Abbas Child

From Abba's Child...What a powerful sentence that you have included in your post: "Perhaps we would sin a little less -- or take it much less lightly, if we could picture ourselves placing our hands upon The Head of Jesus, then slaying Him, each time we sin." This was a Rhema word and I thank you for it! elsie

Q6. What do you think God intended animal sacrifice teach us about sin? About holiness? About God's nature? Pastor Ralph's Prayer, at the end of Lesson #1, used the word "HORROR" twice: "...The HORROR of my own sin and rebellion against" God -- and the HORROR of sacrifice that my sins require..." The word HORROR is defined in The Living Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary as: "A powerful feeling of fear, dread, abhorrence." The word ABHOR is another powerful word. It means: "To shrink back; to hate; to loathe; or abominate; to detest; to have great aversion. Something that is abhorrent is utterly repugnant (highly distasteful and offensive.) If we were to put all this meanings together, this is what we would know about the HORROR of sin and sacrifice: 1.) Sinning before The Eyes of The Father gives us "a powerful feeling of fear." Remember the sad account of Adam and Eve hiding from God in the coolness of the day? They "shrank back" from The One Who walked toward them, wanting to fellowship with His Children. 2.) God "hates, loathes, detests, and has a great aversion" to sin; yet in His unfathomable mercy, He loves the sinner, and He was willing to send His only Son to die a cruel death on Calvary's Cross; The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world! 3.) The HORROR of sin and of the HORROR of sacrifice is ABHORENT; Sin is highly distasteful and offensive to God. The opposite of HORROR is HOLINESS! God's Holiness and His Nature is the direct opposite of HORROR. Faith replaces fear! We no longer shrink back when we sin...we run into The Arms of The Father, asking forgiveness; no matter the circumstance. This is THE JOY of being Abba's Child! God's Holiness cannot even be defined in human terms. It is His Essence and His Worth-ship. God' Holiness compels us to "worship and to adore" Him; for He is worthy of all of our praise! Amen! Blessings to all! elsie

As always, I stand in awe of our Precious God! His timing always lifts my heart and my soul to higher places! I am the Prayer Leader at my Church, Christ The King, and I have been doing a study on The Lamb of God with His Intercessors. We began in the Garden of Eden with the slaying of an animal, whose skin would cover Adam and Eve after they had sinned. We went from there to the mountain, where Abram proved his love for the God Most High, by his willingness to sacrifice his precious son Isaac. What a beautiful portrait of The One that would be the final Sacrifice; God's Own Son, Jesus Christ. We then studied the Passover and the slaying of the innocent lambs; LAMBS THAT WERE WITHOUT BLEMISH. We found another Word Picture of The Innocent Lamb of God, Whose Blood would one day cover us and protect us from harm. From there, we peeked in on God calling for the firstborn of the children and flocks of Israel to be redeemed with the blood of a lamb. What a hugh contrast to the slaying of the firstborn of Egypt; both man and beast. Our next visit is going to be in Leviticus and the study of the five types of sacrifices; and the basis elements of sacrifice came up as my question for today! I have been a little slow in this Study; I have so many responsibilites at Church. Yet, I can see The Hand of God moving as I settle myself in with the excellent teaching of Pastor Ralph, and the eye-opening responses from my fellow travelers in this Study. What are the basic elements of sacrifice? Leviticus 4:27 speaks about "sin through ignorance." When the person came to know they had sinned, they would bring an offering "to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before The LORD. Verse 32 specified that if the person brought "a lamb for a sin offering; HE SHALL BRING A FEMALE WITHOUT BLEMISH. AND HE SHALL LAY HIS HAND UPON THE HEAD OF THE SIN OFFERING IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY KILL THE BURNT OFFERING." THE ANIMAL WOULD THEN BE KILLED. Then the priest would take "the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar." THE PRIEST WOULD THEN "POUR OUT ALL THE BLOOD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ALTAR." THE FAT WOULD BE BURNED UPON THE ALTAR and the priest would make atonement for the man's sin, and he would be forgiven. Leviticus 6:26 says of the sin offering, "THE PRIEST THAT OFFERS IT SHALL EAT IT: IN THE HOLY PLACE SHALL IT BE EATEN, IN THE COURT OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION." In Leviticus Chapter 5:5-6, The Word says that if a man is quilty of sin, "HE SHALL CONFESS THE SIN," and bring his tresspass offering to The Lord...and the priest shall make an atonement for him..." Pastor Ralph has asked us, "Which of these (basic elements) are still necessary for forgiveness of sins today?" What is necessary for us through The Atonement of The Lamb is THE CONFESSION OF SIN." All the other elements were only a prelude to Christ's death on the Cross, where He is both Priest and Sacrificial Lamb. I would like to close with Pastor Ralph's words under the Title, "FORGIVENESS AND GRACE OF GOD..." "There is a real sense in which God uses THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM to teach the Jews lessons of sin, holiness, confession, forgiveness, sin's costliness, and sin's horror. God, in His mercy, allows these sacrifices to purge their sins, BUT THE ONLY FULLY ADEQUATE SACRIFICE FOR SIN IS STILL TO COME." His Name is Jesus, The Glorious Lamb of God, Amen and amen! blessings, elsie

This was originally written on January 29, 2006, before the hacker intervened... This is Abba's Child!! The first thing that I noticed is that Abram is blessed by God Most High! I want this to be said of me all the days of my life!! Secondly, I love this Title of God, "The God Most High;" for He is higher than all my problems; for He sits in Majesty and "His Eyes go to and fro over all the earth." Nothing escapes His view, and I know that I know, that He controls the whole earth; that gives me great peace! The God Most High is The Creator of the heaven's and the earth, and the earth is His footstool! How encouraging in these times of trial; that The Most High delivers "our enemies into our hands!" He delivers my dear family and all those whom I love and pray for! He is The Great God of my prayers!! Abram understood the principle of the tithe, and gave to The God Most High out of the bountiful blessings that were given to him from The LORD, his Provider; Jehovah-jireh. "Abram's response to the king of Sodom likewise uses The Name of The God Most High;" for he raised his hand to The God Most High, and took an oath; for no man would be able to say that he made Abram rich; his provisions came from The Hands of "The God Most High." O, that we would always remember that "The God Most High" is our Source! Blessed be His Most Holy Name, Amen!!

Pastor Ralph has posed a question: "Why is animal sacrifice repulsive to modern people? How much has this to do with a city vs. a farming way of life?" I personally feel that it is much harder to consider slaying an animal, if it has become a pet, whether on a farm or in the city. I just finished a deep look into the night of the first Passover; when the people of God killed perfect little lambs, with neither spot nor wrinkle. Their blood was then sprinkled along the side posts and over the top, or lintel of the door, so that the angel of death would "passover." The thought of this shed blood from such a gentle creature is repulsive to our modern generation, until The Holy Spirit reveals to us the saving power of The Blood of God's Beloved Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. For without the shedding of blood, The Word tells us, that there is no remission from sin. I would never want to kill a little Bambi; yet if my child's life depended upon its meat, I would certainly have to think it over. Our Heavenly Father never wanted to shed the blood of animals; yet the first parents sinned, and found themselves being cloaked in skins, provided by the death of an animal. Even in the midst of sin, God was merciful and covered them! Repulsiveness comes with sin! And even farmers are sad when they have to put an animal down through illness. Farmers are raised to feed the hungry population, which requires the shedding of blood. Are they always happy with this process? I don't think so! That is why we are all awaiting the great Heavenly gathering, when nothing but perfection will be before our eyes!! No more tears; no more death; and The Beloved Lamb will be The Light thereof, and there will no longer be a need for the sun, the moon, and the stars! Blessed be The Lamb of God, for His Name is Holy! elsie

Q2. Why is anger an appropriate response to sin? What is the difference between capricious or uncontrolled anger and anger that brings about justice? Our Study of The Lamb of God has told us that "God is angry - not at humans for their own sake - but at their sin..." To me one of the greatest examples of the expression of righteous anger is found in the Book of John, Chapter 3, beginning with verse 13: "And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up into Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when He had made a scourge of small cords, HE DROVE THEM ALL OUT OF THE TEMPLE, and the sheep and the oxen; AND POURED OUT THE CHANGERS' MONEY, AND OVERTHREW THE TABLES; And Jesus said to them that sold doves, 'Take these things hence (away); make not My Father's House a house of merchandise.' And His Disciples remembered that it was written, 'The zeal of Your House has eaten me up.'" Psalm 69:8-9 says of The Messiah, "I am become a stranger to My brethren, and an alien to My Mother's children. FOR THE ZEAL OF YOUR HOUSE HAS EATEN ME UP; AND THE REPROACHES OF THEM THAT REPROACHED YOU ARE FALLEN UPON ME." Once again, The Lamb of God became a substitution! Jesus was wounded in Spirit for the transgression of the money changers. Isaiah had prophesied that "Jesus would be wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities." (53:5) Righteous anger against sin develops us into the Likeness of God's Son. The money changers were "a reproach" to His Father; the reproach against His Father touched the very essence of His Being!! That is why it is to painful to see people mock God; for it injures the heart of the saint that is engulfed in The Love of The Father. If there is one thing that keeps me on the straight and narrow, it is that it breaks my heart to injure The Holy Trinity that loves me so much. And what do I think is "the difference between capricious or uncontrolled anger and anger that brings about justice? Uncontolled anger can leave a devastating legacy; it can injure the heart and soul of the victim. Whereas anger that brings justice, can be used as a tool in The Hands of God to bring forth righteousness and obedience. Jesus controlled His anger; He didn't smite the people; He scattered the objects that they were using to pollute His Father's House of Prayer. I am sure that His message went out loud and clear, and this passage has been used throughout the generations to show forth the holiness of God's House of Prayer. I thank Our Lord for His Word, and the essence of His Life. Jesus is our greatest Example of how to live the life of a faithful and obedient Son; and He is, to The Glory of God, The exact Likeness of His Beloved Father. Dear Father, please form every Believer that is reading this response into The Image of Your Dear Son; that we might truly "Behold The Lamb of God, Amen." elsie

