❤️ God's Self-existence, God's Nature — His Personality, Spirit, Unity, His Triunity (Trinity), The Godhead. ❤️ ((God's Self-existence)) Another aspect of God's existence is His self-existence. God not only exists, but He is also self-existent. He is not dependent upon anything outside Himself, but the source of His being is within Himself. God lives by His own life, not depending on anything to give Him life. In John 5:26 Jesus said, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." God is the fountain of life. "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9). God's nature is "to be." This is seen in His very name. When Moses asked God, "What is your name?" He said, in effect, call me the one who is—call me "I AM." "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exodus 3:14). Although God is the ground of His own existence, this does not mean that He is self-caused or self-originated; for God is eternal—without beginning and without end. The Scriptures declare this very clearly. The significance of this is seen in the fact that this makes God sovereign. Since He is self-existent. He alone is free and independent to do what He chooses, and what He chooses is righteous. All of His decrees, His works, and His plan of salvation are wrought according to His own will and good pleasure. "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Ephesians 1:11). God's self-existence also makes Him self-sufficient. He did not create because He needed anything outside of Himself, for God was complete and perfect within Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He created the world as a "theater" for His glory. According to Isaiah 43, Israel was created for the glory of God. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork" (Psalm 19:1). The Christian has been redeemed so that he might be "to the praise of the glory of his grace" for eternity (Ephesians 1:6). God's self-existence also means that He is the source of life; He has life in Himself. He created man, permitting him to partake of this life and have fellowship with Him, so that man might glorify God and enjoy Him forever. ❤️ ((God's Nature—His Personality)) The study of God's nature includes His personality, God as Spirit, God's unity and His triunity. The Scriptures re- veal God's personality or the evidence that God is a personal God. This is significant in view of the fact that most of the cults deny His personality, making Him "the absolute," "the source of all things," "the first cause," or a principle like "love." On the contrary, the Scriptures represent God as a personal being, not as a spiritual principle, or mere influence, or power, or immanent in nature as the Pantheists teach. God has the attributes of personality. He is a God who acts, a God who speaks, a God who thinks, a God who decrees and wills things to come to pass. The God of the Bible is self-conscious. In Exodus 3:14 God's self-consciousness is seen in that He has the ability to say "I AM." This ability shows that one has the power to know himself and the world around him. It is the mark of personality. An animal, for example, lacks this capacity to think or say, "I am, I exist, and this is a world around me." God is also self-determining; and this self-determination is seen in many Scriptures, such as Isaiah 40:13-14 and Ephesians 1:9-11. In Daniel 4:35 the prophet said that God "doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth." As previously pointed out, God has self-life. He is called the "living God" throughout Scripture, for example, Jeremiah 10:10 and 1 Timothy 3:15. The Scriptures speak of God as a living God, meaning that He is a God who speaks and acts, in contrast to the non-living, non-personal idols or gods that men have made. Life is a requisite for personality. God proves His life by His works and by His activity on behalf of His people. ❤️ ((God's Nature—Spirit)) God is also Spirit. The Bible does not define God's essential nature except in this one phrase—He is Spirit. "God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). This means that God is a non-material, invisible, personal being who is not bound by the limitations of time or space. Spirit has no weight, size, or shape, and does not occupy space. A being which has no parts cannot be divided and needs no space. In contrast to man, God is pure Spirit. Those passages of Scripture that speak of God as having eyes, heart, hands, and ears are called anthropomorphic. Man's vocabulary and understanding are limited to earthly concepts; so God, who is formless Spirit, has revealed Himself in terms which can be understood, as having eyes, ears, heart, and so forth. This does not mean that God is impersonal or that He is a mere figure of speech. God as "person" can feel love and compassion, although He has no heart. The Scriptures say that He has no ears, and yet He can hear; nothing is done that He does not see, though He has no eyes. "A spirit hath not flesh and bones," Jesus said in Luke 24:39. God is all-wise, all-knowing Spirit. He comprehends all things, but the only way finite creatures can comprehend this is by anthropomorphic analogies. In Isaiah 31:3 God contrasts His nature as Spirit with that which He created, which is flesh. God, as Spirit, is present everywhere at the same moment; however, this does not mean that He cannot manifest Himself in any form at any one place if He chooses. On the contrary, although His Spirit is everywhere throughout the universe and heaven, the Scriptures declare that He sits upon His throne in the heavens and rules with Jesus Christ at His right hand. He sat upon His throne in Israel. He spoke to Moses "from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark" (Numbers 7:89). He seemed pleased, also, to take upon Himself the form of man which He created. "And God said. Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26f.; see also Philippians 2:7). ❤️ ((His Unity)) Another aspect of God's nature is His unity, which means that God is one. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord" (Deuteronomy 6:4). This was in contrast to the other nations who had many gods. The full meaning of the oneness of God as stated in the Old Testament must be understood by the Christian in the light of the full revelation, if for no other reason than that Jesus Christ came calling Himself the Son of God. In fact. He said He was God. To say that God is "one" means that He is the only God (Isaiah 44:6-8). It means He is one essence or nature. He is Spirit—one divine Spirit (John 4:24). To say that God is one does not mean that this one God cannot manifest Himself eternally in three personifications as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In John 10:30 Jesus said, "I and my Father are one," and in John 17 He prayed to the Father. Thus, they are not the same personality, though they are the same God. To say that God is one means that there is a unity of nature, or essence, or being in God. The one God is one Divine Spirit personified eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Modern-day Israel, along with Unitarians and others who deny the deity of Christ, stumble at this truth, confining themselves only to the Old Testament revelation in Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." But His oneness is a oneness of essence or nature, that is. He is only one God. "I and my Father are one," Jesus said, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 10:30; 14:9). Obviously, they are not the same personality, but the same being or nature—God. There is but one God essence, one Divine Spirit. The Jews correctly interpreted the meaning of Christ's words when He said, "I and my Father are one," for they said He had claimed equality with God. He did say that He was one with the Father; but He did not say He was the Father, because He prayed to the Father, and He said that the Father sent Him into the world. If He were the one sent, He could not have been the sender. God's oneness means that He is one essence, one Divine Spirit. Religious significance should not be given to the number "one" as the Jews and others do who deny the deity of Christ. His oneness is not a mathematical oneness. It is not the number one, but a qualitative oneness. It is a personal oneness, a unique oneness that belongs only to God. There is one Divine Spirit which is God. Monotheism and its emphasis in the Old Testament had its necessary purpose—to guard Israel against idolatry. The Israelites did not philosophize about the oneness of God or the nature of God, nor did they try to reason this out. They did not come to this truth by discovery, but God revealed Himself to them as the one God. Egypt and some other nations were polytheistic, worshiping many gods. His oneness of nature was in contrast to other religions of the day. There are no other gods, but this does not mean that Christ is not God. Christ and the Father are one—one essence, one being, one nature, one Divine Spirit, but different personalities. God is triune or has tri-personality. "Whosoever denies the Son," Jesus said, "has not the Father." God's unity means the Divine nature is undivided, indivisible, and there is but one infinite and perfect Divine Spirit. ❤️ ((His Triunity)) (Trinity) The doctrine of the triunity of God logically follows the study of the unity or oneness of the Godhead. The Scriptures show that in the nature of the one God there are three distinct personalities revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the triunity or the triune nature of God is a revelation from His Word and cannot be conceived by observing the created order or general revelation. Some critics point out that the term "trinity" does not occur in Scripture, which is true; but that does not mean that the doctrine of the trinity or triunity of God is not from the Word of God. There are other words used in theology which are not found in the New Testament, yet they support valid principles. For example, the word "atonement" does not occur in the Greek New Testament. The term translated "atonement" in Romans 5:11 is the Greek word "reconciliation," yet that is the basic doctrine of the New Testament and also the church's message. Even though a term may not occur in Scripture, the principle, the teaching, or the idea may be there, as in the case of the triunity or trinity of God. The tri personality of God is not tritheism, that is, three separate Gods. There are three eternal personalities—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—but only one divine essence called God. According to Scripture, the three personalities are equal and eternal. There are no earthly analogies to adequately express the truth of the triunity of God. While there have been many attempts to do this, none are adequate. However there is one that is helpful. Think of the