however, I’m not sure I follow where you wrote your sins, past, current and future are covered. I believe if you ask for forgiveness, yes, but just because I say I believe in Jesus as the Lamb of God does not necessarily mean I can sin later in life and I’m covered. I don’t know, I may have read and got the wrong meaning but it was something that left me a bit bothered. I believe sin is washed away when you get off the path of wrong and ask wholeheartedly for forgiveness.
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Dear Wisdom Hunters friend~
We are so thankful you “stumbled upon” our website. Between you and me, I am not sure “luck” had anything to do with it! God is in the details of everything we do and knows what we need to hear. Isn’t that so amazing? So, perhaps, that particular day, HE made sure you “stumbled upon” the devotional, “God’s Passover”.
“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him…” Matthew 6:8
“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all of my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely, O Lord.”
Pslam 139:1-4
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Dear fellow wisdom hunter~
Thank you so much for your encouraging words and THANK YOU for sharing the devotionals with your friends and coworkers. We hope that you continue to enjoy the devotionals and we would love to hear from you again.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
Dear Glenn~
Thank you for taking the time to contact us with your thought provoking comments regarding the video addition to the devotionals. I know that Boyd appreciates any suggestions that our fellow wisdom hunters have for us.
I can assure you that so much time, thought and most importantly, prayer goes into each devotional. Boyd’s time with the Lord is the foundation for each devotional. The video aspect of the devotional is an additional “tool” to tie together God’s glorious works into the devotional subject. Please know that we look at the video additions as an extra way to shine God’s Light on the conversation. Sometimes, the video is a praise song that is a “gift” to take a moment and soak up His Presence.
Many times, the video link is a short commentary from Godly folks that, like you and me, have something to share about their Savior. These short “talks” with our brother and sisters in Christ are not to take the place of the devotional but to add even more food for thought.
Again, Glenn, we thank you for taking the time to write to us. We are so thankful for you and look forward to hearing from you again sometime. Blessing to you and yours.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“I will give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His lovingkindness endures forever.” Psalm 118:1
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Dear Kasey~
Thank you so much for your encouraging words. We appreciate the fact you took the time to reach out to us. We hope you will continue to read the Wisdom Hunters devotionals and be blessed by them. Let us know what specifically you like or have comments about because we love hearing from our fellow wisdom hunters!
Have a blessed day!
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
I quite like reading through an article that can make people
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Dear fellow wisdom hunter~
Thank you for taking the time to reply to us after reading the devotional, “God’s Passover”. I would love to know what it was that spoke to your heart about this devotional. If you get a moment, please let us know. We always enjoy hearing from our Wisdom Hunters family.
In the meantime, I hope you will continue to read the Wisdom Hunter’s devotionals.
Blessings to you and yours.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne