glory

I CANT SURVIVE WITHOUT GOD'S LOVE. MAN'S LOVE FAIL ME AT TIMES BUT THE LOVE OF CHRIST IS ETERNAL AND STEADY. HIS LOVE IS THE BASIS OF MY FAITH.WHEN I FOUND OUT HE LOVED ME SO MUCH, THAT I WAS SO VALUABLE TO HIM THAT HE SENT HIS SON TO DIE IN MY PLACE SO I COULD BE WITH HIM FOR ALL ETERNITY, IT MELTED THE HARDNESS IN MY SOUL AND HEART.HIS LOVE GIVES ME JOY, LIFTS MY SPIRIT AND HELPS ME CARRY ON WHEN I WOULD OTHERWISE GIVE UP. FAITH WORKS BY LOVE, SO THEY WORK TOGETHER. HIS LOVE HELPS TO ACTIVATE MY FAITH TO BELIEVE EVEN IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITIES AND PAIN. HIS LOVE CHANGED ME AND TAUGHT ME HOW TO LOVE THE UNLOVELY.HIS LOVE ALWAYS BRING ME HOPE . WHEN I ALMOST DIED TEN YEARS AGO AND HAD NO HOPE FROM THE DOCTORS, JESUS CHRIST GAVE ME BACK MY LIFE AND FILLED MY LIFE WITH HOPE AGAIN.I NEVER KNEW THIS LOVE UNTIL I GAVE MY LIFE TO CHRIST AS I LAY DYING MANY YEARS AGO.HIS LOVE IS THE BASIS OF MY FAITH. HIS LOVE NEVER FAILS...GLORY

I THINK THAT DAVID WAS FEELING FAR AWAY FROM GOD, DETACHED AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE ONE WHOM HIS SOUL LOVES SO MUCH.HIS SOUL WAS DRY AND PARCHED, AS DRY AS THE PARCHED LAND HE WAS WALKING ON.HE WAS WEARIED BY HIS ENEMY'S PURSUIT AND SPIRITUALLY THIRSTY FOR GOD IN THE DRYNESS HE WAS FEELING IN HIS SOUL. HE FIGHTS BACK WITH REMEMBERING THE MIRACLES GOD HAD DONE FOR HIM IN THE PAST.HE SPOKE WORDS OF HOPE OVER HIS SITUATION.HE PRAISED GOD RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF HIS HEAVINESS AND THE GARMANT OF PRAISE WILL ALWAYS CAUSE THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS TO FLEE. I'VE FELT THIS WAY ON NUMEROUS OCCASION AND I'VE DONE THE VERY SAME THING. EVEN IN CRISIS SITUATIONS WHEN I WAS TOO DISCOURAGED OR WEARY TO PRAISE HIM, THE HOLY SPIRIT, MY HELPRE AND COMFORTER HAS ALWAYS GIVEN ME THE STRENGTH TO OVERCOME, AND I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL THAT I CAN LEAN ON HIM TO HELP ME WIN THE BATTLES THROUGH PRAISE AND WORSHIP...GLORY.

DAVID DESIRED INTIMACY WITH THE LORD. HE WANTED TO BE CLOSE TO HIM AT ALL TIMES.HE HAD A DEEP LONGING IN HIS HEART FOR GOD'S PRESENCE; HE WAS THIRSTING FOR GOD.THIS REMINDS ME OF THE SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING.HIM IN ME AND ME ABIDING IN HIM SPEAKS OF CONTINUAL FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION WITH EACH OTHER, WHICH SEEMS TO DESCRIBE DAVID'S HEART TOWARD GOD. TO SEEK HIS FACE IS TO SEEK HIS PRESENCE, NOT HIS PRESENTS. TO BE FACE TO FACE WITH HIM.YEARNING FOR INTIMACY AND ONENESS WITH GOD.DAVID HAD A DEEP HUNGER AND DESIRE TO KNOW GOD. HE WAS REACHING OUT TO GOD WITH ALL OF HIS BEING, LONGING FOR A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP . DAVID FINDS HOPE BY WAITING ON GOD TO DELIVER HIM.HE WAITS ON THE LORD TO ACT ON HIS BEHALF; HIS HOPE IS IN YAHWEH GOD.HE HELPS US NOW, IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING, SO WE DONT HAVE TO WAIT TO BE IN HEAVEN TO BE DELIVERED. HE WILL NOT FORSAKE US LIKE SOME PARENTS DO.SO BE STRONG AND TAKE COURAGE AND NEVER GIVE UP. HE WILL NOT BRING YOU THIS FAR TO LEAVE YOU. HE ALWAYS COMPLETES WHAT HE STARTED...GLORY.