Sun as Father and source of the light, and the Son as the essence of light, and the Holy Spirit is what light consists of. All three are distinct. One never exists apart from the other. Light is one with source. Light is a reflection from the source. Light and essence are one with the source. Therefore, it is advisable to take the Scriptures for what they say. God is what He reveals Himself to be in His Word—not what men say He is, not what the Unitarians or the liberals say He is—He is one Divine Spirit, eternally personified as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It should be obvious that if God is not what He reveals Himself to be in His Word, then He is yet unrevealed, and man does not know what He is like. To find the truth of the triunity of God, the place to begin is where most would probably not look, and that is in the Old Testament. The triunity is not clearly revealed there, yet the Old Testament does lay the foundation for the full revelation which is found in the New Testament. The plurality of the Godhead is suggested in certain passages such as Genesis 1:26. "And God said. Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Plural pronouns are used there both in the Hebrew and in the English translation. To whom is He speaking? Obviously, to the other personalities in the Godhead. Another suggestion of the plurality of the Godhead is in Genesis 19:24. "The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven." The Lord on earth, who appeared as an angel, rained down fire from the Lord who was yet in heaven. There is also an interesting statement in Isaiah 48:16, which is a prophetic passage speaking of the future Messiah. "Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me." Notice the triune suggestion. The "me" is the Messiah or the preincarnate Christ who is speaking. The "Lord God and His Spirit" sent the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Certainly this passage is more than a hint about the triune nature of the Godhead! In the Old Testament the Messiah as God is distinguished from God the Father. This is seen in Isaiah 9:6, 48:16, Zechariah 12:10, 13:7, Psalm 45:6-7, Daniel 7:13-14, Psalm 2. The Old Testament revelation—while it stresses monotheism and the oneness of God—very carefully lays the groundwork for the New Testament doctrine of the triunity of the God-head. The Old Testament stressed the truth that God is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4); but this one God has a Son who is called God, and has a Spirit who is designated as the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of God. ❤️ ((The Godhead)) God is revealed as the Father (John 6:27), the Son (John 6:69), and the Spirit (Acts 5:3,4,9). These three as the one God are called in theology the "Godhead." There are many erroneous views about the Godhead. Some make God one in the sense that the Father became the Son, and He later became the Holy Spirit. He was the Father in the Old Testament, they say, the Son in the New Testament, and in the church age He is now manifest as the Holy Spirit. While God truly is one, it is not a mathematical oneness; it is qualitative, as was pointed out previously. There are people who deny the deity of Christ or the personality of the Holy Spirit. They deny that God is three eternal personalities. It has already been stated that God is not what men may say that He is, but He is what He reveals Himself to be in the Scriptures. The Bible clearly shows God to be one Divine essence, one Divine Spirit, who reveals Himself from all eternity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There was never a time when He was not Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, nor shall there ever be. Both the unity and the distinctions in the Godhead are seen throughout the New Testament, and certainly they are suggested in the Old. The distinction between the Divine personalities in the Godhead can be seen in such passages as John 3:16 and Galatians 4:4, where the Father sent the Son into the world. The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinguished in John 15:26 where Jesus said that after He had returned to heaven. He and the Father would send the Holy Spirit. The unity of the Godhead is seen in Ephesians 4:4-6. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." There the Spirit, the Lord Jesus, and God the Father are distinguished, but it says clearly that they are all one. See these verses for another example showing this truth. Matthew 3:16-17. “When He had been baptized, JESUS came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the SPIRIT OF GOD descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice from heaven(FATHER), saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Scriptures also show two truths regarding the revelation of the Godhead. Since God is one, there is no real distinction between having God with man, having Christ in man, or having the Holy Spirit indwelling man, because the three are one God. This fact can be seen in John 14:15-26. The Scriptures also differentiate between the three personalities. The Father is the source or the ground of all things (1 Corinthians 15). The Son is the Creator and Redeemer (Colossians 1). The Holy Spirit is the agent of all life, both in the creation of the world and in the regeneration of the sinner. Edited. Shared. ❤️ God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.

