glory

MARK 8:31--JESUS BEGAN TO TEACH THEM THAT THE SON OF MAN MUST SUFFER, BE REJECTED, KILLED AND RISE AGAIN AFTER THREE DAYS. FOR ME, THIS IS SO CLEAR THAT HE IS QUOTING ISAIAH 53, SINCE ISAIAH USES SIMILAR WORDS SUCH AS , "WOUNDED, BRUISED, CHASTISEMENT, DESPISED,AFFLICTED, ETC".I'M SO GRATEFUL HE WENT IN MY PLACE.JESUS KNEW HIS MISSION AND DESTINY BEFOREHAND, AND FULFILLED THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH HE WAS SENT.HE KEPT HIS FOCUS ON THE PRIZE , THAT IS YOU AND I. HE WAS DYING FOR OUR SALVATION; HE WAS GIVING US ETERNAL LIFE BY LOSING HIS LIFE, VOLUNTARILY OF COURSE....GOD BLESS.

GOD HAS REMOVED SINS FROM ALL PEOPLE BY THE SHEDDING OF HIS SON'S PRECIOUS BLOOD ON CALVARY.OUR SINS WERE TRANSFERRED UPON HIM SO WHOEVER WILL RECEIVE HIM INTO THEIR HEARTS AND REPENT OF SINS WILL BE FORGIVEN. GOD'S SACRIFICE IS UNIVERSAL IN THAT CHRIST ATONED FOR ALL, NOT JUST THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.ISAIAH SAYS "HE WAS WOUNDED FOR MY TRANSGRESSIONS AND BRUISED FOR MY INEQUITIES"--THE KEY WORD BEING MY, NOT THEIRS.WE ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THIS COVENANT IF WE'RE HIS. HEALING IS PART OF OUR INHERITANCE; HEALING IS THE CHILDREN'S BREAD. JESUS RESPECTS OUR CHOICE TO SERVE HIM OR NOT.HE IS A GENTLEMAN AND WILL NOT FORCE ANYONE TO BE SAVED; IT HAS TO BE THEIR DECISION.AS A RESULT, HIS SACRIFICE WILL GO UNWANTED BY MANY....GOD BLESS.

ANIMAL SACRIFICES WERE MEANT TO SHOW US THE COST AND SUFFERING OF SINS.THAT THE INNOCENT WOULD ATONE FOR THE GUILTY .THAT LIFE'S BLOOD HAD TO BE SHED BEFORE THEY COULD STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD. THE WORD SAYS BE YE HOLY AS I AM HOLY.. SINCE THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE DO SIN, CHRIST MADE PROVISION ON THE CROSS FOR TRUE REPENTANCE.THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO STAND BEFORE A HOLY GOD IS FORGIVENESS OF SINS THROUGH THE SHEDDING OF HIS HOLY BLOOD. HE SHOWS HIS NATURE OF UNCONDITIONAL, AGAPPE LOVE AND MERCY TOWARD US ..HE SHOWS US HOW MUCH HE LOVES AND ACCEPTS US AS HIS BELOVED BY FORGIVING US. NO WONDER THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID IN ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT THAT NOTHING CAN EVER SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS....GOD BLESS...

THE LOVE OF GOD TOWARD US IS UNCONDITIONAL. BUT THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY FOR SINS.SO WHEN THE ISRAELITES SINNED, HE ALLOWED AN ANIMAL SACRIFICE TO ATONE FOR SINS.GOD IS SO MERCIFUL TOWARD US THAT ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE HE SAYS JUST CONFESS YOUR SINS, REPENT OF THEM AND COME BACK TO ME.IN GOD'S MERCY, UNTIL CHRIST CAME TO EARTH, HE ALLOWED AN ANIMAL TO BE SACRIFICED FOR SINS SINCE BLOOD HAD TO BE SHED.IT WAS THE LAW. NO, AN ANIMAL CAN NEVER ATONE FOR SINS.BUT INSTEAD OF TAKING PEOPLE'S LIVES HE SPARED THEIR LIVES AND ALLOWED THEM TO SUBSTITUTE A LAMB INSTEAD.....PRAISE GOD FOR HIS MERCY.....GOD BLESS.