1. How do you know that John the Baptist's statement about the Lamb of God refers to sacrifice? (John 1:29). How was the comprehensiveness of "sins of the world" so radical a concept? Throughout The Scriptures, whenever a saint had experienced a Divine revelation from The Spirit of God as to "The Character of God," the saint would then call upon Him with The Name of God that he was now intimate with. Here are some examples: The LORD God provided, thus The LORD was called "Jehovah-Jireh," The LORD, my Provider. The LORD God healed; The LORD was called "Jehovah-Rapha," The LORD, my Healer." The LORD God filled a saint with peace; The LORD was his "Jehovah-Shalom," The LORD, my Peace. Jehovah had become very personal to the saint that worshipfully had uttered His Intimate Name. The LORD'S Name was His Character. We, the saints of this dispensation, are priviledged to know, love, and experience the hundreds of Names of The LORD; for Our LORD has provided us with His Holy Word, The Scriptures. Yet there is nothing that can come close to calling upon a particular Name, as we walk though a diffficulty or even a great JOY. I lead a Grief Group at my Church, and we are constantly calling out to "THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT." We have learned through experience, that He is The One Whose Arms are open and waiting, when grief overcomes us and we need the hug of Our Father. Getting back to the 1st question: I believe that Our Beloved Holy Spirit revealed to John, who was the forerunner of Christ, The Beautiful Name for Jesus, "The Lamb of God." And what overwhelms my heart, is that Jesus "was slain from the foundation of the world!" God has loved us from Eternity! I believe John knew the Jewish Scriptures, and that he, like his fellow Jews, had greatly anticipated the arrival of "The Messiah." John, however, I believe, wasn't waiting for an earthly king to release the people from their bondages. John was looking for The Lamb, Whose Kingdom was not of this world; The Lamb who would be THE FINAL SACRIFICE, TO ONCE AND FOR ALL, take away the sin(s) of the world. John recognized The Messiah; for his eyes had been opened by The Spirit of The LORD. John was born to be a Baptizer and a Prophet; the one who would be given the privilege to baptize The Christ, God's very Own Lamb. For The Saviour and the Baptist had ties that went back to the womb; for when John's mother heard the voice of Mary, "The Babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with The Holy Spirit: And Elizabeth spoke out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed is The Fruit of your womb. And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my LORD should come to me?" John was waiting for the arrival of His Mother's Lord, His LORD! He recognized Jesus by the power of The Holy Spirit, and prophetically spoke His Name to his disciples, "BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!" John was given the great honor to usher in "The Lamb of God." He paid for his great devotion to The Lamb with a horrible martyr's death. The Beloved Lamb!! Wouldn't He belong only to the Jews, God's Chosen people? He would be born from a Jewish Mother and raised a Jew, and would one day be a Teacher in the Temple. What Jew would ever imagine that The Lamb of God would take away THE SINS OF THE WORLD. A Saviour for the Gentiles! That would be absurd to the Jew! But then we have two of the most beautiful and sacred Scriptures ever written: "For G-d so loved THE WORLD, that He gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believes IN HIM should not perish, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. For G-d sent not His Son INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; but that THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED." John 3:16-17 Blessed be The Lamb of God!! elsie

Blessings to all who love Our Lord!! My name is Elsie, and I am the Prayer Leader at my Church in Oxford, Michigan, USA. While working on my daily Devotional for my Intercessors Group," I found Dr. Wilson's website. I have signed up for both the Study on The "Names and Titles of God," and the Study on "The Lamb of God." I began my first Study today after attending Services, and found myself in deep Worship, as I read Dr. Wilson's profound work on "The Names of God." Recently, I finished a Beth Moore Study entitled, "The Patriarch's," where we diligently studied God's Names, spoken out of the mouths of the early Old Testament Saints. I feel as though I have uncovered a "pearl of great price:" for any time we draw closer to Our Lord, we are blessed more than words can say." May we all grow in deeper intimacy with The Lord, Our God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I will be praying for all of you; please pray for me!!