⚔️ The Victory of the Cross 🌍 The Lord came, and by His death He abolished death. Sin lost its throne, which no human arm or power could shatter. "He descended into hell by means of the Cross," and there "He scattered the powers of hell." Christ conquered the power of death by the Cross; because He accepted it, took it, and transformed it from a punishment into a great mystery—the mystery of baptism. Only through the Cross were we able to be united with the Lord "in the likeness of His death" (Rom 6:5). This truth must never be absent from our minds; for the death of the first Adam is not like the death of the last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, it is "the life-giving death." Death was transformed into a power of salvation because the Lord accepted it on the Cross to destroy sin by it: "He who has died has been freed from sin" (Rom 6:7). How? The apostle answers: "our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Rom 6:6). The Cross became the sign that separates death from life. Our life became the life coming through the resurrection, which appeared in Jesus Christ. He came and gathered in His divine-human essence power, limitations, and the new grace that renews creation. Therefore, Christ proclaimed reconciliation on five important levels: 1. Reconciliation of male and female. 2. Reconciliation of Paradise with the world. 3. Reconciliation of heaven with earth. 4. Reconciliation of God with all creation. 5. Reconciliation of matter with spirit. Thus, the Head "in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col 2:9) is the one who makes us "complete in Him," that is, filled with power, grace, and the manifestation of the new creation, its transformation in Christ from death to life. #Cross #Victory #Reconciliation #Atonement #NewCreation

The Power of the Blood Scripture Leviticus 17:11 (NKJV) For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. Life Through the Blood In this verse, God reveals a deep spiritual truth. The life of a creature is in its blood, and He gave the blood as the means of atonement for sin. Every sacrifice under the old covenant pointed to this reality—that sin requires life to be given, and forgiveness comes only through the shedding of blood. For believers today, this truth finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. His blood, shed on the cross, was not the blood of animals but the perfect and eternal sacrifice. Through His blood, we have forgiveness, redemption, and new life. The same blood that atoned for sin now speaks of grace, mercy, and victory. This verse reminds us that the Christian life is not built on our goodness but on the blood of Jesus. His sacrifice gives life to our souls and restores us to fellowship with God. Reflection Questions 1. Do I fully understand the value of Christ’s blood and what it accomplished for me? 2. How does remembering His sacrifice affect my gratitude and daily walk with Him? 3. Do I live in the confidence that His blood has completely covered my sin? Prayer Lord God, thank You for the precious blood of Jesus Christ that brings life and forgiveness. Help me never to take His sacrifice lightly. Teach me to live each day in gratitude and faith, knowing that I am redeemed and cleansed through His blood. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Day of Atonement Scripture Leviticus 16:30 (NKJV) For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. Cleansed Before the Lord The Day of Atonement was the most sacred day in Israel’s calendar. Once a year, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people. Through sacrifice and the shedding of blood, their sins were covered, and they were made clean before God. It was a solemn reminder that sin separates us from God and that only atonement restores fellowship. For believers today, this day points directly to Jesus Christ. He is our High Priest and our perfect sacrifice. His death on the cross accomplished what the annual Day of Atonement could only symbolize. His blood does not just cover sin—it removes it completely. Through Christ, we are cleansed once for all and made righteous before God. This verse reminds us that atonement is not achieved by our effort but by the grace of God through the sacrifice of His Son. Reflection Questions 1. Do I live each day with the assurance that I am cleansed by Christ’s sacrifice? 2. How does knowing my sins are forgiven change the way I approach God in prayer and worship? 3. In what ways can I express gratitude for the atonement Christ has provided? Prayer Lord God, thank You for sending Jesus, my perfect High Priest and sacrifice. Because of His blood, I am cleansed and made right before You. Help me to live in the freedom of forgiveness and to honor You with a grateful heart. In Jesus name, Amen.