I LOVE WRITING POEMS AND SO I TOOK SOME OF THE WORDS OF PSALMS 139 AND WROTE A POEM UNTO THE LORD : EARLY IN THE MORNING WILL I SEEK THEE GOD OF CREATION, GOD OF ALL MAJESTY. THE HEAVENS AND EARTH TELL OF YOUR GLORY THE BEAUTY OF CREATION DECLARES YOUR LOVE FOR ME. YOU FORMED ME IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB, YOU CARE ABOUT ME YOU KNIT ME TOGETHER IN THE DEPTHS OF THE EARTH, OH HOW I LOVE THEE. I WILL SING PRAISES TO YOU ALWAYS , MY KING YOU ARE MY LORD AND SAVIOUR, YOU'RE MY EVERYTHING. I STAND IN AWE OF WHO YOU ARE,YOU'RE MAJESTIC TO BEHOLD YOU ARE MORE PRECIOUS TO ME, INDEED MUCH MORE THAN SILVER OR GOLD. TEACH ME THY WAYS OH LORD, LEAD ME IN THE RIGHT PATH SEARCH ME,SEE MY ANXIOUS THOUGHTS, EXAMINE MY HEART. HOW I LOVE THEE, OH LORD, MY ROCK, MY STRENGTH, MY REDEEMER, I WORSHIP YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART, MY GOD, MY FATHER, MY CREATOR. I LOVE YOU JESUS...GLORY.

THE PSALMIST IS IN AWE OF GOD'S CREATION OF LIFE AND PRAISES HIM FOR KNITTING HIM TOGETHER IN HIS MOTHER'S WOMB.GOD KNEW HIM INTIMATELY AND HE KNEW THAT NOTHING WAS HIDDEN FROM GOD.HE WAS WONDERFULLY MADE BECAUSE IT WAS THE LORD WHO KNIT HIM TOGETHER WITH LOVE AND CARE.HE ASKS GOD TO SEARCH HIM ; SEARCH HIS HEART. IN OTHER WORDS, HE'S SAYING TO GOD, SHOW ME WHAT'S IN ME. HE WANTS TO LIVE HOLY AND GODLY BEFORE HIS CREATOR.DAVID IS DEPENDING ON THE LORD TO SEARCH HIM, CHECK HIM OUT AND TO LEAD HIM BACK TO THE PATH THAT LEADS TO EVERLASTING LIFE. I GREW UP IN A CULTURE WHERE NOT MUCH VALUE WAS PLACED ON HUMAN LIFE. CHILDREN WERE TOLD THEY WERE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PARENTS.IT WAS ALL ABOUT THEM AND THEIR NEEDS BEING MET. I CANT BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH THIS PSALMS MEAN TO ME AS I MEDITATE ON HOW VALUABLE AND SIGNIFICANT I AM TO GOD. THAT THERE IS LIFE BEYOND MY PARENTS AND THAT I WASNT CREATED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS BUT TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD AND HONOR MY PARENTS TOO, OF COURSE...GLORY.

