Tag: salvation

He is Living in Those Who Believe!

The tomb is empty as well as the cross. They served their purpose, but neither could contain him… Jesus Christ has Risen! He is living in all of those who believe in him. Jesus died so that we could live an eternal Life. Jesus doesn’t hang on the cross any more than he resides in the tomb. Neither of them were powerful enough to stop what God had planned to bring man back to His original purpose. He lives in us and through us by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9-14 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

Luke 24:12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

Luke 24:46-49 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things. “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The above verse in Luke was just before his ascension. Then the Holy Spirit was imparted, whom we now have. We should hold onto this enlightenment, for it is a treasure to those who receive. Those who reject Jesus, might as well be hanging him on the cross again, as it says in the Scripture.

Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened – those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come – and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

Who is your accuser?

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10 (NLT)

Accuse verb def: to charge with crime; to impute guilt or blame. Jesus took accuse out of accuse(r) and left us with His Righteousness. See John 16:9-11

Who is stealing from you?

Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”

Jeshua was a high priest who was standing before an angel of the Lord. What did God say to Satan, the accuser? “I reject your accusations!” If we take this personally, ‘Where are our accusers?!’ See John 8:7-10 They are rebuked when seen through God’s eyes. Nobody or nothing can steal our salvation except who and what we allow! Only the thieves we allow into our house (our temple) can rob us of joy or our relationship with God. We are the burning sticks which have been pulled out of the fire by Jesus Christ’s ultimate sacrifice.

 Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”

But Jesus didn’t stop there. Not only have we been redeemed, he looks past our filthy clothes (our sins) and removes them! Plus he has given us new clothes – a New image! A reflection of God! Who are your accusers? Thoughts? Self? 

Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by.

Things just get better with God. They placed a covering on his head. As in Ephesians chapter six, we are given the helmet of salvation. What is the helmet of salvation? It is the mind of Christ. It is placed on our heads. It is our responsibility to keep it, by renewing our minds to the Word of God.

Then the angel of the Lord spoke very solemnly to Jeshua and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here.

“If you follow my ways …” We are instructed to follow God (in His way – in His will) and he prepares our paths before us. See Proverbs 3:5-6 

“Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, (which says)* and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.

“Listen…” it says, the Branch is Jesus Christ who bore our sins on the cross. “I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.” Day here is yowm in the Hebrew. I find the definition of day here very insightful. It comes from a root word ewy which means to be hot (in the heat of the day) or from sunrise to sunset. Jesus’ crucifixion only took one day – his sacrifice which gave us a new covenant all occurred in one single day. The trial, the beating, the cross all occurred in the span between sunrise and sunset. See Matthew 27:1 & Matthew 27:45-46 During the light portion of the day, the “light of the world” was squelched but Not destroyed!

“And on that day, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, each of you will invite your neighbor to sit with you peacefully under your own grapevine and fig tree.” Zechariah 3 (NLT)

The last verse in this passage of Zechariah three talks of the day when we will all follow God in unity of faith. In That day, (when we are unified by the Spirit) we will live peacefully. See Ephesians 4:3 and Ephesians 4:13

I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
      For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
      and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
   I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit
      or a bride with her jewels.
The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world.
      Everyone will praise him!
   His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,
      with plants springing up everywhere. Isaiah 61:10-11

Prayer: Father, help me to know who I am through your enduring Word. Help me to see myself as you see me and not as any thief sees me. Help me to keep my eyes focused on you. Thank you for your love for me and all of your people, which is everyone. Thank you for a rich and satisfying life! Thank you for my salvation! Amen.

*Added for clarification from other translations.

The song I Am Who You Say I Am by Kelanie Gloeckler captures the essence of what I wrote @ kelanie.com:

I Am Who You Say I Am