The Blood of the Lamb -1 Peter 1:18-19

The Blood of the Lamb  -1 Peter 1:18-19   

Why blood? Why all this talk about the blood of Christ? 

For answers, let’s turn to the very best source—the Bible.

Peter explained, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, (v. 19) but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV).

Peter implies that his readers knew that their redemption did not come from any material wealth, good conduct, or through any kind of tradition passed down from forefathers.

This apostle wants to make it clear that salvation comes through the precious blood of Jesus, stating that Jesus was the once for all sacrificial lamb. Jews of that era were knowledgeable of the significance of the shedding of the blood of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Even the Gentiles of the day were somewhat familiar with these Jewish practices.

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About 1400 years prior to Peter’s writing God gave Moses instructions on the atonement of the sins of the people through the sacrificial shedding of the blood of an unblemished lamb. Step-by-step instructions are recorded in Leviticus 14.

“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” (Leviticus 17:11 NKJV). This shedding of the blood of lambs and other animals was a foreshadowing of the crucifixion death and shed blood of Jesus.

Cross at Jamestown, VA

Photo by Connie 

In several places, the Bible states that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. A sacrifice is defined as offering something of value for a cause or for a specified reason. Making an atonement is offering a compensation or penitence to make amends for an offense committed. 

Therefore, the system set up by God in the Old Testament stated that those who offered and were covered by the blood sacrifice were released—set free—from the consequences of their sin. But this was only temporary and needed to be repeated periodically. 

Jesus was without sin—that is without spot or blemish. When His life’s blood was shed, He made atonement for all the sins of all Mankind once for all. His dying words proclaimed that fact: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Each person then has the option to accept or reject His sacrifice. 

The writer of Hebrews goes into detail to explain Jesus’ atoning sacrifice: “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of the creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For it the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. ... Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:11-15 ESV).

As we enter into this season of Easter, let us be mindful of the sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus—the Lamb that was slain on behalf of sinners like you and me. I’m thankful for and rejoice in many things—especially family, freedom, home, and such. But the number one thing I’m thankful for and rejoice in is the blood of Jesus which was shed for me. Because of His atoning sacrifice my sins are washed away. My debt to God has been canceled out; I am in His own family for all eternity; and my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. 

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Besides that, my precious loved ones, who I’m so thankful for, also have the privilege of being in God’s family and we can all be together with Jesus in Heaven. All our tears will be wiped away. There‘ll be no hurt, no sorrow, no evil of any kind. Like my friend used to sing, “There‘ll be no band-aides in Heaven—no emergency medical care ...” *

Are you covered by the blood of the Lamb? We each have the choice to accept and receive Him (Jesus) or reject and deny Him. 

Your comments are welcome.

*If you wish, you can hear the song, “No Band-Aids in Heaven,” on You-Tube.  It’s an adorable child’s song!



©Copyright 2019 Connie Wohlford

Is a donkey or an elephant of more value than the cross?

Is a donkey or an elephant of more value than the cross?

So have we had enough of political jargon yet? Are we fed up with hacks and hatchets in the realm of US politics? I’m thinkin, “YES!”

Well, it’s almost over and tomorrow is the big day. It’s hard to believe that there really are some folks out there who are yet undecided, so they say. They also say that many Americans are so fed up they don’t even plan to cast a ballot.

So at this point, just a few hours before the poles open, I’d like to throw in my two cents worth.

I approach voting from my personal Christian world view. I like to be as informed as I can, weigh the pros and cons of the candidates and questions on the ballot, PRAY a lot, and go vote at the appointed time.

I believe this is the process by which most other Christians enter the ballot booth.

How do I become informed? 

I listen to and read about the candidates. I listen to the opinions of people whom I admire and respect. I check out the party platforms, although I admit I have not read every single word of either one, I have read parts of each. 

I do all this prayerfully throughout the process and then I pray some more.  

I love my country. I love learning about U.S. history. Just last week my husband and I toured Montpelier, the home of James Madison, who is known as the Father of the U.S. Constitution. We took what they call the “Constitution Tour,” which focuses on the forming of our Constitution. All Americans should learn as much as possible about the founding of our nation. It’s all quite an amazing story. 

Montpelier - Home of James & Dolley Madison

So, back to Election 2016—if you are an American citizen, I encourage you to exercise your right to vote on our nation’s leader. Give it your best shot—and do it prayerfully. We don’t have a perfect candidate because Jesus’ name is not on the ballot.

Don’t consider party loyalty either because neither the elephant nor the donkey is more valuable than the cross of Christ.