THE COMMON THREAD IS GOD REVEALING HIMSELF THROUGH HIS CREATION AS WELL AS THROUGH HIS WRITTEN WORD.DAVID TRULY HAS A LOVE FOR THE WRITTEN WORD AND BASKS IN THE WONDER OF GOD'S CREATION ; HE SEES THE WORD AS MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD. LATELY, I FEEL THAT WAY A LOT. I ALSO LIVE CLOSE TO THE OCEAN AND I FEEL SO SMALL EVERY TIME I GO THERE.I THINK DAVID CLEARLY SEES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE WORD AND THE GLORY OF CREATION; HE SEES GOD IN THE MAJESTY OF HIS CREATION, THE HEAVENS, THE SKY AND THE SUN.THIS SEEM TO CAUSE HIM TO WANT TO POUR OUT HIS LOVE TO GOD FOR WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE.BEFORE I GOT SAVED, I NEVER TRULY APPRECIATED CREATION BECAUSE I DIDNT KNOW CHRIST. NOW CREATION SEEMS SO ALIVE TO ME.DAVID ASKS GOD IN VERSE 14 TO HELP HIM WITH THE WORDS OF HIS MOUTH AND THE THOUGHTS IN HIS HEART. GLORY...

THIS PSALM TEACHES US ABOUT GOD'S MAJESTY AND HELPS US TO SEE HIM AS INFINITE ; THE ONE WHO CREATED THE BEAUTIFUL HEAVENS, THE MOON AND THE STARS IS OUR LORD, YAHWEH GOD HIMSELF. AS HUMAN BEINGS, WE ARE FINITE AND WEAK . HE LOVES US AND CARES FOR US AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO PRAISE HIM FOR WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR US ON THE CROSS. CHRIST HUMBLED HIMSELF AS GOD'S SON AND BECAME A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS TO DIE ON THE CROSS AND PAY THE PENALTY FOR MY SINS, FOR WHICH I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE HE HAS ENTRUSTED US TO WHILE WE'RE HERE ON EARTH; TO BE GOOD STEWARD OF WHAT HE'S GIVEN US.GOD BLESS..GLORY.

I LOOKED UP THE MEANING OF THE WORD GLORY AND IT SAYS IT MEANS ADORATION AND HIGHEST PRAISE SO OUR ATTITUDE IN WORSHIP SHOULD BE TO REALISE WHO HE IS AND GIVE HIM ALL THE PRAISE AND ADORATION BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS HE KING OF GLORY BUT ALSO HE IS THE FATHER OF GLORY AND WORTHY OF RESPECT.AS WE STUDY THE WORD AND GET TO KNOW HIM, THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES THE TRANSFORMING WORK IN US SO THAT WE ARE BEING CHANGED FROM GLORY TO GLORY.THAT'S MY HEART'S DESIRE; TO BE MORE LIKE HIM AND TO BEHOLD HIS GLORY.GOD BLESS...

HE'S THE HIGH AND LOFTY ONE WHO INHABITS ETERNITY, WHO'S NAME IS HOLY.THIS TELLS ME HE IS ABOVE ALL AND OVER ALL AND EXISTS OUTSIDE OF TIME.HE'S THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE,SET APART FROM ALL EVIL BECAUSE HE IS HOLY AND WITHOUT SIN.THE WORD SAYS BE YE HOLY AS I AM HOLY, SO I SHOULD CONDUCT MYSELF IN A MANNER THAT'S PLEASING UNTO GOD.BECAUSE HE SEES AND KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT ME YET STILL LOVES ME AND FORGIVES ME EACH TIME I REPENT, I TRY TO KEEP MY HEART RIGHT BEFORE GOD.I LOVE HIM AND DESIRE THAT OTHERS WOULD SEE HIM IN ME AS I GROW AND MATURE IN THE WORD..

