The Blood Shed by Christ and What it Accomplishes (Our Redemption)

Scriptures taken from NIV Bible

Our Redemption:  
Acts 20:28; Hebrews 9:12; I Peter 1:18-9

Acts 20:28
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.  Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Hebrews 9:12
12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

I Peter 1:18-20
18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

The Blood Shed by Christ and What It Accomplishes (Our Forgiveness)

Our Forgiveness
Ephesians 1:7-8; Hebrews 9:22 and Revelation 1:5-6 (NIV)

Ephesians 1;7-8
7  In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
8  that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Hebrews 9:22
22  In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and with the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Revelation 1:5-6
5  and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father -- to him be glory and power for ever and ever!  Amen

God is Both Kind and Severe (Romans 11:17-24) NLT

17  But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.
18  But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.
19  “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.”
20  Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.
21  For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.
22  Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.
23  And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.
24  You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.

We Harvest What We Plant (Galatians 6:1-10) NLT

1    Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 

2    Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 

3    If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

4    Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 

5    For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

6    Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.

7    Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 

8    Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 

9    So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 

10  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

By God's Grace and Mighty Power (Ephesians 3:6-13) NLT

6    And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.
7    By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.
8    Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
9    I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
10  God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
11  This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
12  Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.
13  So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored.

The Righteous Shall Live By Faith (Galatians 3:6-14) NLT

6    In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
7    The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.
8    What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”
9    So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

10  But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”
11  So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
12  This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”
13  But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
14  Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.

God Loves a Person Who Gives Cheerfully (II Corinthians 9:6-11) NLT

6    Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
7    You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
8    And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
9    As the Scriptures say,  “They share freely and give generously to the poor.  Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

10  For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

11  Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.

Who Will Be Saved (Acts 2:17-21)NLT

17  ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy.  Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18  In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy.
19  And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below—blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20  The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21  But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’

This Is My Command: Love Each Other (John 15:9-17)NLT

9    “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
10  When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
11  I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
12  This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
13  There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
14  You are my friends if you do what I command.
15  I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
16  You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
17  This is my command: Love each other.

Gives Thanks to The Lord (Psalms 107:1-21) NLT

1    Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever.
2    Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!  Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
3    For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south.

4    Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless.
5    Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died.
6    “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress.
7    He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live.
8    Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
9    For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

10  Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery.
11  They rebelled against the words of God, scorning the counsel of the Most High.
12  That is why he broke them with hard labor; they fell, and no one was there to help them.
13  “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
14  He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom; he snapped their chains.
15  Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
16  For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron.

17  Some were fools; they rebelled and suffered for their sins.
18  They couldn’t stand the thought of food, and they were knocking on death’s door.
19  “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
20  He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.
21  Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.

You Must Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me (Mark 8:34-38) NLT

34  Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 
35  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 
36  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 
37  Is anything worth more than your soul? 
38  If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Living With Wisdom, Righteousness and Devotion to God (Titus 2:11-15) NLT

11  For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.
12  And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,
13  while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
14  He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
15  You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.

People Come Into Your Life For a Reason

Humble Yourself Under the Mighty Power of God (I Peter 5:6-11) NLT

6    So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 

7    Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

8    Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 

9    Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

10  In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 

11  All power to him forever! Amen.

Are You Believing for God To Do Something In Your Life Today?

Are you believing for God to do something in your life today?  I want to encourage you because God is already working behind the scenes on your behalf!  Just because you don't see anything happening, doesn't mean that God isn't working.  The moment we pray, God sets the miracle into motion.  The thing we have to remember is that God doesn't say, "I'll deliver you in one hour, or next week, or Tuesday at 5:00 p.m."  No, He doesn't put a time frame on it.  That's where trust comes in.  We have to know that our enemies retreat as soon as we call on Him for help.  We have to choose to go back to the place of peace knowing that He is working things out.

Today, shake off the temptation to get discouraged during the waiting process.  Shake off offense, shake off discouragement.  Remember, all it takes is one touch of God's favor to take you years ahead.  Keep standing, keep believing, keep hoping because because the answer is on his way the moment we pray!

Prayer for Today:  Heavenly Father, thank you for hearing me the moment I pray.  today I choose to trust that you are working behind the scenes on my behalf no matter what I see in the natural.  I will praise You today and always because You are faithful.  I love You and bless You.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen

Now Is The Time to Seek The Lord (Hosea 10:12-14) NLT

12  I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love.  Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’

13  “But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins.  You have eaten the fruit of lies—trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe.

14  Now the terrors of war will rise among your people.  All your fortifications will fall, just as when Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel.  Even mothers and children were dashed to death there.

Patience and Endurance (James 5:7-12) NLT

7    Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 

8    You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

9    Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

10  For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 

11  We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

12  But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

Let The Peace of Christ Rule In Your Heart (Colossians 3:12-17) NLT

12  Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
13  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
14  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
15  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
16  Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
17  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Warning About Self-Confidence (James 4:13-17)NLT

13  Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 

14  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 

15  What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 

16  Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

17  Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

God Blesses Those Who Patiently (James 1:12-18) NLT

12  God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
13  And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.
14  Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
15  These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
16  So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.
17  Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
18  He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.

The Thief Comes to Steal and Kill and Destroy (John 10:10-18) NLT

10  The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
11  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 
12  A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 
13  The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.
14  “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 
15  just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 
16  I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17  “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 
18  No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

Good News: All Who Believe in Christ Are Made Right With God (Romans 10:3-10)NLT

3    For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
4    For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
5    For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
6    But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth).
7    And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).”
8    In fact, it says,  “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 

9    If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself (Galatians 5:13-15) NLT

13  For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
14  For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
15  But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

If Anyone Loves Me He Will Obey My Teaching (John 14:23-31)NLT

23  Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 
24  Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 
25  I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 
26  But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
27  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 
28  Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 
29  I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
30  “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 
31  but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

Suffering for Doing Good (I Peter 3:13-2

13  Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 

14  But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 

15  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 

16  But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 

17  Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

18  Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

19  So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— 

20  those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 

21  And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

22  Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority