Faith

Was Jesus’ death and the shedding of His blood necessary? What did it accomplish? What does His blood mean for you? For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Mt. 26:28) (Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. – Heb. 9:22) Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn. 6:54) (Faith in the blood opens the way into eternal life with God.) …shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:28) (The church was purchased by the blood of Jesus. Without the blood of Jesus, the debt would still be owed). Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Rom. 5:9) (The blood justifies us and saves us from the coming wrath of God. The coming wrath indicates that the shedding of Jesus’ blood was necessary). In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7). (The blood, and thus the sacrifice of Jesus, was necessary for the forgiveness of sins).

Writing is the most intimate form of communication. Expressing our thoughts naturally flows like water filling a basin, and it is satisfying because it comes from a yearning to connect, to reveal, to inform, and persuasion may also be a factor. Frequently one’s courage to step forward is coupled with humility.

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. (Prov. 4:20-22) “Incline your ear to my sayings….they are…health.”

I hope. I hope you do too. Hope is hitched to the desires of one’s heart; it is the thread that embroiders dreams. Hope is faith in hand. Hope is fueled by love. I think hope is the heart’s prayer, and it is visible to God for His Kingdom is within us.

Once trust is shattered, Romanians say you’ll blow on ice cream in fear of being scalded by boiling milk. The younger we are, the less we understand the heat that breaks our hearts.

So often the fiery darts of the enemy are launched from the mouths of “believers.” “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Mt. 12:34) Our hearts are the soil in which our futures are grown.