This is the last chapter of "Words of Hope." I pray that someone has been blessed, encouraged, or found renewed hope through these chapters. Thank you for spending time with me in God's Word.
Our Hope is the Power In the Blood of Jesus
For this is my blood of the covenant,which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:28
A person can live only a few days without water. Without food one can survive several weeks—without oxygen only a few minutes. Without blood life ends! Blood supplies the means of travel for every necessary component to keep our bodies functioning properly. Medical research indicates that approximately three hundred billion red cells die and are replaced every day—the new strong clean blood replaces the toxic day after day, year after year throughout our life. There is power in the blood.
Life is in the blood. The Jews understood and today practicing Jews continue to eat only kosher meat from an animal that has had its blood drained in preparation for cooking. Imagine the surprise and perhaps horror of the Jewish followers of Christ when he announced “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53 ESV)
Christ was teaching the truth of the spiritual life by teaching the truth of the physical life. He came to die, to shed His blood for the redemption of mankind—you and me. After His death on the Cross of Calvary, it would no longer be necessary to shed the blood of goats and bulls as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of man. Christ came to be the ultimate sacrifice.
Christ’s blood has the power to cleanse us from our sin! Like me, you have probably heard this phrase: The red blood (of Christ) washes away my black sin and makes me white as snow. How is that possible? There is power in the blood of Christ! Just as the blood in our bodies cleanses toxins such as carbon dioxide from our bodies, the blood of Christ cleanses us from sin’s toxin.
Our physical blood sustains our physical life. The blood of Christ, the purchase price for our eternal life, washes and sustains our life in Christ. Through His blood we are free from the burden of sin, the grasp of satan, the guilt and condemnation that encompassed life before Christ. It is not necessary, nor are we able to “clean up” before coming to Christ. As we accept Christ as Savior, His cleansing blood cleans us and transforms our life of sin washing away the toxins and replacing them with the power of Almighty God to live life in Christ Jesus.
John 3:16 tells us that, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (ESV) In the blood of Christ there is hope, there is salvation, there is LIFE eternal! There is power in the blood of Christ, and it is available to whoever believes. Will you believe?
The Problem of Sin
Romans 3:23— “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
The Wages of Sin
Romans 6:23a—“For the wages of sin is death…”
The Love of God
Romans 5:8—“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The Free Gift of Salvation
Romans 6:23b—“But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Accepting the Free Gift
Romans 10:9 & 13—“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (13) For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Precious Friend,
God is offering you new life in Jesus Christ. Would you accept His gift of eternal life today?
Through prayer to God with a sincere repentant heart:
1. Admit you are a sinner, ask God for forgiveness, and turn from your sin.
2. Confess that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross and rose again to save you from your sin.
3. Invite Jesus to be the Savior and Lord of your life. (Accept Jesus Christ’s payment for your sins. Choose to follow Jesus as your Lord.)
If you don’t know what to say, you can pray something similar to this:
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I am asking for Your forgiveness, and I want to turn away from my sins. I believe that Jesus Christ, Your Son, died on the cross and rose again to save me from my sins, and I now put my faith and trust in Him as my personal Lord and Savior. Amen.
If you have prayed from a sincere heart to receive Christ, you are forgiven and included in the Family—a Child of God. As a follower of Christ, you will want to connect with a Bible-believing church to grow in your faith and serve God with other Christians. Don’t delay—tell someone you know about your decision to follow Jesus Christ, and talk with a Pastor or Christian friend about how to learn more about our Lord and the Christian life.
Congratulations, and welcome to the family!
“Whoever calls upon the name of
The Lord shall be saved.”
--Romans 10:13
If you have recently accepted Christ as Savior or renewed your commitment to follow Christ, I would like to hear from you in order to add your name to my prayer list.
You may contact me at:
roadsignsforliving@gmail.com
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©Joyce Powell
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