On November 9, 2016, do be able to say, “I did my part. I voted.”

May God help us! Your comments are welcome below.

If you want to see more photos from our visit to Montpelier, go to my Facebook page:   https://www.facebook.com/ConnieWohlfordAuthor/

Republican Party Platform:  https://prod-static-ngop-pbl.s3.amazonaws.com/media/documents/DRAFT_12_FINAL[1]-ben_1468872234.pdf

Democratic Party Platform: https://www.demconvention.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Democratic-Party-Platform-7.21.16-no-lines.pdf

 

©Connie Wohlford 2016

DEATH—Fear No More

DEATH—Fear No More

Do you fear death? If so, why?

Many people fear death because of the universal fear of the unknown. We each know we’ll die one day, but don’t know how, when, or where. For many, this fear is rooted in the fact that they don’t know what will happen to them after they take their last breath.

The ultimate purpose in Christ Jesus coming to earth was to conquer death, and in doing so, remove it’s fear from anyone who will follow Him. We read that, “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” In Galatians 5:1, Paul instructed, Christ followers to stand firm in the freedom Christ provided and then not get tangled up in any kind of fear-bondage.

As children, from the point in time when we learned about death, some degree of fear was set in motion in the heart of each of us.

Do you remember your first encounter with death as a child? For most of us it probably involved the passing of an older relative or maybe a pet. For some of us, it was a shocking, abrupt, life-altering experience.

The writer of Hebrews speaks of Jesus crucifixion saying, “That through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14b-15).

In other words, through one’s lifetime, we’re each subject to a bondage to the fear of dying. But Jesus’ overpowering His own death destroyed the devil’s power in death and therefore has set us free from slavery to that fear.

We can rejoice in the words found in 1 Corinthians 15:54,55:   So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (KJV)

  

 

 

 It’s because Jesus died on the cross, taking on Himself the punishment for sin we each deserved, and then, after being buried and His body lying in a grave for three days, He rose—alive again. Because Jesus is the Son of the God of the universe, He had power to overthrow death. 


Cross of Our Lord Ministry, Groom, TX
 Connie Wohlford Photo

In this, He made a way for His followers to do the same. Thus, He is called the firstfruits of the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20).  

This is why freedom in Christ is true freedom. This is why His followers need not fear anyone who can kill their mortal bodies. It’s why Christians, in places where Christianity is forbidden, have the wherewithal stand firm and refuse to renounce their faith even in the face of persecution and death. They also have the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
This is also why we who follow Christ need not fear death. Death has no power over us and it’s why Paul could stand firm and say, “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21 NKJV).

We glory in the cross of our Lord, for it is the catalyst for our own victory over death and the fear of it. As Resurrection Sunday (Easter) approaches, let’s rejoice in this freedom for which Christ has set us free!

The Resurrection Carl Heinrich Bloch 1834-1890

Oh, Hallelujah!
He is risen, indeed!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©Connie Wohlford 2016

Perfected by Cancer

Perfected by Cancer

For my post today, I’m going to break away from the theme focusing on the value of God’s Word and write about a subject that has been on my heart and mind for the last week or so.

It was my honor to be asked to accept an award for my younger brother, Tommy, who died of cancer 42 years ago, at the age of 22. He was being inducted into the sports hall of fame of our high school alma mater.

As the inductee (fill-in) I was expected to give an acceptance speech and I’d like to share it with you in this post to honor Tommy and the God he loved.

RHS Sports Hall of Fame 2015 − Acceptance Speech for Tommy 

                                                                       −Delivered Sept. 5, 2015

I can’t tell you how honored I am to receive this award on behalf of my brother, Tommy.  All of our family is so pleased and proud. 

Our parents, Rudy and Edith Edwards, would be beyond thrilled for this occasion. 

I appreciate all the intense work done by the committee to make this possible. And thank you Doug and Kenny for your introduction of Tommy.

Tommy Edwards - Radford High School - 1968

As you already heard, Tommy excelled as an athlete and accomplished much in Bobcat sports.

But I want to tell you about another side of Tommy. In fact, this side of him didn’t shine through much until he left RHS and was diagnosed with cancer.

 

Tommy’s dream was to play football for VA Tech. And Coach Jerry Claiborne wanted Tommy on his team. But, needing to pull up his GPA, Tommy took a detour to Massanutten Military Academy and then to Ferrum Junior College, playing football at both places.                 

But Tommy’s dream of becoming a Hokie football player never came about. He was 19 years old when doctors at Duke University Hospital diagnosed him with cancer. 