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotional for today. i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* THURSDAY 23RD APRIL, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* THE CROSS: CULMINATION OF GRACE. *TOPIC:* GRANTS ACCESS TO GOD. *TEXT:* MATTHEW 27:50-54. 50. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. 51. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52. and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54. When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God!” *TOPIC:* GRANTS ACCESS TO GOD. *THE MESSAGE:* The veil in the temple separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary did not allow worshippers to access God's presence. Only the high priest entered once a year on the Day of Atonement. The death of Jesus broke this barrier, removing the separation between God and the people. Therefore, through Christ's death, access to God is now open to all believers without restriction (read 10:19-20). The bodies of the saints coming out of the tombs show Christ's power over death and the grave, assuring believers of resurrection into God's eternal presence. Today, only sin can separate man from God. Do you desire to be in God's presence? Then, avoid the deeds of darkness. *REFLECTION:* Jesus' death gives access to God. *PRAYER:* Thank You, Father, for opening the door to Your presence. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* COLOSSIANS 2:15. "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* 2 CHRONICLES 10-12. ii. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS "It is good for me that I was troubled, so that I might learn Your Law." - Psalm 119:71 What gospel is this that says it is good to be troubled? And all this for one purpose: 'so that I might learn Your Law.' The Lord God wants to teach us time and again to trust in Him. Psalm 34:18 says: 'The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.' God wants us to learn from our problems and difficulties. He is a God who loves His children and wants to be involved in our difficult circumstances. When we understand how God repeatedly delivered His people from trouble, we will also acknowledge that God will deliver us from ours. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says: 'These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us.' God wants to save us the same way He delivered His people. Exodus 3:7 says: 'The Lord told him: I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers.' Isn't this a great consolation? God knows what we are going through. He knows our feelings, pain, sadness and struggle! You can do whatever you want to save yourself, but in the end, you will have to acknowledge that God is the only One who can help you! Does this mean we do not struggle? On the contrary! We must have faith and trust in God. Difficulties should bring us closer to God and not further away from Him. Tribulation teaches us to pray and to call upon God. God loves us and He is full of compassion. Isaiah 63:9 says: 'In all their distress He too was distressed.' Dear reader, as we begin to cry to God in our tribulation, He begins to work on our deliverance. Keep courage and trust God. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! https://www.theblessingdevotional.com iii. Skip to content Dalily Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth Posted onApril 23, 2026 by Editor Sacrifice for Sin Christian Applications Store:: Christian devotional App Store; Explore Recommended Christian Books and Devotionals He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Corinthians 5:21 Dead in Sin We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. When I first heard this saying I pondered it, to get it deep in my heart. My pride wants to say I am a good person, but God sees me as I am – a sinner. Born dead in trespasses and sins. Born with an inherent sin nature. Born in enmity with the Father. Born in desperate need of a Saviour. Federal Head Adam, created in God’s image, was authorised to rule the earth righteously, for God breathed into him the breath of lives – a living body, soul and spirit. Commissioned as the federal head of mankind, his was the responsibility. Together with Eve, he was created to rule under the God’s righteous authority – and Adam walked in the garden and had sweet fellowship with his God and Lord. God’s Spirit and man’s spirit fellowshipping together – Spirit to spirit communion. Man’s Choice Adam was given one command and a freewill to choose to obey or elect to rebel. His beloved wife was deceived by the serpent – questioning the truth of God’s Word. But as the authorised leader under God’s authority, it was Adam’s responsibility – and Adam choose to join her in sin, and fellowship with his Lord was severed. Sin Nature Adam chose to disregard God’s word of truth, which is rebellion against God, but the day of his disobedience was the day man’s sin nature became a reality – for the seed of the man became tainted with sin and his progeny are tainted with sin. We are not sinners because we sin – we sin because we are sinners. We sin because we are born of Adam’s sinful seed, dead in sins – estranged from God. Eternal Separation The federal head chose to sin, unaware of the eternal consequence of his choice, for the wages of sin is separation and so all his seed were condemned to damnation. Adam was created for fellowship with the Lord but sin separated his spirit from God. And such would have been the fate of all humanity if God had not designed salvation. His perfect, unblemished, sinless Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world.. so that Adam and his fallen race could be reunited