I ALWAYS PRAISE HIM AND THANK HIM FOR WHO HE IS BEFORE I APPROACH HIM.I'VE HAD SO MANY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WHERE I KNEW IF HE WAS NOT THE MOST HIGH GOD I WOULD NOT BE ALIVE. IN THOSE TIMES, IT WAS ONLY HIM WHO COULD HAVE DELIVERED AND SO I REVERENCE HIM AND GIVE HIM THE HONOR THAT'S DUE TO HIM AND HIM ALONE.I LOVE ALL THE OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS BOARD. I AGREE WITH LINDALOU.ONLY HIM CAN COMFORT THE BROKENHEARTED WHEN YOU'VE LOST LOVED ONES AND NO ONE SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF THE GRIEF AND EVEN IF SOME DO, THEY STILL CANT HEAL THE WOUNDED SOUL AND MAKE IT WHOLE AGAIN.GOD BLESS..

BOTH ABRAHAM AND MELCHIZEDEK BELIEVED THAT THE MOST HIGH GOD WAS THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH AND ALL THAT IS IN IT. THAT HE IS A SUPREME BEING WHO IS ABLE TO DELIVER YOUR ENEMIES INTO YOUR HAND FOR HE IS FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN ALL THE OTHER gods COMBINED.THIS IS A GOOD REASON TO WORSHIP HIM; BECAUSE HE IS CREATOR OF US ALL AND WE OWE HIM EVERYTHING. :

GIDEON SAW HIMSELF AS BEING OF THE POOREST TRIBE AND THE LEAST OF HIS FAMILY.GOD SAW WHAT HE WOULD BECOME, A MIGHTY WARRIOR AND ADDRESSED HIM THIS WAY. WE NEED TO SEE OURSELVES THROUGH EYES OF FAITH IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT GOD SEES.WE NEED TO SAY WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT US OR ELSE WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE OURSELVES AS FAILURES, OR POOR AND REJECTED LIKE GIDEON.THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS DOES NOT WANT US TO SEE OURSELVES AS MIGHTY AND STRONG WARRIORS, SO IN ORDER FOR GIDEON TO BECOME MIGHTY GOD HAD TO FIRST SPEAK THOSE WORDS INTO HIS LIFE AND THAN IT CAME TO PASS.

ISRAEL WAS OPPRESSED BY THE MIDIANITES BECAUSE THEY BROKE GOD'S SECOND COMMANDMENT AND PUT OTHER gods BEFORE JEHOVAH GOD, WHICH IS IDOLATRY.THEY WERE WARNED NOT TO FOLLOW THE gods OF THE AMORITES BUT THEY DID NOT LISTEN.THEY WERE BREAKING GOD'S PRINCIPLES AND STILL EXPECTING GOD'S BLESSINGS TO FLOW.WE DO THIS AS CHRISTIANS TODAY WHEN WE PUT SPOUSE, MONEY, JOBS, ETC, BEFORE GOD AND THEN EXPECT HIM TO BLESS OUR IDOLATRY.WE NEED TO ASK GOD TO EXPOSE TO US THE SINS OF OUR HEARTS SO THAT WE CAN REPENT AND COME HUMBLY BEFORE HIM AND ALLOW HIM TO CHANGE US FROM THE INSIDE OUT.SIN ALWAYS SEPARATES MAN FROM GOD...

GIDEON FELT THAT THE LORD HAD ABANDONED THEM BECAUSE THERE WAS TROUBLE IN THE CAMP, NOT REALISING THAT THEIR SINS WERE SEPARATING THEM FROM GOD.THEY HAD SINNED AND BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REPENTANCE GOD ALLOWED THE ENEMY TO OPPRESS THEM.GIDEON'S ASSESSMENT IS WRONG BECAUSE THE LORD HAD NEVER LEFT THEM. HE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP TO HELP GIDEON FIGHT THE MIDIANITES. WE BLAME GOD BECAUSE IT'S EASIER THAN SEARCHING OUR HEARTS TO SEE IF WE HAVE HIDDEN SIN. WE ALWAYS SEEM TO THINK THAT IF HE'S WITH US LIFE SHOULD BE FREE OF TRIALS.MANY TIMES WE BRING THESE THINGS UPON OURSELVES BECAUSE OF WRONG CHOICES WE MAKE.WE NEED TO ASK THE LORD FOR HIS HELP TO EXAMINE OUR HEARTS AND ASK HIM TO SHOW US IF THERE'S IDOLATRY,, ETC SO THAT WE CAN REPENT AND BE IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD.WE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS AND REPENT FOR BLAMING GOD..GOD BLESS..