I STILL DONT KNOW IF I'VE FULLY GRASPED THE SUFFERING AND CRUELTY JESUS ENDURED FOR US AT THE CROSS. BASIC ELEMENTS FOR SACRIFICE OF SINS WERE: CONFESSION OF SIN. FEMALE LAMB WITHOUT DEFECT. LAYING ON OF HANDS ON THE ANIMAL'S HEAD SLAY THE ANIMAL PLACE SOME BLOOD ON THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING. REST OF THE BLOOD AT THE BASE OF THE ALTAR. REMOVE FAT AND OFFER TO GOD. PRIEST MAKES ATONEMENT FOR PERSON'S SIN. NONE OF THESS ARE NECESSARY ANY LONGER EXCEPT CONFESSING OUR SINS TO GOD.THANK GOD FOR SENDING JESUS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR US.BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS WE HAVE PEACE, MERCY, REST AND FORGIVENESS OF ALL SINS!!!! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!

BEING ORIGINALLY FROM THE CARIBBEAN, I'VE HAD TO KILL CHICKENS ON MANY SUNDAY MORNINGS AND CLEAN IT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE LUNCH, SO TO ME IT IS NOT REPULSIVE.HOWEVER I CAN UNDERSTAND IF ALL YOUR LIFE YOU'VE GROWN UP IN THE CITY, IT MAY BE A BIT DISTASTEFUL OR REPULSIVE TO SOME.ALSO, IT'S DIFFICULT SOMETIMES FOR US TO UNDERSTAND KILLING AN ANIMAL JUST FOR SACRIFICE; IT SEEMS TO US LIKE WASTING FOOD; YET ACCORDING TO HEBREW LAWS THAT'S EXACTLY HOW GOD ORDAINED IT. GOD BLESS.

ANGER IS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO SIN BECAUSE WHEN SIN IS COMMITTED BY NOT KEEPING ANY OF GOD'S HOLY WORD, WHEN WE VIOLATE GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, ANGER IS USUALLY THE RESULT.AN EXAMPLE BEING WHEN JESUS GOT ANGRY THAT THE MONEYCHANGERS VIOLATED GOD'S TEMPLE BY SELLING MERCHANDISE.THEREFORE I SEE THIS AS HEALTHY, HOLY ANGER CAUSE IT MOTIVATES YOU TO DO SOMETHING. UNCONTROLLED ANGER IS DANGEROUS;IT CAUSED MOSES TO MURDER THE EGYPTIAN BECAUSE HE TOOK THE LAW INTO HIS OWN HANDS.CONTROLLED ANGER OR ANGER WITHOUT SINNING CAUSES GOD TO COME ON THE SCENE AND GIVE YOU FAVOR IN THE SITUATION BECAUSE GOD SAYS HE WILL VINDICATE US AND VENGEANCE BELONGS TO HIM.........GOD BLESS....

JOHN'S STATEMENT REFERRED TO A SACRIFICE BECAUSE SINS WERE ATONED FOR IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BY A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH.I THINK JOHN WAS SAYING HERE COMES THE ULTIMATE LAMB FROM GOD, WHO WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE ANIMAL LAMB FOR YOUR SINS. A HUMAN LAMB IS GOING TO SACRICE HIMSELF FOR YOUR SINS ONCE AND FOR ALL.ALSO, HIS STATEMENT REFERS TO SACRIFICE BECAUSE OF THE WORD- SIN.BACK THEN, SIN AND SACRIFICE SEEMED TO GO TOGETHER. I THINK IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF ONE PERSON DYING FOR ALL.I DONT THINK THEY HAD ANY IDEA WHAT THE SINS OF THE WORLD ENTAILED.I DONT THINK THEY TRULY UNDERSTOOD JESUS CAME TO DO AWAY WITH SIN ONCE AND FOR ALL....GOD BLESS.