in spirit with God – by faith.. faith in the Seed of the woman, not faith in any of the fallen progeny of Adam – salvation in the Son of Man.. not salvation by any other man or means or method. Rescue Strategy We are not sinners because we sin – we sin because we are a race of sinners. But God ordained a new race, a new man, a new creation, a new federal head. God planned for a second Adam; an obedient man having Holy Spirit to human spirit communion. God decided a rescue strategy – to redeem Adam’s fallen race from all condemnation – but there was no man to stand in the gap for all have sinned and all fall short, Sinless Sacrifice God alone is good – so God alone could save – but God is Sprit and man is flesh, and only a perfect Man could reach God on behalf of sinful, sin-infected man, Only a perfect Man would be sufficient to satisfy God’s righteous requirement. Only a sinless sacrifice, willing to die for His people, could pay the price for sin.. so God took on human flesh so man could be clothed in God’s righteousness. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf – so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Cor5:21 God-Man God made the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was the second person of the eternal Trinity, to come in the likeness of human flesh, through the pure Seed of the fallen woman. God, Who alone is righteous became the only righteous man that ever lived, for the rest of humanity are sinful, sin-infected people. He alone was the only One Who could pay the price for sinful, sin-infected man and the many sins that each sinful man committed. And so the One who knew no sin – the One Who did not sin, HE BECAME SIN on our behalf, and the wrath of God was poured out on Him in full measure – upon that sinless God-Man, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Cor.5:21 Post navigation Previous Post Previous The Iniquity Of Us All Proudly powered by WordPress. 2. Evening Prayer for today. i. Evening Prayer Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. ⏤ Psalm 91:9-10 In the darkest times, we can rest knowing that God is our refuge and fortress. ⏤ Charles Spurgeon As the day ends, we come to You, Father, to hide ourselves away for the night in the secret place of the Most High, and to rest through the darkness under the shadow of the Almighty. O God, You are our refuge and fortress, our God in whom we trust. You will deliver us from the traps of the enemy and from deadly dangers. You will cover us with Your wings, and under Your wings of love, we will find refuge. Your truth will be our shield and protection. We won’t be afraid of the terror of the night, or the arrows that fly by day, or the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, or the destruction that strikes at noon. None of these dangers can harm us. Even if a thousand fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, the peril won’t come near us. You, Lord, are our refuge. Because we have made You, O Most High, our home, no evil will come upon us, no plague will come near our dwelling. You will command Your angels concerning us, to guard us in all our ways. They will lift us up in their hands, so we won’t even strike our foot against a stone. We will tread on the lion and the cobra without harm; we will trample the great lion and the serpent underfoot. Because we have set our love on You, You will deliver us from all danger. You will be with us in trouble; You will deliver us and honor us. With long life, You will satisfy us and show us Your salvation. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/18/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

THE 28 FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS. 28 Beleifs # 24 CHRIST'S MINISTRY IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle that the Lord set up and not humans. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross. At His ascension, He was inaugurated as our great High Priest and, began His intercessory ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the holy place of the earthly sanctuary. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation before the Second Advent.

NEED TO KNOW. THE JUDGMENT IN HEAVEN HAS BEGUN. The Bible reveals a solemn and powerful scene taking place right now in heaven—a judgment where every life is reviewed before God. Daniel was given a vision of this moment: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down… the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” (Daniel 7:9–10) “Unto 2300 days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:14) Just as the earthly sanctuary was cleansed on the Day of Atonement—a day of judgment—so Christ has entered the Most Holy Place in 1844 to commence the final work of judgment. This is not symbolic only. Scripture is clear: “He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness…” (Acts 17:31) And how does God judge? “The dead were judged… according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” (Revelation 20:12) Heaven keeps a record: “A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord.” (Malachi 3:16) And this judgment begins with those who profess His name: “Judgment must begin at the house of God.” (1 Peter 4:17) Every life is examined: “God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14) “Every idle word… they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36) “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:10) But here is the hope: “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1) Right now, Jesus is ministering for us. This means we are not alone in the judgment—Christ stands as our representative. But He does not stand