July 22 – Our Plea Agreement

“...but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”  Hebrews 7:24-25 (NIV)

In the times of the Old Testament after God had given His Law to the Children of Israel, it was their duty and practice to bring animal offerings of to the priests at appointed times.  This practice resulted in covering their trespasses and sins which were against God's Law – but covered only for a time.  This had to be done over and over, each time a person broke the Law of Moses.  When Jesus came to earth and after he lived a perfect sinless life, He too was sacrificed for sinners.  He was our willing sacrifice.  Jesus became our permanent priest.  We do not need to approach God through any earthly priest because Jesus Himself was offered once and for all and is in heaven taking up our defense before God the Father.  That is why He was willing to die on the cross so that we can go directly to him.  It is our promise that He is our defense attorney pleading for our forgiveness forever – and God the Father accepts this plea of Jesus as our sacrifice. Our forgiveness is granted directly and we are saved completely (once and for all) because Christ has saved all who come to God through Him.     

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June 28 – Only One Mediator

“...but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25 (NIV)

If we remember yesterday's post, we recall how Jesus willingly took the path to the cross even though he could have called on the Father to send 62,880* angels to his defense.  Instead of taking this option, Jesus chose to fulfill  his purpose in obedience to His Father.  Today's verse reminds us what Jesus is doing for us today. Jesus did die for us but He is living today and our verse tells us that He lives forever. The same love that sent Him to the cross is still working for us. It is a promise that after we accept Jesus as our Savior,  He keeps Himself involved in our lives. When we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus because we need help, at the same time Jesus is interceding directly for us.  Jesus is the only priest a believer needs and his priesthood in perfect and permanent. His intercession for us is directly between us and God the Father. This intercession process is what makes our salvation complete forever. 

*Of course, the number is given here by Jesus to emphasize His power and authority as the Son of God.  But, how many angels make up this illustration? Until the middle of the first century, in the Roman army, 10 cohorts (about 5,240 men not including officers) made up a Roman Legion. Jesus said he could have asked the Father to send 12 legions to His defense which calculates out to nearly 63 thousand. 

May 21 – Praying Right

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

Because God knows we are His, as we read yesterday, He makes wonderful provision in many ways for us, His children. He even provides help for us  in our praying.  Maybe we think that we must pray right to get what we need and that it all depends on us. But our verse today reminds us that by ourselves we don't really know how we should pray or what to pray for. That's why God has given us His Holy Spirit to teach us how to pray and even to step up, on our behalf, and help our prayers. So, not only does the Holy Spirit give us guidance about what to pray for, He also prays for us. In our verses we read that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in a way that is according to God's will. Yes, the Holy Spirit knows what God wants us to pray for and He makes certain that our prayers are given in the way that is God's will.  Now, that is a promise that fills us with encouragement and joy. 

May 4 – Never Out of His Reach

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)

Does it sometimes seem like your requests to God are not heard or perhaps not  important enough for His attention? These words from the prophet Isaiah it this verse can help us remember God's ability to help His followers and His willingness to help them. God gave these words to remind his people in Isaiah's time that if they did not experience God's help it was not His fault. If we were to read the next few verses we learn that it was the sin of the people that caused God to not hear and hid His face from them. God wants us to know that He was able to help then and He is able to help now. Nothing is so separated from God that He cannot reach it and he is able to hear when we ask for help. Our God is listening and hears our call. His ear is turned in our direction waiting for us to express our prayers to Him. God will intercede for us, He can reach us in our situation and give us the help we need.