All tagged Sacrifice

Jesus, our perfect Inoculation against Sin

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Separation From Sin

We concentrate on the fact that we have all sinned, and are sinners, but in order to be transformed we need to redirect our focus. Jesus died to sin once and for all, and as we strive to be like Him we must also die that same death, and consider ourselves dead to sin. Jesus didn’t die just to give us a topical treatment for sin, that we apply every time we sin, no, he died to provide us with a lasting cure. Are you using the Cross as a Band-Aid that you apply to each wound of sin, or as a vaccination against sin in your life?

Holy Praise, do we offer it enough?

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Praise, Early Morning Prayer

Praising God is something we can’t do often enough. It is different from giving thanks, which acknowledges Him for providing, healing, or in general, doing specific things for us. “Holy Praise” serves to extol the character, and virtue, of God. We are acknowledging  His divinity, loving nature, goodness, kindness, mercy, grace, and every virtue we have come to know as being who He is. Our first words should be to thank God each morning for our new day, but our very next breath should be filled with words of “Holy Praise!” By virtue of our praise we are telling God that He is great... and we are small. This is our sacrifice of self as we acknowledge Him as our Lord. 

No Sacrifice, No Offering... Our Admission Paid in Full!

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Sacrifice, God’s Presence

What offering should we bring to God when we enter into His presence? what offering, or sacrifice, does He require of us that would make us pure enough to approach Him? There is none... our offering has already been made for us once and for all, and all we need do is understand that fact. Don’t feel guilty about going empty handed into your prayer closet, but instead, walk into the Lord’s presence knowing that Jesus has already paid your debt. Don’t stay home from church on Sundays because you feel inadequate or undeserving because provision has already been made for you through Christ, and the Lord is waiting for your arrival.

Jesus the Man; God’s Pickup Truck of Salvation

Richard Forbes
Christian, Daily Devotion, Redemption, Salvation, Sacrifice

We talk a great deal about being like Jesus, but we rarely speak of those instances when He was most like us; those moments when His humanity was most evident. Perhaps we are afraid that by doing so we might denigrate Him, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Man called Jesus was just as important to our redemption as the divinity of Christ. Crucifying either one alone would not have been sufficient.

Being a Vile Sinner, or a Small Account Christian, and Receiving Perfection

Richard Forbes
Forgiveness, Daily Devotion, Christian, Grace, Sacrifice

Are you resisting the urge to get on your knees today and ask Jesus to truly come into your heart because you don’t feel worthy? Have you toyed with believing, and tried to lead a good life so that one day you might make yourself good enough for Him? Well faith in Christ does not have perfection as a prerequisite, and walking towards Him is not a self-help endeavor, Jesus didn’t give His life for the perfect, He gave it for the lost, the sinners, the imperfect. He gave it so that you could ask for forgiveness and receive it by grace.

Laying Down our lives for Others... How Do We Die?

Richard Forbes
Giving our Life, Christian, Daily Devotion

We read scripture and it tells us that laying our life down for another is a singularly great act of love, but how do you go about doing this? Is it a life ending experience? I am going to surprise you by saying that there may be more to it. More often we give our life not in death, but in the unselfish and complete service of another, and if we are the recipients of this kind of love how are we to honor it?

What is Good about Good Friday?

Richard Forbes
Promise, Sacrifice, Good Friday, Daily Devotion, Christian, Prophesy, Redemption

Why is it that we call today Good Friday? Why on this day of the flogging, suffering, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ do we choose to place the name Good Friday? Well, the term’s origin isn’t clear, so the original intent isn’t known, but we can surmise its meaning. Let’s discuss what, besides the horror of Jesus’ mistreatment and execution, occurred on this day.

The Crown of Thorns, and our Hand on the Head of Christ

Richard Forbes
Hands, Sacrifice, Daily Devotion, Acceptable, Redemption, Sin, Christian

Don’t be afraid to lay your sins on the head of Jesus Christ. They will most certainly cut Him, and scar Him, but His love allows Him to endure this for you. This is the first act of making a sin offering, and was done before the blood of a burnt offering was taken, or the animal was killed and placed on the altar. Jesus likewise took the sins of man upon himself in the form of the crown of thorns. These are the sins of mankind... claim Him as your atonement; lay your hand on His head.

Easter - the Suffering of Jesus, and the Sweet Spring Syrup of our Faith.

Richard Forbes
Faith, Suffering, Syrup, Sweetness, Christian, Passion of Christ, Daily Devotion

Some hold a crucifix, or gaze upon a painting of our Lord hanging in agony or death upon the cross, and shield themselves from the intensity of His suffering, and thus of the true extent of the price that was paid... they miss the sweet peace we should accept from His dying hand. Heaven forbid that we, like them, should look dismissively upon our salvation, or take it ever so lightly into our lives. Have you taken your gift of redemption, and turned your face from the wound of that moment, and the life it took to secure it; do you drink the watery sap from His side without weeping in a combination of sorrow and gratitude at the spectacle? Do you miss what should come to be the syrup of your faith?

Loving your Brother, and the Soup of Sacrifice and God’s Perfect Love

Richard Forbes
God’s Love, Daily Devotion, Sacrifice, Christian

What is the litmus test for our faith in God? Is there one thing that we can use when looking at someone which will tell us the truth about their faith, and reveal the status of their relationship with our Heavenly Father? The answer is yes, and that test is for the presence of their love... a love for each of their brothers. If someone were to dip a test strip into you how would they find you; positive, or negative for love?

Jesus; the Ordering of our Life, and Selling all we Have

Richard Forbes
Dedication to Christ, Christian, Example, Sacrifice, Daily Devotion

How complete is our dedication to Jesus Christ? Is He the sole reason for our living, or just another ingredient in our life? Our lives are so full of activities such as work, play, raising children, artistic endeavors, education, and so much more... how is it that we are able to squeeze Jesus into this busy schedule? We do so by making Him the foundation, guiding principle, and focus of everything else. How is your life ordered? What would you sell for Him?

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