This athletic, popular, talented, handsome, and seemingly healthy young man was stopped in his tracks that day. The doctors told us that the lump beside his eye was malignant and his eye would have to be removed. To add insult to injury, they also said there was no hope of him using a prosthetic eye because some tissue and bone also need to go. Therefore he would have to wear a patch for the rest of his life.                                                    

 

Tommy Edwards - Ferrum Jr. College -1970

Even after all this, Tommy played football at Ferrum the next season (1972).  He did get ticked off at his coach for not putting him in the games due to pain he was having in his neck. We soon learned that cancer had damaged his vertebrae, thus causing pain.

Did God give Tommy cancer in order to stop him in his tracks?  No.

God does not put cancer on people. But God does use bad circumstances to bring about His ultimate good.

Back in the first century when Stephen was stoned to death because he was a Christian, the believers in Jerusalem scattered, and the Gospel was spread throughout the known world. God got lots of mileage out of the tragedy of Stephen—thus turning it for good.

So for Tommy, on that sunny September day, his path suddenly changed in two very powerful ways. Instead of playing college football, attending classes, and enjoying campus life, he experienced surgeries, pain, affliction, and fear.                                                                                        

And instead of living the life of a self-indulgent college student, he turned back to the God of his childhood and the Savior he knew he could trust.

My precious brother battled cancer for 2½ years before he went to Heaven on Good Friday of 1973.  As we attended the Easter sunrise service two days later I knew my dear brother was alive and well, and even better yet−he was with our risen Lord.

In Tommy’s situation, there was bad news and there was good news. He had cancer and died at the young age of 22−terrible news.

But that affliction put him on his knees at the foot of the Cross. He turned back to God and encouraged his friends to follow Christ as well. Again, as God does so well, He took a bad situation, and turned it for good, building up His Kingdom in the process.

In a newspaper article, written by Charles Fretwell, a few days after Tommy died, he wrote:

“As outstanding as his accomplishments were in High School athletics, earning many letters in three major sports as well as area wide recognition for his athletic ability, all this fades into the background compared to the last two and a half years of his life. Years in which he demonstrated to his friends, his family, and his associates what it means to be a Christian and how a Christian should react to whatever life has in store for him. As all of us who knew him well realized, he never complained. He made the burden for his family and his friends easier by his acceptance of fate.”

“The last months of his life were spent, not in self-pity nor giving in to pain but in talking to, and writing to, his friends telling them how Christ had strengthened his life and had helped him to bear up under the burdens. He urged them to look anew at their own lives and to allow Christ to be a part of their lives too. He gave to many of them a copy of his favorite book−a Bible.” 

“What have we learned from the experience and the example of this fine young man? Courage has taken on a new meaning for each of us.  …  We all face life with its uncertainties and grope for the means to deal with these uncertainties as they appear on the scene. Courage is not easy to come by nor is it easy to maintain once adversity sets in, but Tommy demonstrated that Christian courage can overcome the cruelest blow and Webster’s dictionary now has a new meaning to add under that word – Tommy Edwards.”      

SO− all the honors and accolades a person can accumulate in a lifetime are nothing in light of Eternity. But they can give a person a platform from which to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is what Tommy did in the last days of his life.

The writer of Ecclesiastes said, God has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts.

As I said earlier, cancer knocked Tommy to his knees and he chose to land at the foot of the cross. When he looked up he saw Jesus and came face to face with Eternity.

We’ll all come face to face with Eternity one day. And I so look forward to the glorious reunion with Tommy and other loved ones who’ve chosen to follow Jesus.                                                               

We usually think of cancer as a curse, but cancer perfected Tommy.
It brought out the very best in him and was the catalyst that ultimately brought him to total wellness and wholeness in Eternity. 

So now, with great joy, I accept this award for Tommy.  And on behalf of our family, thank you.

---- We all go through trials of some kind from time to time. Some have cancer or other dreaded afflictions, many have debilitating financial problems, and lots of people seem to have one family crisis after another. We even know folks who have trials in all of the above areas.

Like Tommy, we can turn to Jesus in these tough times. It’s our choice. The Hebrew word for Jesus is Yeshua. I recently read that the root word for Yeshua means safety.

We can find safety in Jesus no matter what our trial. There are lots of scary things that happen to people and today’s world has lots of scary things going on in it. No matter what befalls us, let’s look to Jesus for safety and take comfort in His words: These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

If you’d like, please comment on how God has helped you through adversity at some time in your life. God bless you and thanks for sharing.

©Connie Wohlford 2015