to excuse or cover unrepented sin. His work is to present those who have truly repented and overcome through His power. If any sin remains on the record—unconfessed, unforsaken—when our name comes up in judgment, we are found without a covering. But this work will not go on forever. A moment is coming when every case is decided: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still… and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still.” (Revelation 22:11) And then: “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12) Names are either retained or removed: “He that overcometh… I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.” (Revelation 3:5) This is why the final message to the world is: “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” (Revelation 14:6–7) There is no Purgatory, no second chances. Now is the time to repent, surrender fully to Christ, and have your sins blotted out while mercy still pleads on your behalf. * The judgment is real. * The books are open. * Christ is your Advocate. Now is the time to stand faithful before Him.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. THE SCAPEGOAT: Is it Christ, or Satan? Most people believe the Scapegoat represents Jesus because our sins are placed upon it. But if we look closer at the Sanctuary service and the Day of Atonement, a different—and much more powerful—truth emerges. Two Goats, Two Roles In Leviticus 16, two goats were chosen. The Lord’s Goat: This goat was sacrificed. Its blood cleansed the sanctuary. This is Jesus Christ, our Substitute and Savior. The Scapegoat (Azazel): This goat was not killed. It was presented alive after the atonement was finished. The Final Transfer of Guilt Our sins are first forgiven through the blood of Christ and "recorded" in the Heavenly Sanctuary. But on the Day of Atonement, those sins are removed from the Sanctuary and placed upon the head of the Scapegoat. As Ellen White explains in The Great Controversy: "As the priest, in removing the sins from the sanctuary, confessed them upon the head of the scapegoat, so Christ... will place all these sins upon Satan, the originator and instigator of sin." (GC 658) The 1,000-Year Wilderness The Bible says the scapegoat was led by a "fit man" into a desolate wilderness—a land not inhabited (Leviticus 16:21). This is the Old Testament "blueprint" for Revelation 20. The "fit man" is the Mighty Angel who descends with a great chain to bind Satan. For 1,000 years, the earth becomes a broken, desolate wilderness. With no humans left to tempt, Satan is forced to wander the ruins of his own rebellion, bearing the weight of every sin he ever incited. The Lamb of God died to save us from sin. The Scapegoat lives to bear the final punishment for inventing it.

Restored and Made Clean Scripture Leviticus 14:20 (NKJV) And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean. The Joy of Restoration In this verse, God gives instructions for the cleansing of a leper who had been healed. After the offerings were made, the priest declared the person clean. This moment was not only about physical healing but also about being restored to fellowship with God and with the community. For believers today, this points us to the greater work of Christ. Through His sacrifice, He does more than forgive our sins—He restores us. We are not left outside the camp but welcomed into the family of God. His atonement makes us clean and renews our fellowship with Him. This verse is a reminder that God’s work is complete. When He declares us clean, we are fully restored, forgiven, and renewed. Reflection Questions 1. Do I live with the assurance that Christ has made me clean, or do I still carry guilt from past sins? 2. How does the restoration Christ gives affect my relationship with God and with others? 3. Who in my life needs to hear the good news that Jesus can cleanse and restore completely? Prayer Lord God, thank You for the cleansing and restoration I have through Jesus Christ. Teach me to walk in the freedom of being made clean and to rejoice in the fellowship I now have with You. Help me to share this message of hope with others who long to be restored. In Jesus name, Amen.

God Provides a Way for Cleansing Scripture Leviticus 12:8 (NKJV) And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean. God Makes a Way This verse shows God’s compassion in the laws of purification. A woman who had just given birth was required to bring an offering for cleansing. But if she could not afford a lamb, God allowed her to bring two birds instead. The standard of holiness remained, but God made a way for everyone, regardless of wealth, to approach Him and be cleansed. For believers today, this passage points us to Christ. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and His sacrifice is available to all. No one is excluded because of status, wealth, or background. God makes a way for every person to find cleansing, forgiveness, and renewal through Jesus. This verse reminds us that God’s mercy meets us where we are. He provides what we cannot provide for ourselves, ensuring that all who seek Him can be made clean. Reflection Questions 1. Do I trust that God’s grace is sufficient to cleanse me completely? 2. How can I show gratitude that Christ’s sacrifice is available to all people? 3. Am I welcoming others to come to Jesus, no matter their background or circumstances? Prayer Lord God, thank You for making a way for me to be cleansed and renewed through Jesus Christ. I could never meet the standard on my own, but You provided the sacrifice I needed. Help me to walk in gratitude for Your mercy and to share this good news with others. In Jesus name, Amen.