THE COVENANT WITH ISRAEL WAS RATIFIED BY THE BLOOD OF THE YOUG BULLS THAT WAS SPRINKLED UPON THE PEOPLE AND THE ALTAR.TWICE THEY AGREED TO OBEY GOD'S WORD. YOUNG BULLS WERE SACRIFICED, THE BLOOD WAS SPRINKLED AND THE REMAINING MEAT EATEN.

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION SAYS THAT ALL OUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN BECAUSE OF THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS, ONCE AND FOR ALL. HIS BLOOD SACRIFICE WAS ACCEPTABLE UNTO THE FATHER SO WE ARE NO LONGER CONDEMNED BUT RECONCILED UNTO A HOLY GOD.JUST AS I WANT HIM TO FORGIVE ME WHEN I SIN, I MUST ALSO EXTEND FORGIVENESS TO OTHERS WHO HAVE HURT ME OR MISTREATED ME.I MUST ADMIT I HAVE STRUGGLED TO FORGIVE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BROUGHT PAIN TO MY LIFE OVER THE YEARS.BUT THAT UNFORGIVENESS WAS MAKING ME SICK, LIKE A POISON TO MY SOUL. NOW I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVING AND RELEASING OTHERS TO GOD AND LETTING HIM DEAL WITH THEM.IF I TAKE THE LORD'S SUPPER WITHOUT GENUINE REPENTANCE, THEN I HAVE SIN IN MY LIFE AND MY HEART IS NOT RIGHT WITH GOD.IF I WANT TO ENJOY INTIMACY WITH THE LORD AND FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM DAILY, THEN I MUST ASK HIM TO SEARCH MY HEART AND SHOW ME THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT LIKE HIM IN MY HEART SO THAT I CAN CONFESS AND RECEIVE HIS FORGIVENESS.

JESUS WAS LETTING HIS DISCIPLES KNOW THAT HE CAME TO FULFILL THE PROPHESIES WRITTEN ABOUT HIM LONG BEFORE THEY WERE EVEN AROUND.ISAIAH HAD WRITTEN THAT CHRIST WOULD VOLUNTARILY LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SINS OF MANKIND, THAT HE WOULD BE NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS.THEY DIDNT TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT HE CAME TO DIE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY SO THE LORD HAD TO REVEAL SCRIPTURES TO THEM WHICH THEY PROBABLY UNDERSTOOD WITH MUCH MORE CLARITY WHEN THEY WERE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.THE BIBLE SAYS HE IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.THIS CHAPTER HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT HIS DEATH WAS A VOLUNTARY SACRIFICE FOR ALL OF US...HE TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND BORE OUR DISEASES; HE WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS AND BRUISED FOR OUR INEQUITIES; THE CHASTISEMENT FOR OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM.HE DIED FOR YOU AND I SO OUR SINS WOULD BE COMPLETELY FORGIVEN...PRAISE GOD...

I BELIEVE JESUS WANTED HIS DISCIPLES TO HAVE MORE UNDERSTANDING OF THE VIOLENT NATURE OF HIS DEATH, BUT THEY DIDNT SEEM TO GRASP THAT HE CAME TO SET UP A SPIRITUL KINGDOM AND NOT A PHYSICAL ONE.JESUS WANTED THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PASSOVER AND THE CONNECTION WITH HIS DEATH BUT I DONT THINK THEY FULLY GRASPED IT UNTIL LATER ON.THEY DIDNT REALISE HIS BLOOD WAS TO BE POURED OUT FOR REDEMPTION OF MANKIND AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS JUST LIKE THE LAMB IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WHOSE BLOOD ATONED FOR SINS.I'M SURE THEY WERE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL WHEN THE REALISATION CAME OF WHAT HE HAD DONE FOR THEM. WHEN HE RESURRECTED AND LATER FILLED THEM WITH HIS HOLY SPIRIT, THEY WERE THEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE HIDDEN TRUTHS SO MUCH SO THAT MANY OF THEM WERE VIOLENTLY PUT TO DEATH FOR THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST.

