Tuesday, March 11, 2008

O Wretched Man That I......Was?

"The Lord blessed me down to my SHOES!!!!" That is a quote from Pastor Bob while delivering a sermon one Sunday many years ago. I will never forget that line.

First off, there's a lot going on in my life spiritually. I am forever being blessed by the Wednesday night group and Bible and Bagel Fellowship on Sunday morning. Since November I have been meeting with friends for a Sunday afternoon fellowship. It started out as believers gathering together to blanket a sister in prayer. It has developed into a wonderful fellowship where we gather much like the early church may have.

Hebrews 10: 19-24 says, "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is His flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds."

Jesus is not only the great high priest, He is the perfect sacrifice. His blood accomplished what the blood of goats and bulls could not. There is no longer a veil between us and God. The price was high. Our salvation didn't come cheap. Don't minimize His work with a timid faith or living in your "unworthiness". Yes, we were not worthy. That's why He did it! Oh wretched man that I.... was! Thanks be to God! Thank you Jesus!

Now we can CONFIDENTLY enter the holy place! We can draw near IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH! Our hearts have been SPRINKLED CLEAN from an evil conscience! Our bodies have been WASHED CLEAN with pure water. Let us hold fast our hope WITHOUT WAVERING.....FOR HE WHO PROMISED IS FAITHFUL! HE promised! HE is faithful!!

What better way to stimulate one another to love and good deeds than by reminding each other of these truths. I was reminded of these truths this past Sunday. The Lord truly blessed me down to my shoes! I pray that this happens for you each time you gather with other believers. God bless y'all real good.