Tag Archive | Jesus

Exodus 28 and 29

Feb12

Good evening y’all. Today we looking at Exodus 28 and 29. The chapters describe the priesthood and the process of ordination.

Be blessed šŸ™‚

One of the first things I noticed is that being a priest is not a right. One can’t just decide they want to be a priest; you have to be chosen or called. As we see in 28:1.

ā€œCall for your brother, Aaron, and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Set them apart from the rest of the people of Israel so they may minister to me and be my priests.(Exodus 28:1 NLT)

God asked Moses to call out Aaron and his sons and set them apart for His use. This tells me you have to be called

Hebrews 5:4 confirms this.

“But no one can have the honor of being a high priest simply by wanting to be one. Only God can choose a priest, and God is the one who chose Aaron”. (Hebrews 5:4 CEVUS06)

The whole description of the priesthood and it’s duties are a shadow of things to come. God was foretelling what plans He had in mind through Jesus.

Aaron was chosen to be the high priest. He was to be the one to appear before God to offer sacrifices and petition God on behalf of the people. In the same way Jesus has been chosen as our high priest. As said in Hebrews 5. He didn’t choose himself God chose him.

“Every high priest is appointed to help others by offering gifts and sacrifices to God because of their sins. A high priest has weaknesses of his own, and he feels sorry for foolish and sinful people.  This is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of others.  But no one can have the honor of being a high priest simply by wanting to be one. Only God can choose a priest, and God is the one who chose Aaron.    This is how it was with Christ. He became a high priest, but not just because he wanted the honor of being one. It was God who told him, ā€œYou are my Son, because today I have become your Father!ā€( Hebrews 5:1-5 CEVUS06)

Aaron though he was the high priest still had to make atonement for his own sins; he wasn’t a perfect priest. Jesus on the other hand is our perfect priest who doesn’t have to make any atonement for himself.

Aaron had to go before God always wearing the name of Israel on his shoulders and chest. This way the children of Israel were always represented before God. In the same way Jesus our high priest is always before the father interceding for us and forever presenting our case before the Father.

Hebrews 7:16 -28 says it all.

“Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied, ā€œYou are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.ā€ Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaronā€™s descendants became priests without such an oath, but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him, ā€œThe lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: ā€˜You are a priest forever.ā€™ā€ Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God. There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.  Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the peopleā€™s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever”.(NLT)

Jesus is all we need šŸ™‚ Hallelujah!!!

Thanks for joining today.

Have a wonderful night šŸ™‚

***With God all things are possible***

Psalms 16

Dec11

Good morning y’all. Today we looking at Psalm 16.

I am reading from The Message version. Be Blessed šŸ™‚

In verse 1 and 2, David realises that only in God can He find true safety. He says:
“Keep me safe, O God, Iā€™ve run for dear life to you. I say to God , ā€œBe my Lord!ā€ Without you, nothing makes sense” (Psalms 16:1-2 MSG).

I agree with David here, that without God, nothing in this world makes sense. Remove God from the equation, and everything no longer has meaning. All that we need and want consists in Him. He is the source of it all and everything finds its place in him. I love how the message version explains this in Colossians 1:15-20

“We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see Godā€™s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angelsā€” everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning andā€”leading the resurrection paradeā€”he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end heā€™s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universeā€”people and things, animals and atomsā€”get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross”.

Also Col 2:9-10 says: “Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You donā€™t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything” (MSG).

Friends, as I read this psalm, it made me realise that God is all I need. As long as I have him on my side then I’m good. Nothing the enemy tries can succeed unless God allows it for a purpose.

Human or things cannot satisfy us. Maybe they can for a while, but there will come a time when they can’t satisfy us any longer. That longing and vaccum can only be satisfied by God. I’m reminded of the story of the woman at the well in John 4. When Jesus met her, she had been with 5 men. I’m sure she was going round men cos she was looking for acceptance, love, companionionship,  comfort, security…etc. She was looking for all of it in the wrong places until the day she met Jesus. He didnt have to touch her physically for him to make the difference or satisfy her. He touched her soul and gave her of the living water that never ever shall run dry. Jesus met her greatest need. He showed her love without demanding something back in return. His love was not conditional. She didn’t have to be perfect to enjoy his love. She was so amazed at Jesus that she ran to the town to tell everyone about this man who made the difference in her life.

See David’s statement from verse 5-11

“My choice is you, God , first and only. And now I find Iā€™m your choice! You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir! The wise counsel God gives when Iā€™m awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. Day and night Iā€™ll stick with God ; Iā€™ve got a good thing going and Iā€™m not letting go. Iā€™m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, Iā€™m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hellā€” thatā€™s not my destination! Now youā€™ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, Iā€™m on the right way” ( Psalm 16:5-11 MSG)

Friends, I’m encouraging you to try Jesus today. He is all you need. Stick with him and He won’t fail you. You don’t need to look elsewhere for a love that cannot satisfy. His love is all you need. He cares for you. He said he will never leave you, nor forsake you ( Hebrews 13:5). What more assurance do you need? He went to the cross for you even when you had not yet acknowledged him (Romans 5:8). He chose you and had you in mind even before you were conceived (Jeremiah 1:5). He says ā€œIā€™ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!” (Jeremiah 31:3 MSG).

What are you waiting for? Try Jesus today, He is all you need!

Prayer:
Dear Lord we thank you for today. Thanks for reminding is that you are all we need and want. Everything is found in you; who is the giver of life and fountain of living water. Help us always remember you are all we need and to keep trusting you.Thank you dear Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Thanks for joining today.

Have  a blessed day and remember Jesus is all you need šŸ™‚

***With God all things are possible***