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH , SO WHEN PEOPLE SINNED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AN ANIMAL WAS GIVEN AS A SACRIFICE FOR THEIR SINS.THE LAW REQUIRED AN ANIMAL SACRIFICE FOR HUMAN LIFE. SINCE THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD,THE ANIMAL'S BLOOD HAD TO BE SHED AND GIVEN AS AN ATONEMENT FOR THE PERSON'S SINS.I BELIEVE THAT'S HOW GOD SHOWED HIS GRACE AND MERCY TO HIS PEOPLE.THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO LEARN THE SERIOUSNESS OF THEIR SINS BY HAVING AN ANIMAL DIE IN THEIR PLACE FOR THEIR SINS OR REBELLION TOWARD GOD.BUT THAT TYPE OF SACRIFICE COULD NOT CLEANSE THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN'S HEART, SO JESUS HIMSELF FULFILLED ALL REQUIRED SACRIFICES FOR OUR SINS WHEN HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER. GOD PROVIDED HIS SON FOR US ONCE AND FOR ALL.WHAT AN AWESOME GOD. THANK GOD FOR HIS SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT ON THE CROSS.I'M SO GRATEFUL HIS SPIRIT DWELLS IN ME NOW AND IS CHANGING ME ALL THE TIME, FROM GLORY TO GLORY.!!!

THE GREAT LOVE CHRIST DISPLAYED ON THE CROSS TOWARD ME PERSONALLY IS WHAT HAS TRANSFORMED MY LIFE.AT FIRST IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE IT APPLIED TO ME PERSONALLY, BUT THROUGH TRYING AND DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, I REALISED HIS LOVE FOR ME.I REALISE NOW HOW PRECIOUS I AM TO GOD AND I BELONG TO HIM FOREVER.THERE WAS NO LOVE IN MY FAMILY GROWING UP, JUST A LOT OF CONTROL AND RELIGION.I STRUGGLED WITH MY IDENTITY AS A VALUABLE PERSON UNTIL I CAME TO KNOW HOW PRECIOUS HIS LOVE IS TOWARD ME.HIS LOVE IS UPLIFTING AND ENCOURAGING AND INSPIRES ME TO WITNESS AND SHARE THIS GREAT LOVE WITH OTHERS.HE HAS LIFTED MANY HEAVY YOKES OFF MY LIFE AND HELPED ME TO OVERCOME LOW SELF- ESTEEM AND SHOWN ME A BRAND NEW PATHWAY IN MY JOURNEY.

JESUS GAVE HIMSELF AS A RANSOM FOR ME, TO REDEEM ME AND PURIFY ME TO DO GOOD .HIS SACRIFICE WAS ABOUT REDEEMING SINFUL MAN FROM THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US.HE GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US AS A FRAGRANT OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD.HE PAID THE PRICE FOR SINS AND RECONCILED US UNTO GOD BY GIVING HIS BODY AS A LIVING SACRIFICE .HE DID IT FOR US SO WE CAN NOW GO BEFORE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM WITHOUT FEAR. WE CAN HAVE AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS'S SACRIFICE.I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR WHAT HE DID FOR ME BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW GOD LOVED ME SO MUCH THAT HE WOULD DIE FOR ME.I EXPERIENCED SO MUCH REJECTION GROWING UP THAT AT FIRST I STRUGGLED TO GRASP THIS LOVE. BUT I'VE NOW ACCEPTED AND RECEIVED HIS LOVE AND IT HAS TRANSFORMED MY ENTIRE LIFE.PRAISE GOD.

I'VE OFTEN WONDERED WHY GOD DIDNT SEND AN ANGEL TO DIE ON THE CROSS INSTEAD OF ALLOWING HIS BELOVED SON TO SUFFER SUCH CRUELTY AT CALVARY.BUT WHEN I REALISED THE LOVE GOD HAS FOR ME PERSONALLY, IN THAT HE CHOSE TO BECOME MAN AND ENDURE HARDSHIPS TO REDEEM ME, I CAN RELATE TO A GOD LIKE THAT.AND I THINK THAT'S WHY CHRISTIANITY INSISTS ON A PHYSICAL BIRTH , SUFFERING AND RESURRECTION.WE KNOW HE'S BEEN THERE AND HE KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SUFFER TEMPTATION THOUGH HE DID NOT SIN.IF CHRIST HADNT ENTERED THE HUMAN CONDITION, OUR FAITH WOULD BE BASED ON NOTHING , OUR FAITH WOULD BE IN VAIN AND WE'D HAVE NO HOPE.

BACK IN THE DAYS OF MOSES, SIN HAD TO BE ATONED FOR BY USING ANIMALS AS SACRIFICES AND I BELIEVE JESUS WAS LED AS A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER BECAUSE HIS BODY WAS TO WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANGRESSIONS.OUR SINS WERE PUT UPON HIS PHYSICAL BODY AS A SUBSTUTIONARY ATONEMENT SO WE COULD BE FREE.JESUS'S BODY PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS JUST AS IT WAS REQUIRED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT THE PHYSICAL BODY OF THE ANIMAL BE SACRIFICED FOR SINS.I THINK IT WOULD BE HARD FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE PRICE HE HAD TO PAY IF SIN WERE ATONED FOR ANY OTHER WAY.BUT WE KNOW HOW PRECIOUS OUR BODIES AND OUR LIVES ARE TO GOD BY THE VERY FACT THAT HE WILLINGLY LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AND ALLOWED HIS BODY TO BE CRUCIFIED FOR US.

SOMETIMES I CANT SEEM TO GRASP WITH MY MIND EXACTLY HOW DEEP THE SUFFERING WAS THAT THE LORD ENDURED FOR ME TO HAVE ALL MY SINS FORGIVEN, BUT DEEP WITHIN MY SPIRIT I KNOW THAT I AM A SHARER IN HIS SACRIFICE AND IT BLESSES ME TO KNOW THAT HE CONSIDERED ME WORTHY .BEFORE I GOT SAVED, I REALLY THOUGHT I WAS GOOD BUT AFTER COMING TO THE CROSS I HAVE CHANGED DRASTICALLY WITH THE LORD'S HELP. THE LORD'S SUPPER IS A PRIVILEGE TO TAKE WITH OTHER BELIEVERS OR EVEN BY MYSELF BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS PRESENT.I HAVE COME TO SEE MYSELF IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT NOW, AND I AM TREMENDOUSLY GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED AS THE OTHER FORUM MEMBERS HAVE STATED.

I THINK THE PRIESTS WERE TO PARTICIPATE BY EATING OF THE BURNT SACRIFICE AS AN ATONEMENT FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.THIS WAS ONE METHOD OF GOD'S PROVISION FOR THE PRIESTS AS THEY STOOD IN THE GAP AS INTERCESSORS BETWEEN GOD AND SINFUL MAN.GOD CONSIDERED THE SACRIFICE HOLY AND CONSECRATED UNTO HIM, JUST AS OUR PARTAKING OF COMMUNION IS HOLY UNTO HIM.IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE PRIEST WAS ABLE TO ATONE FOR MAN'S SINS BACK THEN, JESUS CHRIST OUR HIGH PRIEST HAS ONCE AND FOR ALL ATONED FOR OUR SINS AND WE PARTAKE OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION POWER WHEN WE TAKE HOLY COMMUNION WITH HIM.SO WE NOW SHARE IN THIS SACRIFICE TODAY IN REMEMBERANCE OF HOW HE ATONED FOR MAN'S SINS.